Cleaning filter socks.

[Barks]

Hey all.
I have a reefer 425xl. It has 2 filter socks.
I just use mesh because the poly wool type although it polishes the water blocks up so quickly.
anyway my question is
I have to clean them out every day. I don’t have time messing around to rinse with ro so I clean under tap water hot and cold then squeeze out and put back in.
Not ideal but am I introducing enough bad water to build up and cause an issue with heavy metals ect.
mom considering just getting rid of them and vacuuming the sump once a month.
what do you all think.
cheers
Barks

 

[Snowxcross]

You'll be fine. You may want to consider a fleece roller. Good investment.

 

[chipchipbro]

maybe use media bag and filter wool?
throw away daily and youre good to go....

 

[mtraylor]

No issues. I hose mine out sometimes outside and squeeze out and put right back in. Try 200 micron or larger for more use time

 

[doubleshot00]

Weird they are clogging after a day. Maybe you need to look at your husbandry. Or do you have a high fish population?

I don’t clean mine but 2x a week and sometimes once a week.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Hey all.
I have a reefer 425xl. It has 2 filter socks.
I just use mesh because the poly wool type although it polishes the water blocks up so quickly.
anyway my question is
I have to clean them out every day. I don’t have time messing around to rinse with ro so I clean under tap water hot and cold then squeeze out and put back in.
Not ideal but am I introducing enough bad water to build up and cause an issue with heavy metals ect.
mom considering just getting rid of them and vacuuming the sump once a month.
what do you all think.
cheers
Barks

Squeezing them out is fine.

 

[PeterC99]

I have an RSR 425 XL and gave up on filter socks. Now use these small, 3D printed filter cups. Change a small piece of filter floss once a week, in seconds. $8 bag of floss lasts a whole year. Game changer

 

[thatmanMIKEson]

Hey all.
I have a reefer 425xl. It has 2 filter socks.
I just use mesh because the poly wool type although it polishes the water blocks up so quickly.
anyway my question is
I have to clean them out every day. I don’t have time messing around to rinse with ro so I clean under tap water hot and cold then squeeze out and put back in.
Not ideal but am I introducing enough bad water to build up and cause an issue with heavy metals ect.
mom considering just getting rid of them and vacuuming the sump once a month.
what do you all think.
cheers
Barks

I use filter socks, I have a 5gal bucket outside that I keep potent bleach water in and submerge the filter socks in there, I've stored them in this water for 2months+ before strait form the tank into the bucket, sometimes I will replace the water and bleach as it loses its potency as I add more socks, I will put up to 30+ in there, they go in the bucket as a dark brown nasty color with food and bristle worms and all. when I eventually spray them off with a hose they are a light pink to white color and the hose does quick work to clean them. I will spray all them down at once, they are almost bright white at this point. Then I'm allowed to put them in the washing machine, I will put them on a bright white cycle with more bleach and a extra rinse cycle with a high spin(ive skipped this step before with no issues). After drying out sometimes I'll put them in the sun and let them dry out, if not I just hang them. I have soaked them in r.o water for a few days as a final step but lately I've been skipping this step, but I still like the idea of a r.o water soak then drying them out again, but I'm not sure that's necessary.

Anyway since doing the bleach bucket and letting it sit until i have time to get to it, cleaning filter socks has gotten much easier with a hose and spray nozzle, I like how filter socks simply polish the water, but I hate everything else about them

 

[SPS2020]

I use filter socks, I have a 5gal bucket outside that I keep potent bleach water in and submerge the filter socks in there, I've stored them in this water for 2months+ before strait form the tank into the bucket, sometimes I will replace the water and bleach as it loses its potency as I add more socks, I will put up to 30+ in there, they go in the bucket as a dark brown nasty color with food and bristle worms and all. when I eventually spray them off with a hose they are a light pink to white color and the hose does quick work to clean them. I will spray all them down at once, they are almost bright white at this point. Then I'm allowed to put them in the washing machine, I will put them on a bright white cycle with more bleach and a extra rinse cycle with a high spin(ive skipped this step before with no issues). After drying out sometimes I'll put them in the sun and let them dry out, if not I just hang them. I have soaked them in r.o water for a few days as a final step but lately I've been skipping this step, but I still like the idea of a r.o water soak then drying them out again, but I'm not sure that's necessary.

Anyway since doing the bleach bucket and letting it sit until i have time to get to it, cleaning filter socks has gotten much easier with a hose and spray nozzle, I like how filter socks simply polish the water, but I hate everything else about them

Pretty much my process as well, but I use the garden tub in the master, turn them inside out, rinse some of the nasty out, into a bucket with bleach until time for the washer with bleach and an extra rinse. Air dry and ready to do it all over again. I change mine about every 2-3 days or when they are overflowing.

 

[thatmanMIKEson]

Pretty much my process as well, but I use the garden tub in the master, turn them inside out, rinse some of the nasty out, into a bucket with bleach until time for the washer with bleach and an extra rinse. Air dry and ready to do it all over again. I change mine about every 2-3 days or when they are overflowing.

Very nice!

Yeah I let them go till just about/or overflow too, and I flip inside out when spraying them out as well. But nothing before they go in the bleach bucket soak, they are a bit of work I see the appeal of a filter roller but for now socks don't break or break the bank. I think with a simplified cleaning process and multiple uses they can still be advantageous for us.

There's alot of good options for filter media everything works even no media for some is great, it's all personal preference, it's good to try everything.

 

[bushdoc]

I second doubleshot00. You should concentrate on finding out why filter socks are clogging rapidly- too much feeding? Not enough flow, skimmer inefficient, tank overstocked?

 

[thatmanMIKEson]

I second doubleshot00. You should concentrate on finding out why filter socks are clogging rapidly- too much feeding? Not enough flow, skimmer inefficient, tank overstocked?

If I carbon/bacteria dose they clogg in half the time! It's a noticeable difference.

 

[Barks]

Wow. Loads of replies there. Thanks to all.
yes a fair few fish and feed twice a day. Three times at the weekend.
powder blue tang
scopas tang
yellow tang
Peacock wrasse
Exquisite wrasse
Royal gramma
Scooter blenny
2 Anthia
5 chromis

And yes I’m carbon dosing so that clogs them up quick also.
I used to buy new wool ones in bulk and just throw away but the new ones kept making my skimmer go nuts.
I have a good size skimmer curve 7

I changed to 200 micron mesh just to filter the big crap.
I was just thinking I make such an effort to make sure the ro top up is zero tds then I’m rinsing my socks in tap water everyday just thought it might accumulate over time.
however I do a 25% water change every month.
I did consider the cups and using the roll of wool I have and just throwing it.
I also am considering removing them and letting the skimmer do more.
If you all say cleaning them in tap water dosent hurt then I’m good with that.
Cheers
Barks