Filter socks

[Mr_Banana_Pants]

I hate filter socks... every 3 days I need to change them out, and at $10 each the cost adds up. I currently have 3 and when 2 are dirty I finally clean them. My 2 questions are how do you guys clean your filter socks??? And are they really worth it???

 

[Dilan Patel]

Washing machine inside out. I like to have them in I get them cheap on amazon. I run 200micron or 100 forgot hah.

 

[DDanis60]

Doesn't sound like they're worth it to you. I change mine out every 7-10 days. Run two at a time. Have 4 pairs or so. I wash them in the washing machine then air dry and cycle through pairs. If you're going through them that fast, I would think a few things might help: lower the flow in your sump, switch to longer filter socks or maybe even get a bigger sump with room for more you currently run. A single pair probably last me at least 6 months of continual use so they're one of the smallest expenses in my upkeep routine. Hope this helps.

 

[mtraylor]

I run 200 micro filters in my reef. They last about a week or so before having to clean. I hose mine out with hose then wash with a splash of bleach.

 

[N4sty T4te]

I hate filter socks... every 3 days I need to change them out, and at $10 each the cost adds up. I currently have 3 and when 2 are dirty I finally clean them. My 2 questions are how do you guys clean your filter socks??? And are they really worth it???

I have 8 and change them out 2 times a week. Once a month I put them in the washing machine inside out and soak with bleach. Then turn them back to normal and run an Extra rinse cycle.

I keep the old ones in a bucket, with a lid. So it's not a huge maintenance issue. Not overly time consuming, can usually pair it with a water change.

 

[DarkSky]

I have a group of 10 or so in rotation, I pull them out and let them dry. Then I turn them inside out and wash twice, once with bleach and a second time with just water. Then I let them soak with AI prime to get rid of the chlorine smell and they're ready for use again.

 

[AJsTank]

I use 2 - 7 inch socks on my system. I have to change them 2-3 times a week. I used to keep 30 of them in rotation and clean them about once a month with bleach in my washing machine. I just don't have the time to do it anymore, so I toss them. Personally, it's not worth my time anymore to clean them and store them in sealed buckets all over my garage so they don't smell.... I just order a 100 at a time and then throw them away.

 

[Tautog]

Save some $$$$$$
I have never used them, but my skimmer is in my sump, and takes care of that along with a damsel and a crab

 

[Seyoz]

Tautog, Best Answer cause only one person said used Ai prime afterwards.

I'd run small micron and Chemi-Pure, and Piece of Polyfilter after water change. For a day.

Take out.

Run bigger micron during week or the mesh. Just Chemi-Pure and Piece of Polyfilter.

That way more flow through sump, if feeding heavy put small micro back and reverse..

But Keep Liverock under waterline.

If anything add floss while using mesh, throughout dirty floss.

 

[Seyoz]

The Best to Get Rid of Bleach, the Oldest Trick in the Book .."Blue Little Declor Bottle with Fish on it" double dosage something like 2 drops a gallon, healthy squirt to soak, ring dry.

 

[Untamedrose]

umm I use them and ya about 3 days seems about right..... try wish.com can get the same socks for 2-3.00

I machine wash them, with a pre wash to take out other chems and a post empty wash to take out smell 0o then just stick out on back deck to dry. but I have like ten so not a huge thing

 

[chubbyhubby]

I hate filter socks... every 3 days I need to change them out, and at $10 each the cost adds up. I currently have 3 and when 2 are dirty I finally clean them. My 2 questions are how do you guys clean your filter socks??? And are they really worth it???

I buy mine on ebay there around £1.20 including postage from china .
Ok they take around 3 week to come but i order around 2 every week.
And i also wash them in wash in machine every week. Find they last around 6 washes before they start going fluffy.

 

[Mr_Banana_Pants]

Thank you everyone for the advice... I think I'll order a few more socks and clean them in the wash when my girlfriend isn't around the house lol

 

[Tautog]

Tautog, Best Answer cause only one person said used Ai prime afterwards.

I'd run small micron and Chemi-Pure, and Piece of Polyfilter after water change. For a day.

Take out.

Run bigger micron during week or the mesh. Just Chemi-Pure and Piece of Polyfilter.

That way more flow through sump, if feeding heavy put small micro back and reverse..

But Keep Liverock under waterline.

If anything add floss while using mesh, throughout dirty floss.

I use ChemiPure Elite, 46 oz, but never a sock. I have a brick as well in the sump

 

[Seyoz]

Yeah people soak the brick, seen a tank leeched, just suck for friend..

 

[lambchops]

I have been trying out mesh socks and am pleasantly surprised at how easy they are to just rinse in the sink, let them dry, and then put them back in.

 

[Reefs anonymous]

Give this a try, I just bought one to try and love it! I ran it for a couple days and had to rinse it out because it got clogged. Just rinse it inside out under the faucet and all the junk came out completely clean. It filters pretty good because as we know coffee grounds are fine and it filters that out! https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0087SPTLC/ref=yo_ii_img?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

[Reefs anonymous]

Here is that filter in action after I cleaned it out.

 

[Shaun Sweeney]

I did away with socks and switched to pond foam. Have it in a few places and it's easy to tell when it needs cleaning. The busiest piece of foam last 4 days to a week. I give them a good rinsing (paying attention to how they sat in the sump) and place them back the way they came out.

 

[Seyoz]

I hear you when I was developing my Filtration Sysyem. Used Course foam block cause as it filters will in my case cause lil Back-Pressure, in my systems case baffling some extra pressure in my Water Polishing Box.

Thought about a sock, but then changed the system completely..