The many uses of Panty hose in an aquarium

[dagray]

No this is not a thread that is made in jest or tongue in cheek, it is serious in nature.

That said here are some uses I have found for panty hose in the aquarium keeping hobby:

1) panty hose over a stand pipe on an undergravel filter when doing tank maintenance to keep smaller fauna from investigating the stand pipe's inner spaces (great for shrimp tanks, where there is fry, or smaller fish)

2) as a pre-filter over a filter intake to keep fry or debris out of the filter. If you have an algae issue and are getting ready to scrub heavily the algae put panty hose over the intake held on with a rubber band, and at the end of the cleaning cycle you can syphon off the panty hose so the debris (especially unwanted algae that will "re-seed" itself given the right conditions) isn't still in your aquarium system.

3) need a sack for used filter media or tank substrate to seed the beneficial bacteria to start the cycle on a new tank? Yup panty hose.... put your media in the panty hose and tie them off, then just drop in the tank.

4) have an aquarium product that is small granules (like Seachem Purigen an anti Nitrogen rechargeable media) put it in the panty hose and then in your filter basket on a multi stage canister filter.

5) making sure you don't poor fauna out with used tank water... put panty hose over the bucket you syphon into so that any larger particles or fauna (small shrimp, fish fry) are captured to be put back in the tank.

6) vacuum pre-filter.... want to vacuum sediment and not get any of your small fauna? put a piece of panty hose over the intake of your tank syphon.

So here you see six good uses for panty hose in the aquarium hobby.

Yes the checkout girl at the grocery store looks at me funny when I buy that 25 pack of Knee high women's stockings, but hey they save me a bunch of work

oh and number 7 for shrimp keepers using sponge filters put panty hose over the sponge as this will keep shrimplets from being sucked into the sponge. Of course I power my sponge filters with power heads on a reverse flow undergravel filtration system.

So go buy panty hose, and be proud :)

[Second Hand Pat]

Dave, I use knee hi's also for small media bags. Way cheaper then buying the actual bags. :D
Pat

[Solid]

Does the elastic in them deteriorate over time? How long do they last? Also, do the fish prefer the black lacy ones or the brown sheer ones?

[Second Hand Pat]

Matt, I usually cut the elastic out and put a simple knot to keep the media in. You might try some different types to see which your fish prefer :p
Pat

[dagray]

I generally end up cutting the toe out and using it, and attatching it to the filter with a rubber band.

when I use them as a media bag I use Pat's method. I have Purigen in them for the top basket in my Fluval 406, and when I do filter maintenance I just pull the bags and rinse them in tap water (the chlorine recharges the purigen) and then rinse again with used tank water.

[Solid]

Good advice, thanks! I'll have to give them a try.

[pitdogg2]

I just pull the bags and rinse them in tap water (the chlorine recharges the purigen) and then rinse again with used tank water.

ummm you must have a HIGH chlorine content in you tap water. In all reality I have used purigen for a long time and it takes more chlorine than just a rinse in tap water.

I too have found panty hose very useful in the aquarium. I must say I have never tried to put in on the intake as I thought it would clog too easily might give that one a try next time.

[dagray]

I started with the purigen to fix a problem I didn't have (high nitrate) as the test kit I was using was effected by the Stress Coat water conditioner I was using (key word "Was").

I no longer use water conditioners as I have a filter on my drinking water (the water I use to fill the tanks) and it has no chlorine or chloramine (as tested by a reagent style test for chlorine/chloramine).

[Twistofer]

.... Also, do the fish prefer the black lacy ones or the brown sheer ones?

I'd try to avoid the red or black fishnet...:D

[rickztahone]

Panty hose are very useful and also very cheap. Always keep some around your aquarium

[Twistofer]

The mesh can be a limiting factor because it can clog easily and you may restrict water flow (theoretically). I have used pantyhose for the finer grade filtration and water conditioning products without too much problem. For the coarser grained items, I still like the plastic canvas.

[fishtanktenderfoot]

Adding to the list: I used knee highs as the "squishy" plant pots. It holds in the plant substrate and doesn't mix with my PFS tank bottom, and it is SO much easier to move the plants around for vacuuming and maintenance. I cut the toes off and secure the roots with rubber bands. I found this use on another post here. It works great!

[chaoslite]

I use it to rinse my baby brine shrimp before adding them to the tank. I was taught that by MMorris.

Mishka

[dagray]

I like that when placed over a filter intake if one gets an algae bloom or has a particulate issue that one can turn off the filter and with a 3/8 rigid tube attached to a 3/8 vinyl hose one can just vacuum the debris off of the panty hose, and one doesn't have to worry about nuisance plants like Java or Christmas Moss getting into the filter impeller (if an HOB filter).

[Twistofer]

Adding to the list: I used knee highs as the "squishy" plant pots. It holds in the plant substrate and doesn't mix with my PFS tank bottom, and it is SO much easier to move the plants around for vacuuming and maintenance. I cut the toes off and secure the roots with rubber bands. I found this use on another post here. It works great!

Great idea. How do you let the roots grow? Is there enough room? Plants like Crypts like a deep substrate bed.

[fishtanktenderfoot]

Great idea. How do you let the roots grow? Is there enough room? Plants like Crypts like a deep substrate bed.

I have swords and ferns (and anubias that aren't planted). The panty hose can be cut as long as needed and filled - my sword is in a "tall" sock of plant substrate. Fine roots will grow out of the hose, but they never root anywhere because I am constantly moving them around. I suppose I will have to trim soon. My crypt got re-homed after it did its melting thing, I don't do well with that plant. :o

[Brian031]

You can use panty hose on power heads (wave makers) to slow the flow and keep small nosey fish out of the wider parts. I also saw, intake filter and use as filter media/media balls in the filter basket.

All kinds of uses, it's just imbarrassing when a guy goes to the store and buys a pair.

[Willie]

...it's just imbarrassing when a guy goes to the store and buys a pair.

Just don't ask for fishnet, Willie