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nakadoc
02/27/2008, 02:00 AM
How do you clean your filter socks? I was told I could just throw them in the washer, but after washing it kind of smelled in there! So ran the washer empty with a little bit of soap, I hope wife dont find out I did that, LOL:lol:

How often do you change out your filter socks? I noticed about a week and a half they are starting to overflow.

kdblove_99
02/27/2008, 02:03 AM
Change mine pretty often, least once a week and i wash mine in blech in the washer and then let them air dry

nakadoc
02/27/2008, 02:07 AM
Bleach! I am so scared to use chemicals, how much do you use?
Every had any issues?

Well, it dont matter because notthing will stay alive in my tank away, LOL!

kdblove_99
02/27/2008, 02:36 AM
I have used bleach on my filter sock for over a year now with 0 problems. Just let them air dry

ErikS
02/27/2008, 12:06 PM
Wash them in the machine, a tiny bit of bleach with washing soda (check the chem forum - reef safe). Double rinse cycle & air dry.

I keep several in rotation & wash them as needed. Toss them out when ratty, buy them in 25 count packs - good for a long time.

clevername
02/27/2008, 12:57 PM
Second the bleech.

I fish turn it inside out then bleach with 1/4 cup for 2 hours in wash (hot water fast spin)

I do a second wash with nothing but water for another 2 hours. and spin dry....then right in the tank.

PS: i have a side washer so the dirty water doesn't just soak the sock.

Rueg
02/27/2008, 01:15 PM
Washing machine - I use 1 cup of bleach. Double rinse and then air dry.

USC-fan
02/27/2008, 01:44 PM
If you use bleach I would recommend using a product like Prime to remove any bleach left on the socks.

sayn3ver
02/27/2008, 08:10 PM
i'm rather new still to the hobby. Have a 33g tank. No skimmer. only one sock at the moment i clean weekly. It gets really funky and will smell like the back bay areas of the Jersey shore.

I first turn it inside out and rinse it well in a bucket(not with the water constantly running, just about 1/2 way then shut off the water and really work the sock like back in the old days of washing clothes) until it goes from poop brown to a light tan color than i fill a 5g bucket 1/4 the way up and add a capful of bleach and let soak for a few hours to a day if i forget or get busy. Rinse well, air dry, then soak in prime just in case. No issues. Clean sock. I want to get more socks so i don't have to wash so frequently but i don't see me having a bunch of skanky socks stinking the place up so more may not solve my problem.

If i had a bunch of socks i'd try the whole washing machine thing but I am afraid of detergent from the washer remaining in fibers and causing trouble. Some say then to run the washer 1 time through before but then I'm wasting more water (already running an ro/di so water waste there is about all i can stomach).

johnyjo
02/28/2008, 02:44 AM
if you let the socks air dry all the bleach will evaporate anyhow.
no need to waste more money on de'chlorinator'

dbmtrman
02/28/2008, 07:34 AM
Chlorine Bleach is very sensitive to air. Any risidual after rinsing will be destroyed if you let the sock completely dry.

willewonka
02/28/2008, 11:18 AM
Not really the right thread, but does anyone else out bioballs in the sock to quiet it further? I used to have splashing when the water from the tank would hit the water line. Thing of the past now.

hammmerhead
02/28/2008, 12:05 PM
I water hose them, wring them out and then towel dry them.

dsn112
02/28/2008, 12:18 PM
I have 7 and i wash 6 at a time with a small amt of bleach with 2 rinse cycles and air dry. Its fine. I am starting to go away from using socks now. Its one more thing to have to clean. I haven't run one for a few months and ever since I got my Bermuda skimmer, my water quality has never been better.

JackRent
02/28/2008, 12:26 PM
Continuing this further...I am convinced that my socks are a nutrient sink and then a source. I am considering going sockless because I am confident my skimmer will take out those particulates. Anyone else going sockless ????

USC-fan
02/28/2008, 02:20 PM
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11963551#post11963551 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by johnyjo
if you let the socks air dry all the bleach will evaporate anyhow.
no need to waste more money on de'chlorinator'

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11964024#post11964024 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by dbmtrman
Chlorine Bleach is very sensitive to air. Any risidual after rinsing will be destroyed if you let the sock completely dry. That is not true.

This myth has been pass around so much on this forum.

