Alternative Tumbler Media Fail

[phil384]

Ever the tightwad, I was in a pet shop the other day and saw some cat litter that looked promising as a cheap tumbler media. I worked out it was 1/4 the price of corncob media so thought I'd give it a go.

Ahem....cases came out dull and dusty. I had to put them back in the corncob media for a couple of hours.

Has anyone found a good cheaper alternative to walnut/corncob? I know it's unlikely to change my lifestyle but if i can save a few quid....

[Randy Bohannon]

Go back to the pet shop and ask them for fine crushed walnut shell vivarium media, sold for lizards and things like that.

[loiner1965]

Ever the tightwad, I was in a pet shop the other day and saw some cat litter that looked promising as a cheap tumbler media. I worked out it was 1/4 the price of corncob media so thought I'd give it a go.

Ahem....cases came out dull and dusty. I had to put them back in the corncob media for a couple of hours.

Has anyone found a good cheaper alternative to walnut/corncob? I know it's unlikely to change my lifestyle but if i can save a few quid....

reptile floor media from pets shops works

[phil384]

Is it much cheaper?

[Saferider]

About £10 for 5kg as opposed to about £15 for 5kg on . I've never used it myself but there's good reports on the American websites.

Hth

[Saferider]

About £10 for 5kg as opposed to about £15 for 5kg on . I've never used it myself but there's good reports on the American websites.

Hth

[Saferider]

About £10 for 5kg as opposed to £5.50 for 1 kilo which is what I paid last time I bought any about twelve months ago.

[loiner1965]

Is it much cheaper?

yes lots......people put a little and i mean a little bit of jewellers rouge in to make it more effective

[Saferider]

At about £10 for 10 kilos a lot cheaper, just have a look at some of the American sites they rave about it. I paid £5.50 a kilo last time I got some from a gun shop.

Hth

[Ka-Boom!]

It's worth noting that walnut media (and possibly corn cob) can be cleaned very easily in a washing bowl with water and a small squirt of washing up liquid. Once rinsed, it can be sieved and then dried in the oven at a low temp.
I have been using the same media for over 10 years with no detriment to cleaning performance and the media particles haven't broken down at all.
I also use torn up used 'colour catchers' in the media and they collect a lot of the dust and crud.

[loiner1965]

It's worth noting that walnut media (and possibly corn cob) can be cleaned very easily in a washing bowl with water and a small squirt of washing up liquid. Once rinsed, it can be sieved and then dried in the oven at a low temp.
I have been using the same media for over 10 years with no detriment to cleaning performance and the media particles haven't broken down at all.
I also use torn up used 'colour catchers' in the media and they collect a lot of the dust and crud.

i put mine in a very secure tied up pillow case and bung in washer.....then in the tumble dryer or take to work and dry in spray booth

[DesG]

After years of not very clean cases with dry media I made myself a wet tumbler using stainless stell pins. Result- new looking cases with minimal effort.

[majex45]

Use bits of torn up cloth (half a dozen about 4 x 2) soaked in white spirit.
Tumble them for a while and they go red/black and remove a lot of the crud. The media return to bright red.