Messy Filter Socks...

[DiverDude]

Originally Posted by jon.smolders

I heard that washing filter socks in the washing machine can be a source of phosphates? Even if you don't use soap, it could pick up soap residue from inside the machine. Anybody have issues with this?

My skimmer would go nuts every time I put in a clean sock (even though I run no soap, no bleach and do a second rinse cycle). Now, I rinse each sock thoroughly with tap water and then RO before it goes back in the sump.

No problems now.

[staceyd72]

For anyone interested in the mesh socks, I found some on the BWI website, same price as BRS; I just ordered a couple myself, hopefully they're more durable than the felt ones.

[Funky_Fish14]

So I like the clarity im getting from my (felt) filter socks... have about... 10-14? Put them in the wash, heavy duty mode, super cycle, HOT water, big 'splash' of bleach, extra rinse.... and out they come, with all the gunk that was in them inside the inner seams. Now, I pretty much feel like all the crud that was in them was washed around and condensed into the seam of each sock. The main body of the socks are clean but they are all full of gunk in the bottoms/side seam. What did I mess up? I would feel ridiculous throwing out socks all the time and just buying more.

Do the mesh socks clean out much easier?

[whatcaneyedo]

You also need to turn them inside out.

[christyf5]

Originally Posted by whatcaneyedo

You also need to turn them inside out.

I do this too, works great

[marie]

All this talk of extra laundry, bleach, sewing and attempting to turn filthy filter socks inside out just convinces me to carry on going barefoot.....er I mean sockless on my sump

[mark]

I have 4 socks, each will last about a week. Takes maybe 3 minutes to rinse them in the laundry sink, then I place in a pail. When I have 3 to wash, make sure the washing machine's soap and softener trays are clean then in with a little with bleach on regular cycle.

As I'm not sitting there watching the machine go around, that's maybe a extra 15 minutes a month on my tank to have socks.

[Leah]

Originally Posted by marie

All this talk of extra laundry, bleach, sewing and attempting to turn filthy filter socks inside out just convinces me to carry on going barefoot.....er I mean sockless on my sump

LMAO! +1

I also wear my socks more then once

[Delphinus]

Originally Posted by Funky_Fish14

Do the mesh socks clean out much easier?

They do. I just rinse them at the sink. I'm not sure they clean the water as nice as the felt though, despite the same micron size. So it's a tradeoff but a small one.

[cwatkins]

When I switch out dirty socks, they sit in a small bucket of water until I run them in the laundry machine. Then I use a generous splash of bleach, and then run an extra rinse cycle.

Then the socks sit in RO water with Prime until they're used. At which point I just rinse them before putting them in the sump.