Filter Socks

VB68 · Oct 3, 2012

I am turning a 55g into my sump/fuge and was thinking about using filter socks. I have a few questions for those that use them. How long do they usually last? How do you clean them? I will be doing a DIY holder for the socks with the plastic ring. Where is the best place to get them?

impur · Oct 3, 2012

1. They usually last about 4 or 5 days before needing cleaning. I have yet to have one completely wear out.

2. Toss them in the washing machine with my fish towels, and vinegar added along with the laundry detergent.

3. Make them yourself. You can get the material at Walmart. You can make about 300 and it will cost you less than buying a single pre-made sock.

I stopped using them because I kept forgetting to replace them midweek and they would overflow.

ritter6788 · Oct 3, 2012

I don't like doing laundry, especially for my tank.

VB68 · Oct 3, 2012

impur said:
2. Toss them in the washing machine with my fish towels, and vinegar added along with the laundry detergent. Laundry detergent won't be bad for the DT?

3. Make them yourself. You can get the material at Walmart. You can make about 300 and it will cost you less than buying a single pre-made sock. Can you elaborate on this more,,, what to use?,how?

I stopped using them because I kept forgetting to replace them midweek and they would overflow. That would be a good reason.

Thanks

STL · Oct 3, 2012

Change 'em every 2-3 days, wash in the washer (after the Mrs. goes to bed...), super hot cycle, no detergent.

impur · Oct 3, 2012

It has never affected my tank. Of course you need to be sure they are rinsed but the washing machine should do that for you.

Check out how I did mine: https://www.reef2reef.com/forums/member-tanks/84610-my-60-cube.html

Neil · Oct 3, 2012

I just bleach the heck out of them with a 25% bleach 75% water mix and soak for a day. It dissolves all the organic material without having to put the socks in the wife's washer and making her mad. Just let them dry for a few days after to make sure all the bleach neutralizes in the air. Been doing it this way for a few years.

Downbeach · Oct 3, 2012

I use two of the mesh type and change them out each week. I rinse them out in the laundry tub, under the faucet while rubbing, inside and out, between my hands, then soak in a small bucket with bleach and water for a couple days, and hang dry for a couple more. I've never worn one out, but did have one come apart at the seam, so I started to crazy glue the end of the stitching. I got them at BRS, along with the hanging kit.

maharsreef · Oct 3, 2012

People's wives seriously get mad for washing filter socks in the washing machine?? Anyway, I use them. I have about 8 socks in rotation, I pile them in a bucket next to the washing machine, and my wife washes them in hot water and bleach when needed.

Mufasa31 · Oct 3, 2012

I wash them twice.

Once with bleach and once with no bleach.

I may be over doing it, but an extra wash cycle is better than a tank crash imo.

kv2wr1 · Oct 3, 2012

I use mesh filter socks. Once or twice a week I will take them off and turn them inside out under running water to wash off the fish food or whatnot inside. You could run them under RO/DI to be safer. I like the mesh alot better than the felt since the mesh does not clog and over flow in my system like the felt did.

lolgranny · Oct 3, 2012

2-3 days, change them out. Clean all 6 of them at the same time. Hot, Extra rinse, and bleach.

Let air dry

I always rinse mine in ro/di before putting back online, never use to on the old tank but the 7" ones are huge and its for piece of mind.

kevinf · Oct 3, 2012

I have about 12 200micron felt from BRS. Change it out twice a week or once(depending on my laziness).. it gets DIRTY! When I get a bunch of dirty ones, throw in the washer on hot/double cycle/ with bleach. Let it air dry for a week.

Texasnano · Oct 3, 2012

I change once a week in the washer wit no detergent

Squishie89 · Oct 4, 2012

And this is okay for socks with the plastic ring? The hot water wont melt or damage the ring?

Coraloliseffect · Oct 4, 2012

Everyone seems to run through the machine. I have been too scared of detergent left on them.

I hose them out outside with a focused sprayer on top of some clean sidewalk.
First turn them inside out. Then again inside in. Each time working from the top down. Takes a bout 3 min each. My water pressure is around 80 psi which likely helps.
Been doing this for years this way.
May occasionally bleach.

Any others just spraying them out?

kevinf · Oct 4, 2012

Squishie89 said:
And this is okay for socks with the plastic ring? The hot water wont melt or damage the ring?

Mine do just fine with the ring in the wash

redfishbluefish · Oct 4, 2012

I should clarify that the only reason I use a sock is to protect my skimmer pump from snails. I have two drains coming into my sump. The one going into the skimmer section has a seven inch 150 or 200 mesh sock on it while the one drain going into the refugium is not socked. Because they are big socks, I change them out once a week when I do a water change. I use to rinse them and then soak them in a bucket of bleach, but stopped doing that because the bleach started caused the fabric to tear prematurely. I tried the washing machine route, but size really does matter. I think the seven inch diameter it too big, and that is why the machine broke the ring is a number of places:

So what I do now, just like downbeach above, but no bleach rinse afterward, is simply rinse them under running hot water while rubbing fabric to fabric. They aren’t lilly white when wet, but when they dry, they look brand new.

Mike&Terry · Oct 4, 2012

We keep about 20 felt socks on hand and rotate them out every 4 to 5 days. When I take them out, I flip them inside out and dip in saltwater to rescue any pods that may have found their way into the socks (food for the wrasses).

To clean, I take them outside and hose them off inside and out which removes nearly all of the detritus. I then run them thru the wash with 1/4 cup of bleach and let them dry. I then rinse them in a 5g bucket with RO/DI water with a dechlorinator tab and then one more quick rinse in plain RO/DI water. Sounds like a lot of work, but I clean several at a time and it really doesn't take that long.

-Terry