Laundered foam filter pads safe for aquarium inhabitants? ..

Bottom posted.
"Gill Passman" wrote in message

> Daniel Morrow wrote:
> > Is laundered foam (or other) filter pads safe for freshwater aquarium
> > inhabitants? Any chance the laundry soap (detergent) leaves any residues
> > that are harmful for aquarium inhabitants (snails, fish, plants other
> > invertebrates, etc.) could still be on filter media that has been
freshly
> > laundered? Is it safe to use laundered filter media? Thanks all - good
luck
> > and later!
> >
> >
> I probably wouldn't just to be on the safe side...others may differ in
> their opinions....
>
> Just curious....why did they get laundered?
>
> Gill

They got laundered for the heck of it (it won't hurt unless I don't listen
to you guys) as the media was hopelessly clogged in the first place. I might
try a vinegar soak overnight for now on - also - I have a 50 micron filter
pad that instructions say to launder I am pretty sure (and I have been using
them as laundered) so I have some experience using laundered media but I
suspect things are different between sponge and 50 micron filter pad (and I
doubt my previous problems were even distantly related to detergent
poisoning as I do the same with the 50 micron pads with all of my tanks and
the turtle tank is problem free (I think the population control (small
turtles) is what keeps the fancy guppies in there from over-populating) but
I am thinking of playing it more safe now after altum's post right after
this one so I plan on using a bucket overnight and a vinegar/water solution
depending on what the diatomaceous earth filter (vortex) website says about
it's own filter bags (they need to be unclogged once or twice a year or so
if I remember correctly). Good luck all and later!
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