Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

Every time I see a terry cloth towel with the loops that increase the surface area I wonder if you could make a biofilter like a towel rack. It would be very easy, just some pipes with rows of holes drilled in them and towels hanging over, in a parallel arrangement of plates/towels. The biofilm would easily be able to get oxygen and also outgas due to the lair gap between plates/towels.

How do you think this would do in comparison to other kinds of filters? Would cotton break down under these conditions? We've had some towels that get stinky when they stay wet, would that mean something like this would fall apart?

Hi Dave
They would rot eventually, the weight would be considerable when wet.
I bet you could use a rotary washing line to support a fair few of them, should be easy to plumb too

What about using a 100% polyester towel?

That sounds a better plan,
i`ve had some polyester cord outside for about 3 years holding stuff up and its still ok

You think too much.

Right now on my kitchen sink, there is a pot scrubber structured like a wadded up onion bag. I debate about a sack full of those as a biofilter, but then keep thinking that they would mat down under the weight of the poo.

When I worked at the local winery, the wine filter looked like a sideways stack of cardboard held in a giant press. The wine went through it at pressure, I believe. OK, different purpose, but what about a stack of washcloths.....

I think too much, too.

Janet,
Go for it! I`ve used them for years in my aquarium filters without any problems. They do clog after a while (months) but nowhere near as much as a sponge.
Talking about wine.. i came across some plastic demijohns today and instantly thought small fbf seems about the right shape even if a little small on capacity (5L)

5L sounds nice for an FBF. The 2L bottle I tried was too small.

Don't think about it guys and gals.... just build it....

Instructions here .... http://www.skippysstuff.com/biofiltr.htm

or if you can't be bothered, just buy a kit.... http://www.skippysstuff.com/filterkits.html

They even use/endorse "rubbermaid" tanks ....

Or there's the "MiniMe" version ....

http://www.skippysstuff.com/minime.htm

The towels would probably work for a time but natural fibers will decompose the same as other organic matter. The filter sponge or scrubbies sound good to me though.

The Skippy filter is why I bought Scotch pads in the first place.

BTW, I also had bought some plastic scrubbies from the dollar store but they smell so bad (chemically) that I decided I wouldn't use them for anything. They're from China of course and God knows what stuff is in the plastic.