Reef Diapers - Why the Waste?

[Lbrdsoxfan]

I really need to change my socks, but I’m getting old and I don’t want to start buying diapers again. Three kids and now I’m through with them.
I still struggle thinking about the marketing decisions to name a product Reef Diaper. I always wonder if they have a cream to prevent diaper rash?
Are they like poly filters and they turn brown when you are done?

Some your on point, this one not so much, lol.

 

[BOYERZ]

I love innovation and competition; but not when it comes at the price of conservation and encourages waste.

Anyone else feel the same way? Is cleaning filter socks THAT annoying? Just some bleach and warm water - they come out looking like new.


My only hope is that they make them bio-degradable.

Very wasteful, what you need is mesh.

Or none at all.

Honest question here, Are reefers still using socks?

 

[Court_Appointed_Hypeman]

Do people throw away filter socks?? I have 2 I switch out every 2 days, i run hot tap through it backwards and scrub it by pinching the outer fabric and aggressively rubbing the inner fabric together and I do it through the entire thing until the water comes out clear.

I've had the same two for over a year.

I didn't even think bleach would be necessary if its going back into the same tank.

The thing I like about filter socks is that all I have to do is neglect to put the other one in while i clean the one I remove if I want more migration of stuff from the DT into my fuge. Of course you could do this with floss, but I don't have that routine with floss. Also the socks make the drain super quiet, not that its loud to start with.

 

[bakbay]

We see 1/2 of that rate here in CA. Its insane in comparison.

Wishful thinking. $0.24 is actually the off-peak period. It’s $0.64 for On Peak!$$@ We used 2200 kWh last month so that hurts badly. I suspect that my neighbor is stealing my electricity! lol

 

[Lbrdsoxfan]

Wishful thinking. $0.24 is actually the off-peak period. It’s $0.64 for On Peak!$$@ We used 2200 kWh last month so that hurts badly. I suspect that my neighbor is stealing my electricity! lol

I have and will continue to avoid SCE's TOU pricing, thats a farce for many including myself (the research is there for that). Not all of us have or can get solar or benefit from a lvl 2 charger @ home (HOA infrastructure with a multi unit dwelling aint having it).

I still use fixed tiered pricing so I start @ .32 per kw and then quickly hit .41 per kw, every month.

 

[albano]

I find reef diapers to be useless. My big system (900+ g) uses 11-12 socks a week… when I tried reef diapers, they didn’t get dirty for days, which to me, means that they were not filtering out much!

 

[Jamie814]

Are they like poly filters and they turn brown when you are done?

Yes! In fact, they do! lol I tried them but they did not seem to remove nearly as much as traditional filter socks, so I switched back to my 200 micron socks.

 

[Reefer Matt Verified Media Partner]

I use mesh socks to collect the big stuff that goes down the drain. The skimmer gets most of the rest. Mesh is very easy to rinse in the sink. I find it odd that people strip out nutrients with rollers, etc only to add them back in with products later.

 

[Jamie814]

We see 1/2 of that rate here in CA. Its insane in comparison.

What's everyone's "connection fee" ? We only pay .12 per kwh but are also charged a variable daily fee currently $1.63/day just to be connected to the grid.

 

[Cell]

I'm not a fan of the rationalization that if I create waste here, then I should not care if I create waste over there as well. Or if I am ok with something less than ideal in this part of my life, that I cannot have higher standards in other parts of my life. We always pick and choose what is important to us and what is not and we adjust the level we will compromise accordingly.

This hobby is wasteful, it does not mean I do not care about trying to minimize it whenever possible. For instance, I need to make RODI, the alternative is incredibly suboptimal and a definite barrier to success. However, I don't need to have brand new filter material at all times, with minimal effort I can clean and reuse the same filter material for years.

This thread has me wondering what the feasibility of a biodegradable material being used for filter material instead of a plastic product like polyester. What about cotton filters or cheesecloth? If we are concerned about breakdown of material, perhaps stuffing a nylon bag with it would work.

 

[Lbrdsoxfan]

What's everyone's "connection fee" ? We only pay .12 per kwh but are also charged a variable daily fee currently $1.63/day just to be connected to the grid.

 

[Lbrdsoxfan]

I use mesh socks to collect the big stuff that goes down the drain. The skimmer gets most of the rest. Mesh is very easy to rinse in the sink. I find it odd that people strip out nutrients with rollers, etc only to add them back in with products later.

I do like the mesh socks, seem to hold up better. Got into them before jumping on the roller wagon.

 

[Reef Diaper]

You need to do a detailed analysis on the amount of energy and pollution generated by manufacturing and then repeatedly washing your reusable filter socks (lots of water which has been through a treatment plant plus beach which you end up dumping in a waterway plus electricity if you are using a washing machine plus wear on your washing machine which will thereby require replacement sooner and end up in a landfill) vs. the energy consumed and pollution by manufacturing the reef diapers which are more or less a thin paper like material. Only then can you legitimately ask this question. It is not clear to me which ultimately is 'worse' for the environment, and it likely depends on whether you prioritize conservation of energy and water vs minimizing landfill waste.

I would agree though that a biodegradable option would be nice, assuming it did not require more energy/material waste/etc to manufacture.

For comparison, see this link for a summary of a classic research paper describing a life cycle energy analysis on reusable vs. disposable cups:

https://sustainability.tufts.edu/wp-content/uploads/Comparativelifecyclecosts.pdf

Jmp998 is correct. There are a lot of factors to consider and the answer isn’t that simple. All the filters we use will eventually end up being thrown away. This includes filter socks, roller fleece, poly-fil, filter pads, Ro filters etc.. I designed the Reef Diaper so that the flange assembly is reusable and only the light weight filter element is disposed of. Hopefully we will be able to use a biodegradable material in the future, but we haven't found one yet that will meet all the requirements for manufacturing and performance.

When washing standard filter socks there are other factors to consider in addtion to water, electricity, bleach etc.. Every time you wash a filter sock it is breaking down and releasing small plastic particles. These microplastics eventually end up in the ocean and this is growing concern. Is it better to dispose of a single use filter in a controlled landfill or repeatedly wash a filter sock that releases microplastics into the ocean? There is not a perfect answer and in the end it is each individuals choice on where they choose to conserve.

 

[exnisstech]

Are they like poly filters and they turn brown when you are done?

 

[ingchr1]

There's another potential solution. Don't use socks, floss, rollers or diapers....

Not every tank needs them. I've been running without for the past couple of years. I had socks, then floss. Now I just run Aquamesh Blue that I rinse out periodically. I also have a skimmer. I was also running an ATS, but that's been off for the past couple of months.

I have 40 gallon AIO mixed reef, with five fish. Feed LRS nano, spirulina, mysis, Oyster Fest, R.O.E. and Phyto Fest daily. I would estimate it all adds up to ~1/3 cube or so. Currently dosing Bacto Balance and Amino Organic once a week, 0.2ml each. Nitrate currently around 3PPM and Phosphate around 0.3PPM.