How to clean filter socks?
 

This may seem like a dumb question but how does everyone clean their filter socks?

I just started using them. I am using a regular cycle in the washing machine. Both times when I put them in the sump my skimmer went crazy. I think their is some residual soap in the socks. Do I wash them without adding soap, add an extra rinse cycle or wash them under the tap after taking them out of the washing machine before using them?

I rinse the washing machine out with a small warm water rinse cycle before putting the filter socks in. :)

I've got a hose hooked to a laundry tub that I use. Just a thumb over the end to create some pressure and voila, clean filters

I just wash mine in the machine with vinegar, sometimes with baking soda. Don't do vinegar and baking soda though. Hello volcano science project :razz:

Oh and hot water = smelly, it will really stink out your house.

Occasionally I do use a bit of bleach when they're really dirty and don't clean well after one cycle. Then I put them in the dryer and leave them for weeks before I use them again (I have about 4 in rotation).

Voice of experience?? :eek:



:lol:

I use my pressure washer.

Washing maching white cycle, warm wash, warm rinse. No detergent or bleach. Mine have lasted for years using this method.

Yes, stupidity sometimes gets the best of me. Luckily it was a small scale volcano and the machine wasn't that full :razz:

just hot water, turned inside out in washing machine.. NO soap or anything.. and repeat with the socks turned the other way.. Actually I have to lines draining into my sump.. I use to run 2 socks now I just have one on one line... Considering getting rid of that aswell now.. Anyone running with no socks!!???????

I hand washed my filter sock ( was banned by my wife to use the washing machine ) with warm water and left it in a 5gal bucket filled with hot water with an addition of diluted bleach solution, left it for overnight. Drained away the water inside the bucket and replaced with fresh tape water with an addition of prime on the next day. So far so good.

I wash mine in the sink. Warm water, scrub them in my hands. Only washed them twice now though. I have 2 sets, so I was one set, then let dry for a week. Then, swap out.

I rinse mine inside out first under the tap, then its through the washing machine twice on hot. The first time I wash them I use vinegar. Then they usually dry for a day or two on a stick of PVC before going back into rotation.

washing machine, hot water, baking soda, and then i run it through the washer again without anything.

filter sock
 

rinsed by hand real well then ,ive used the dishwasher, washer as well

Whoaa, am I missing someting? Is scrubbing under the tap and letting dry not good enough? Need 2 washings in washer? with vinegar etc??? Wow. Alot of work:mrgreen:

I just throw them in the wash no detergent on cold!!! works for me.
Change them approx every 3 days.

Keith

I toss mine in the wash with a dash of bleach, rinse 2 extra times just to be safe. Works great, I change mine about once a week.

Rotate four socks. Good hot rinse with a hose in the laundry sink, then they sit in a pail (moist) until I have three for the machine. One cycle in the washing machine with a little bleach and air dry. Works out it will be about a week before one goes back into the tank.

I don't run socks. Half my flow falls into a sump that is drained and cleaned every week. The other half falls into the other sump, which has a good layer of sediment on the bottom now. I might vaccuum this away someday...

That's what I do too! Not to mention, what is a filter sock and where do you get them?

My socks are actually dollar store knee high nylon stockings that I stuff full of filter floss and hang it off the pipe in my sump :redface:

Is there something better out there that I don't know about?

These are filter socks - the filter effluent from the various pipes that enter a sump to keep the sump clean, and also to control micro bubbles.

http://i103.photobucket.com/albums/m...ilter_bags.jpg

The reason I sell them is becuase they are so effective. Other than my lumanarc reflectors, one of the best products dollor for dollar I have ever bought. I would recommend them to my own mother :)

http://www.wickedfrags.com/images/ot...filtersock.jpg

How much are your socks?

I didn't know you sold socks how much are you selling them for.

Well here's mine! :lol:
How do yours stay on? What is it that makes them better than my nylons, Enquiring minds need to know! :mrgreen:

Would think the advantage of the felt sock is the small particle size they can filter.

From what I have been told. There are a few important principles that a felt sock can provide. When I designed my sump the first thing I looked at was good mechanical filtration. A 100 micron sock will capture most debris giving you a huge first step in filtration. Your skimmer, carbon, etc. will have far less work. I am not aware of any sponges that can provide 100 micro filtration.

I looked at things like a rainbow canister system. The problem with fine mechanical filtration is with in a few days you risk an out break of nitrates etc. Felt socks take seconds to change, and can be cleaned and re used, unlike other systems. As others mention in this thread they also help control micro bubbles.

Cleaning is simple turn inside out wash on warm with out soap. Rinse well. Now at the start of this thread the original question was about white foam and micro bubbles after washing. When I started building my system and purchased my socks I was concerned about soap residue from the washer. I never even considered the white micro foam problem. I was told to just rinse the socks after washing them in a bucket of water with a good shot of Prime. I would recommend washing and using a rinse in Prime with new socks as well. I bought some new ones a while ago used one with out washing it and had a foaming issue.

so how do they stay on?
Another thing was whenever I take my nylon sock of and throw away the floss it's full of amphipods, how do you salvage these guys without putting the crud back in the tank?

I was asking the same thing a couple weeks back :)
They jusst hang ( a strap is sewn into each one), you can use whatever is handy in your cabnet or put a 90 or 45 on the end of your inflow pipe if needbe.
I picked up some socks a couple weeks back and they really seem to work well. Been swapping them out once a week then just machine wash with hot water/no detergent.

2 for $15 I have several hundred in stock if you need a bunch :)

as noted above, 2 for $15

http://www.wickedfrags.com/other.html

you have 2 prices there!:mrgreen: is it 2 for 15 or 3 for 15? :wink:

I think he's havin a sale now.

I'll take 3 for $15 :D Do you do paypal?

me too!:lol:

Is that for the 4" or 7" filter socks?

The diameter is 4" and easily fits on all pipes (I use it on 1.5" and 2" drains). The filter bag is approximately 14" long, 100 micron.

Price is 2 for $15. Should you need more (which most do) just email me and I can get you a price. I cycle through about 8 to justify putting them through the wash.

Dave @ wicked

It is 2 for 15. If you need some email me!

Dave @ wicked