DO NOT BUY Hygrolon for your terrarium, vivarium, or paludarium!

I experiment with hygrolon versus the (MUCH!) cheaper spacer mesh fabrics from Amazon. Is it really worth it to pay top dollar for Hygrolon?
**LINKS**
The inexpensive options:
Amazon link CARR fabric by the yard ($13.10): www.amazon.com...
Amazon link 3D spacer mesh 100x155 cm ($14.99) www.amazon.com...
Hygrolon 100x100 cm - premium price ($54.99):
www.etsy.com/l...

[@yourlocaltoad5102]

The important difference is that hygrolon doesn’t contain any softeners that could leech out and harm the animals in the enclosure. Hygrolon is made from short PET fibres that are woven into a mesh while the cheaper meshes are made from long PET fibres that require the use of phthalates to make the hard and inflexible plastic soft and bendable. These phthalates aren’t bound to the plastic fibres and so they leech out over time and can cause harm by acting as endocrine disrupters in the bodies of animals that live in this environment. And the effects are quite bad: some phthalates cause damages to the reproductive system, some are highly toxic to the liver and some are interfering with the function of the thyroid and hypophysis which leads to issues with hormone regulation and eventually neurological degradation that can lead to the death of the animal. So even if you personally only had good experiences with the cheaper meshes, consider the effects they can have on the health of your pets. If money is a issue, try to at least contact the manufacturers and ask if they use such softeners and avoid products that contain them.

[@gettingwiggly7525]

Well my fish and shrimps have been breeding quite well

[@yourlocaltoad5102]

@@gettingwiggly7525 okay, that doesn’t say wether or not the mesh is leeching any harmful substances into the water. The video is about a year old, so I‘d assume the fish and shrimp also have spent about that time or a little less in the tank. Could be that they still have issues with their hormonal system that could lower their life expectancy or make them more susceptible to other illness. My dad spent his apprenticeship and a few years after that working with asbestos and didn’t suffer from any long term damages, yet using that to say that asbestos is harmless would be a false conclusion. Same applies here. I‘m happy that your pets doing well for now, but that doesn’t mean that it’s harmless or that it’s sure that they won’t experience any lasting damages.

[@gettingwiggly7525]

@@yourlocaltoad5102 I'd be more concerned about leachates if the hobby didn't require monthly water changes. I admit it's something I hadn't considered but I don't think the Concentrations we're dealing with, along with water changes, would be that concerning. Additionally, while I'm not sure if plants are able to uptake these compounds, the tank has a LOT more plant mass, which may be able to metabolize these.

[@jadahihernandezquintana3428]

Amigo se ve que tu eres un crak una maquina te felicito!

[@thombaz]

Are you sure its pet and not PP?

[@Validole]

Well... in the first test you can see how the other fabric is leaching off the hygrolon where it touches. And in the second, the two fabrics are probably at the same level because one is touching the other...

[@silvervelocity07]

I wonder if the material that looks similar for kitchen drawers/cabinets is the same

[@starogod]

I have this question for a while. Nice bro, very helpfull :)

[@mikes9714]

Is there a difference between the two regarding plant’s ability to establish their roots on the material?

[@gettingwiggly7525]

No - the actual texture is identical! Good question though.

[@theloveofthedead284]

@@gettingwiggly7525 doesn't look identical, how do you know how plants will grow on it? Show us the test with plants

[@rekuszbrekusz5048]

@@gettingwiggly7525 The texture not the same, the real hygrolon double sided! The chepar ones the two side different.

[@gettingwiggly7525]

@@theloveofthedead284 That is an experiment in progress!

[@gettingwiggly7525]

@@rekuszbrekusz5048 Why would that be important?

[@allisonh3208]

This was so helpful! Thanks!

[@sdqsdq6274]

hmmm i didnt know it can wick from the bottom , been using spacer mesh for a while

[@Toady82]

I am contacting a chinese manufacturer right now to inquire regarding phtalates. Real hygrolon is clearly overpriced. Epiweb might be too. Actually the "inventor" of epiweb & Hygrolon sources from china himself, which he says in the 6-part presentation which is available here on youtube (in swedish).

[@Toady82]

They say there are no phtalates or other softeners in the fabric (IVY cloth house @ Aliexpress)

[@XxDrxX1995]

Hygrolon is really hard to get in Australia. How have these products held up? Do you still recommend them?

[@gettingwiggly7525]

Yup! Work great