Should I stop washing my filter socks in washing machine?

[Miami Reef]

Ever time I change my filter sock for a clean one from the washing machine (one wash with no bleach or soap) the skimmer wants to overflow for about 2 minutes and then it normalizes. I can deal with the temporary overflowing by waiting a bit before turning on the skimmer, but is there any harmful substance that I’m possibly adding to my tank?

We wash a lot of laundry with laundry soap, softener, and sometimes bleach. I noticed the softener fill reservoir had a slimy film from the fabric softener. Is this transferring to my sock?

Is there any harm?

 

[Anthony Kochevar]

Judging from our washing machine and the build up in it, I would say yes, you are likely putting some laundry products in your tank on a small level.

 

[dhnguyen]

I suppose there's always a chance that something leftover from previous washes could get into the filter socks.
I don't use washing machines for mine anymore. I just hose them off with my pressure washer. It gets them clean and white without bleach or anything.

 

[S2G]

I just spray with hose or pressure washer. My skimmer would do the same

 

[Miami Reef]

Look what I found under the soap dispenser. We have brand new washers in the garage and my filter socks never caused the skimmer to explode. But lately I’m using the older washer in the laundry room.

Thank you everyone

 

[Gvirgoan]

I wash mines in the washer with bleach and dot of dawn and everything comes out just fine. A skimmer that’s skimming means it’s working

 

[ReefRondo]

My skimmer does this too after changing socks. I have 4 tanks and shortly only one will have socks as the other three have been changed to roller filters. Sick of socks! Roller filters honestly tick so many boxes for me including tank stability for this very reason. Filter socks make this quite unpredictable. For example I washed three socks last week and left them overnight in the washing machine. This is all at my place of work and the next morning the cafe manager throws a load of tea towels in there with detergent etc not realising my socks were in there. When emptying it she hung them up for me like I would. I then change my socks not even thinking about it other than them being far easier to turn from inside out to the right way (fabric softener)…skimmer when crazy and corals sulked for a while until a few huge water changes. My point is socks are a bigger problem for our tanks than we all even know about at times.

 

[dank reefer]

You can also rinse the sock before placing it in the sump and should help out with the skimmer issue.

 

[srobertb]

Ever time I change my filter sock for a clean one from the washing machine (one wash with no bleach or soap) the skimmer wants to overflow for about 2 minutes and then it normalizes. I can deal with the temporary overflowing by waiting a bit before turning on the skimmer, but is there any harmful substance that I’m possibly adding to my tank?

We wash a lot of laundry with laundry soap, softener, and sometimes bleach. I noticed the softener fill reservoir had a slimy film from the fabric softener. Is this transferring to my sock?

Is there any harm?

It doesn’t sound good.

I would rinse them thoroughly next time instead. They don’t have to be pearly white.

I have a subscribe and save for them in bulk on Amazon snd just throw them out. Then again if I tried to wash them in my wife’s washer I think she would kill me.

 

[dhnguyen]

You know it's not even necessary to wash them in bleach right? All that does is to make them whiter and not necessarily "cleaner"

 

[RMS18]

Hence why I changed to filter pads, no more washing and dealing with smelly socks. Take out the old pads toss it and drop in a new one.

 

[Magic City Reefer]

About a month ago I switched to Red Sea filter cups (but any filter cup will work the same) and I gently stuff them with this filter fiber I found on Amazon. My sump has two cups with this stuff and I have been swapping out the fiber every 3-4 days. Been over a month and only used about half the bag! At $8.99 it’s not just practical but also cheaper!

Also, I’ve seen some people recommend poly-fil, which is used in arts and crafts and is even cheaper. I just stayed away from it because I was afraid that it could potentially contain some fire retardant chemicals used to make pillows and toys safer. That said, there are people who use it effectively.

 

[Magic City Reefer]

Look what I found under the soap dispenser. We have brand new washers in the garage and my filter socks never caused the skimmer to explode. But lately I’m using the older washer in the laundry room.

Thank you everyone

Now I need to check my washer… lol

 

[Jimbo662]

As soon as I pull mine out of the washer I do a good rinse in the sink with tap water then a good dunk in a bucket of ro water then sit out to dry. When I put a fresh one in the sump the bubble level in my skimmer drops about 2 inches for about 20 min or so.

 

[Poof No Eyebrows]

I have been washing filter socks for over two years in the washer with no adverse effects. If you feel insecure about it just do an additional rinse cycle or two.
or
Stop washing them in the washer

 

[Reef man 89]

I wash mine in the washing machine but I put the extra rinse on and run it twice just to make sure.

 

[ctopherl]

It doesn’t sound good.

I would rinse them thoroughly next time instead. They don’t have to be pearly white.

I have a subscribe and save for them in bulk on Amazon snd just throw them out. Then again if I tried to wash them in my wife’s washer I think she would kill me.

Sounds like you need to switch to filter floss!

 

[srobertb]

Sounds like you need to switch to filter floss!

Maybe. Would be easier to switch out but I feel like it gets clogged quicker? I dunno. Maybe. I’ll buy some and see how it goes. I have a “cup” replacement for my filter sock. You just wad it up and shove it in there?

 

[dedragon]

I worry about adding chemicals from the washer all the time, im thinking of trying the reef diaper disposable filter socks because of it.
its just every time i wash and even let the washer do extra rinses, i still get some residue that comes off after a final rinse with a hose. No way something isnt making it back into my dt

 

[srobertb]

I worry about adding chemicals from the washer all the time, im thinking of trying the reef diaper disposable filter socks because of it.
its just every time i wash and even let the washer do extra rinses, i still get some residue that comes off after a final rinse with a hose. No way something isnt making it back into my dt

It looks good to me. Although my filter socks are covered in god-knows-what including bristleworms. These look like a bit of work with the rings at the top. I’m going to try some filter floss.