Cleaning Filter socks
 

For those of you who use filter socks in your sumps... how do you go about cleaning them? hand wash them in the sink? washing machine (no detergent)? etc...

During the summer i was just taking the garden hose to them with a jet type nozzle. Now that its getting cold I recently tried the washing machine for the first time and it worked great. I used cold water only and no soap obviously.

Also check out this thread:
http://www.canreef.com/vbulletin/sho...t=filter+socks

Washing machine with no soap...when the Fiance isn't looking :biggrin:

Washing machine with vinegar. Sometimes if they're really gross I use a bit of bleach with an extra rinse and then let them sit for a week or two before I reuse them. I have several in rotation. :biggrin:

Thanks.. I feel stupid for completely forgeting to use the search function... :redface:

I guess my 2nd question tho is, do I need to air dry them? or can they be tossed into the dryer on a low setting?

I rotate 4 sock. Have a garden hose in the basement so give a good rinse, when I have 3, then in the washing machine with a little bleach. After the spin they're almost dry so I just hang then in the basement.

Haven't tried the dryer. Like Mark said they are almost dry when they come out of the wash. Then I stick them on my drying rack until they are needed. Having enough for a rotation helps, then you always have clean dry ones on hand.

I've only got the one right now, so I guess it doesn't matter if its still wet.. It can just get dunked back into the sump..

I have 5 of the m the 16" ones from J&L and i switch out every 2-3 days. some times I wash them in the whites if the Wife isnt looking or I will wash them with my Reef tomels with soap. ANd then i put them in the dryer. but I have started to wash them with a little bleach like a cap full. since my skimmer does go retarded when i put in the new ones. so im back to washing them every Sunday 4 of them with bleach and some old towels .

I wring it out first and then wet the outside with a blast from the faucet and squish the water towards the bottom scraping it as I go. I then fill the sock with fresh water from the top and wring it out again. Then Turn it inside out and do the same thing.
As the shampoo bottle says “rinse and repeat as needed”.
It takes about 5 minutes to get the brown spots out. Then I let it dry completely before using again, changing them out every 3-4 days. (I have three socks)
I don't completely trust the washer as there are enough residual chemicals in the washer that you are bound to get some on the sock. I suppose I also have a thing about using RO water to get rid of all phosphates and then placing a filter in the washer with soaps that are extremely high in phosphates.
Besides, my wife would cause me great "discomfort" if she found out I was doing it in our washer.:microwav: