filter sock cleaning... i hate it

faded1004 · #1 12/31/2007, 01:03 PM

man, cleaning out the filter sock sucks! i had to stop 4 times cause i got splinters... and i still think i have more? last water change/filter clean up for the year... hope all of you guys have good luck with your tanks for the new year!

for the people who clean their sock with the washing machine, do you have any problems with the splinters getting into you clothes?

what other methods are popular for cleaning the socks?

does dunking them in chlorine alone work?

how many of you guys run new socks every time?

i really like using filter socks... i can change the micron rating all the time, and also swap out in case there are major problems... what are your opinions?

OC CJ · #2 12/31/2007, 01:05 PM

splinters???? i wash mine once a week in the washer, no soap or bleach and it works fine, haven't had any problems yet and i've washed it about 6 times now.

faded1004 · #3 12/31/2007, 01:07 PM

it looks like the splinters from the bristle worms? i get like a few cause i rub the socks when i clean them...

oc- does your sock use the ring or are you using drawstring type? do you hang dry or machine dry?

OC CJ · #4 12/31/2007, 01:12 PM

i use the drawstring type. never found any bristleworms in my sock so i guess i don't have to worry about splinters.

no need to dry it as it's going right back into water.... i just throw it in and run the wash on hot water with 2 cold rinses and for a 14 minute wash time on heavy. it comes out white as can be when done.

johndonaldson3 · #5 12/31/2007, 01:13 PM

I use a garden hose to pressure wash, squeeze dry and reuse.

mclaman · #6 12/31/2007, 01:28 PM

I have been washing mne with the hose, then throwing in the washing machine. I have been using woolite (don't know why) without any ill effects.

faded1004 · #7 12/31/2007, 01:29 PM

that is cool...

oc, another quick question, do you flip inside out before washing?

mclaman, woolite? mmm... that is for gentle fabrics? do you use full cap or do you just put in alittle?

Scissorhand · #8 12/31/2007, 01:31 PM

you wash the filter socks *gulp* with your clothes? *eek*

faded1004 · #9 12/31/2007, 01:32 PM

i wouldn't wash with clothes... but i was thinking the splinters might stay in the wash for the next load? that is why i did washing by hand?

ycnibrc · #10 12/31/2007, 01:37 PM

I don't use filter sock anymore since if you don't keep an eye on your salinity it will drop because when the sock get a little dirty it hold more water in it so your sum water level will drop and the top off will fill the sum with fresh water. If you don't add more salt to your water change your salinity will drop over time.

faded1004 · #11 12/31/2007, 01:45 PM

i don't use top off yet... i manually put in water... just picked up auto top off, but want to use with kalk... i will have to keep that in mind! that for that info

OC CJ · #12 12/31/2007, 01:45 PM

i don't wash it with my clothes, figured that was a no brainer.

yes, i do turn mine inside out. no soap is needed to get it clean and i would be afraid some of the soap would stay in the sock and hurt the tank.

xtm · #13 12/31/2007, 01:57 PM

I stopped using filter socks because I decided that it's too much maintenance. When I had them, I pressure wash inside and out.. this takes about 15 mins.

faded1004 · #14 12/31/2007, 01:59 PM

xtm, what are you using now for mechanical filtration?

bromion · #15 12/31/2007, 02:04 PM

I use them to get rid of bubbles, though there may be a better way I haven't found.

To clean them, I put them in a bucket, add some bleach, then fill with water. Agitate a bit. Let it sit for a few hours, then rinse and air dry. The bleach really gets out all the gunk, then rinses off or evaporates out.

JOSE CASAS · #16 12/31/2007, 02:05 PM

Wash them in the washer by them selfs and just use water.I wash the ones with the rings and with out

blulite · #17 12/31/2007, 02:15 PM

I've got two socks, both with rings, and cycle between the two of them. Once a week, I replace the dirty one with the clean one.

To clean I soak in a bucket with bleach, for about 24 hours. Then rinse with a hose and soak in fresh water with Amquel for 30 minutes. Then air dry.

Never seen any splinters, but I do find lots of cool stuff before I bleach. Baby starfish, baby turbo snails, etc. I usually spend some time trying to rescue prior to the BLEACH.

Jeff

Frankysreef · #18 12/31/2007, 02:18 PM

I've been using some of mine for over 2 yrs...

Wash in washer with a little bleach, then let air dry.

I use drawstring type. They are great for catching gunk...

Just threw 2 out, I rotate about 12

frogiii · #19 12/31/2007, 02:56 PM

I clean them with hose. jet spay it and gets all the brown stuffs off from it. I love using filter sock it traps everything before returns back into main tank. How do you ppl put this dirty brown gunk in your wash machine? nasty... did you smell your cloth did it smells like ocean? fish poop? lol

faded1004 · #20 12/31/2007, 03:18 PM

hahahaha... my socks don't smells as bad as my skimmer... wow, when i clean out my skimmer, my kitchen and downstairs smell like the beach! oh man, i have to clean out my sink with bleach every once in a while cause i think some of the skimmer junk is stuck inside the pipes...

looks like most people cycles the socks... and spray wash... may be a machine wash every so aften might not hurt... just to make sure it gets fully cleaned...

ReefMeister2 · #21 12/31/2007, 03:36 PM

Switch to 200-micron socks, and all your problems will go away.

I'm not kidding

faded1004 · #22 12/31/2007, 03:39 PM

i think i am using either 200 or 150 right now... i don't think i clean them often, i just hate doing it at all... i think mine get filled about a third of the way, every 2 weeks? that is when i take them out to be cleaned...

xtm · #23 12/31/2007, 04:31 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by faded1004
xtm, what are you using now for mechanical filtration?

None.

Water from the display drains directly to my ASM (G2) skimmer where most detritus get skimmed. The water then goes to the next baffle where Chaetomorpha sp. is used for nutrient export, then to the next baffle where a Phosphate Reactor is used, before it finally gets pumped back to the display.

I found that filter socks are unnecessary with this particular setup. Further, the accumulated detritus inside the filter sock can contribute to Nitrate production if they are not cleaned every so often. (Believe me, I absolutely have NO time for that)

Therefore, Filter Socks in my setup = Useless.

reef_doug · #24 12/31/2007, 04:38 PM

I change mine every two days. Never got a splinter, but I never put my hand inside them either.

I use the 4" 100 micron plastic ring type and mine sump uses 2 at a time. I have 8 of them and wash them once a week w/ 1c bleach, no soap. Double rinse cycle and airdry overnight. I don't bother turning them inside out inorder to wash them.

The bleach isn't to just make them white, I could care less. It's an oxidizer and breaks down small particles of debris within the felt cloth fibers.

Any residual bleach goes away when left to air dry overnight.

faded1004 · #25 12/31/2007, 05:04 PM

xtm, nice setup... i tried to do that, but couldn't find a good deal on a downdraft skimmer... one day i will get one... until then, i will filter out as much big particles with my sock...

i am thinking about... regular water wash every time... then every 4 times, bleach bath?