Filter Socks

kiwis · Dec 30, 2018

How often do you all replace your filter socks? Mine seems to last 2-3 months then becomes so dirty water hardly passes through it. I've tried to run clean water through it to clean it but it only last 2-3 more days.

Do people replace them or clean them another way?

Mine are $15 NZD each, is there a cheaper alternative on Amazon which I could buy in bulk?

Pntbll687 · Dec 30, 2018

That's pretty awesome that you get 2-3 months it if yours.

I usually get just a couple days out of mine. I have about 20 or so, and just throw them in the washer with some bleach. Then run then on a cube if just rinse after.

Bob Loblaw · Dec 30, 2018

Hit them with the garden hose till water runs clear and toss them in the washing machine once I run out of clean ones.

andrewkw · Dec 30, 2018

Put them in the washing machine with some bleach. You will get years of use out of them. Mine clog after about 5-7 days which is fine for me since I always change them when I do my weekly water change and if I remember one extra time a week.

kiwis · Dec 30, 2018

Washing machine with bleach? OMG how does this not kill the fish?

garbled · Dec 30, 2018

I think BRStv did an investigation on these, or maybe it was someone else. Either way, basically after 3-4 days, they stop reducing nitrates, because the crud just decays in the sock, rather than being removed by it. Ideally you do want to replace them every 3-4 days. I buy them in bulk packs, and throw them in the wash with a tiny bit of bleach. I usually do an extra rinse cycle at the end to get all the bleach smell out. They are far more effective when clean.

Also, I like to do a rinse cycle in the wash with it empty, just to get any residual detergent out before the socks go in. So rinse, throw socks in on high heat (steam if you have it) and then rinse again with socks in, then very light dry.

kiwis · Dec 30, 2018

I had no idea, how much bleach are we talking for a single sock?

lagatbezan · Dec 30, 2018

My wife would kill me if I put the dirty socks in the washing machine lol. I wash them under the sink and allow to air dry. Usually clean them once a week or so.The nylon ones are much better then the felt ones in my opinion and much easier to clean.
You can use bleach just make sure it's fully dry before you use it. Once bleach dries it's just NaCl (salt).

andrewkw · Dec 30, 2018

kiwis said:
Washing machine with bleach? OMG how does this not kill the fish?

Because you put the filter socks in the washing machine not the fish. Bleach will evaporate.

kiwis · Dec 30, 2018

Duffer · Dec 30, 2018

HOW TO WASH YOUR AQUARIUM FILTER SOCKS

Optional - run your washer in a hot rinse cycle to remove all soap residue (normally only necessary in older machines).
Set washer to heavy-duty cycle and wash socks in hot water. (Note: any temperature seems to give good results with this method.)
Use 3 capfuls (teaspoons) dye- and fragrance-free bleach (Sodium hypochlorite with no additives).
DO NOT Use OxiClean, laundry detergent, or any other soap product.
Add an extra rinse cycle at the end of the wash to ensure the bleach is removed.
After you remove socks from the washer they may still have a hint of bleach smell.
- Place socks in a clean, chemical free open air environment to dry for at least 48 hours.
- Should you need socks sooner - place them in a bucket with 2 gallons of water with 1/5 teaspoon of Aquatic Experts Premium Complete Water Conditioner or similar chlorine remover for 30 minutes.

kiwis · Jan 2, 2019

As I only have one, i turned it inside out and blasted it with the garden hose. Went from brown to an off-white colour. Might do this weekly for now.

jd371 · Jan 3, 2019

I would hose them down with the garden hose first to get as much of the crud out and then they go in a bucket of water with bleach. When I'm down to the last sock the ones in the bucket go into the washing machine for two rounds of rinsing, and a day or two to dry before using again.
I recently switched to a mesh filter socks and so far I like it. Unlike the felt socks I can clean them off in the laundry sink and not have to use the garden hose, the mesh don't require a lot of pressure to get rid of the crud. Another thing is they dry extremely fast, wash in the morning and dry by the afternoon. I bought two of them and swap them out every 6-7 days because they don't get clogged as quickly as the felt socks.