Well, bleach isn't chlorine gas, it's sodium hypochlorite. That won't evaporate away entirely. You could treat the filter with an acid. That would do the job, as would a dechlorinator.


http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=1282024

dbmtrman
02/28/2008, 08:54 PM
I actually never read about that "myth" on this or any other forum. That was information passed on to me through decontamination of blood borne pathogens training in my work. Of course I wouldn't say that you shouldn't attempt to rinse as much of the chlorine out of the material as possible.

D-Rod
02/28/2008, 08:57 PM
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11956928#post11956928 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by ErikS
buy them in 25 count packs

Where do you get a 25 count pack at?

DarG
02/28/2008, 09:11 PM
I 43rd the washing machine.

Washing machine ... one empty machine rinse cycle first. Then socks in and a hot wash with about 3/4 cup bleach. Let it go through rinse cycle. Then run it through a short wash cycle with just water (rinse) and the rinse cycle. Sometimes I use some amquel in the first rinse but usually I forget. Doesnt matter. Before I put them in service I rinse in some ro/di.

I dont believe they become nutrient traps of any consequence if they are changed regularly. Mine are changed atleast 2X per week. Probably every 3 days on average. They are great at microbubble control. They pick up any food that makes it down the overflow. They even catch some algae. You can clean the algae film off the glass with a clean sock in and check it a few hours later. It will be stained the color of the algae. Also keeps the sump perfectly clean.

BlakDuc
02/28/2008, 09:23 PM
When I was running socks, I had 4 of them in rotation and changed them about every 3 days. I washed them in regular water and then flipped them inside out and ran it again. They all still look like new.

USC-fan
02/28/2008, 10:23 PM
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11970212#post11970212 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by D-Rod
Where do you get a 25 count pack at?

http://www.filterbag.com/aquarium.html

OneReef
02/29/2008, 08:58 AM
Are you guys using the socks with the plastic rim at the top? Does the washing machine compromise the bond between the plastic and the sock? Just wondering if the washing machine would be to rough on the socks with the plastic ring on top, causing the ring to eventually tear off.....

ErikS
02/29/2008, 09:08 AM
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11971085#post11971085 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by USC-fan
http://www.filterbag.com/aquarium.html
Thanks for the assist, I should have posted the link when I mentioned them.

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11973359#post11973359 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by OneReef
Are you guys using the socks with the plastic rim at the top? Does the washing machine compromise the bond between the plastic and the sock? Just wondering if the washing machine would be to rough on the socks with the plastic ring on top, causing the ring to eventually tear off.....
Not in my experience, I've never had one come apart. I have made a mess of a few that I put in the dryer - turned them fuzzy on the inside. They still worked but they were even harder to clean = out they went.

DarG
02/29/2008, 09:13 AM
The ring gets kinda banged up after a while but never had one rip. I have some socks in rotation that I have had for over a year. They dont clog up and quicker than the new ones. I do throw mine in the dryer sometimes. Super low heat and they are dry in 15 minutes. Didnt use the dryer in the beginning and they still got fuzzy after a while from washing and just from turning them inside out and back. I just pull off any loose fuzz on the outside and they still work like new.

boozerell
02/29/2008, 09:18 AM
I wash mine in the washer, turn them inside out and run it again. I change them every 3 days and haven't had any problem with the plastic ring coming off.

edandsandy
02/29/2008, 09:21 AM
I 100th, the washing machine. I do the same with the rotation of socks, about every 3 days I change them out. I rinse the washer empty, clean out the soap dispenser & softer dispenser, then I throw the socks in, pre wash and extra rinse cycle I've been doing this for almost a year now. No problems yet.

intenseimage
02/29/2008, 11:31 AM
Im thinking about taking the sock off for most of the runtime and only putting it on for a day or 2 each month to catch anything the skimmer misses -- think that would be a decent solution?

DarG
02/29/2008, 12:00 PM
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11974436#post11974436 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by intenseimage
Im thinking about taking the sock off for most of the runtime and only putting it on for a day or 2 each month to catch anything the skimmer misses -- think that would be a decent solution?

Thats just going to catch any particulate matter thats free floating in the water for the 2 days that you use the sock. I wouldnt bother. It's not like running carbon for a couple days each month which helps pull out what has accumulated over the month and pulls any color out of the water. Most of the particulate matter in the water is going to settle if it's not physically removed from the water continually. For the most part the sock will only pull out new particulate matter that develops while the sock is in use. Whatever has accumulated and stayed suspended is going to be minimal. You know, most people dont use them at all. It's fine.

intenseimage
02/29/2008, 12:06 PM
So out they come :)