Phosphates and Filter Socks??

krzyphsygy · #1 01/01/2008, 09:30 PM

I have been washing my filter socks in the washing machine with no soap or anything. I put them through 2 rinse cycles after that them let them dry.

My question is...do I need to rinse them again in RO/DI water before using them? or will the bad nutrients and suck disappear when the sock drys??

The Floodinator · #2 01/01/2008, 09:47 PM

Too add to your question...
I bleach mine and run them through 4 rinse cycles, let them dry for a week. When I change them out (3 at a time) they make the skimmer crazy for a while. Suggestions, ideas?

bertoni · #3 01/01/2008, 11:40 PM

I might rinse the filter socks in some RO-DI water to remove any possible traces of detergent, but if they haven't been bleached, they should be safe as is.

Some bleach will remain in the filter socks, even if rinsed and let dry. Rinsing them with some vinegar might remove any traces of bleach, and detergent, for that matter.

yaktop · #4 01/02/2008, 06:32 PM

I was umder the impression the remaining bleach residue would evaporate out. no rinsing required. not true.....bummer for me.

krzyphsygy · #5 01/02/2008, 08:53 PM

The question was.....Will there be any phosphates or nutirients left to leak out from a dry filter sock basically.

I do not use any detergents when i wash them. They are basically just going through the washer with nothing but water.

My water has phosphates in it, thus when they are in the machine they are exposed. When the sock dries, will those phosphates leak in to the tank???

bertoni · #6 01/02/2008, 09:00 PM

Yes, there might be phosphate on the socks, but not much. There might also be detergent from previous loads. Vinegar would remove them both, if they're present. I should be more clear. I'd still worry a bit about detergent, in this situation.

Percula9 · #7 01/02/2008, 10:46 PM

I pressure wash mine to remove as much detritus as possible. Then I soak in bleach and water for 2-3 days. I rinse them out again with the hose, then I soak them again in water with dechlor. I then use it when the other sock gets to clogged and slows down my water flow. Never had any problems with this method. I just keep swapping the socks.