Cleaning Filter socks / bags ?

[mkarston]

I have just switched over to using 100 micron filter socks, and was wondering what everyone does to clean and reuse them?

I bought 3 socks figuring I can rotate through them replacing the dirty ones with a clean freshly washed socks every 2-3 days.

I don't know the best way to thoroughly wash them without getting the wash machine all dirty or contaminating the socks with cleaning chemicals?

Any feedback from the filter sock users out there?

Thanks,
Craig

 

[Ewan]

I've got 10, and I run them through the washer twice. Plain water (RO waste, actually). I hang them to dry.

The key is to change them out often. IF you leave one for a few extra days in your system, the dirt works its way deep in to the sock, and they don't seem to get as clean as if you were to change them out regularly.

jme,

E.

 

[46bfinGA]

What micron bags are better the 100 or the 200 micron? Im about to buy some for my sump.

 

[mkarston]

Good info. How much drain water do you have running through it? And how often do you change them?

 

[46bfinGA]

TTT

 

[DarG]

I rotate through about 15 of them. 100 micron. I turn them inside out and wash them in the washer with some bleach, probably 1/2 cup. No detergent. They go through the regular wash and rinse cycle and then I set the machine for another short wash and rinse cycle with no bleach so they are rinsed through 3 cycles. Also usually dump some amquel in the last rinse cycle just to make sure. I rinse them in some ro/di just before putting them in the tank. I change them out atleast 2 x per week.

 

[mkarston]

Thanks for the info guys... Yeah, I just ran my first one through a normal wash cycle with water only and it came out pretty clean. I didn't use bleach, and used normal tap water. How necessary would you say it is to rinse again with RO/DI water?

 

[DarG]

Probably not necessary if it is dry before you put it back in the tank. If it is wet, maybe not a bad idea but probably not necessary to get out what little chlorine, chloramine or phosphates or other tap water nasties that may be in your tap water. I just do it anyway since it's easy for me. I pump the RO/DI water from garage right to the tank area.

 

[drock59]

not necessary.

 

[champscorner]

what does everyone do with them once you change one out and are waiting to wash them or do you just wash 1 at a time as you pull them out?

 

[nyvp]

I have just one every week i wash it with bleach and put it back in. so the system doesnt have it for an hr isnt a big deal.

 

[DarG]

Wash em after I have 8 or 10 dirty ones.

 

[noodles9987]

I have a buckeet with about 3 gallons of water and quite a bit of bleach under the laundry tub. I have 6 filter socks and when they get dirty, I drop them into the bleach bucket. When I am down to my last sock, I put them into the washing machine. I typically wash them with towels or whatever, so I end up washing them with detergent. I always run an extra rinse cycle. I haven't seen any kind of problems with doing this for the last 2 years.

 

[Ewan]

I use bleach every once in a while (if we have any left in the house that doesn't smell like lemon). Not every time though.

As for the amquel... Wouldn't that wreak havoc on your skimmer? I tried using no more than 10ml for a washing machine full of water, and my skimmer went NUTS every time I changed filter socks. So I haven't used it since. Now I just count on the extra rinse, and if there's any hesitation, I sneak up behind my wife and ask her to smell the 'clean' sock. If she smells bleach, she lets me know. (She hates the "smell this" game... ) It's good to have a third-party sniffer.

-E.

 

[DarG]

I throw 3 or 4 tespoons of amquel into the second to last or last rinse cycle. The socks are dried after that and then stored. Right before I put them back in service, I rins them one last time in a couple gallon bucket of RO/DI. The skimmer is never bothered by it al all. Maybe it's the RO/DI rinse, or maybe it's that I dry the filters first? I dont know but there arent any skimmer issues.

 

[musky1963]

I have heard that not cleaning them is okay? My local LFS never cleans his and says he actually gets better water quality readings. He keeps them slightly suspended over the water.

 

[DarG]

Eventually, they are going to clog and overflow if they arent cleaned. Also, not cleaning them essentially means they are being used as a surface for nitrifying bacteria to grow, like bio-balls in wet dry filters. That would basically equate to an older approach that most hobbyists have gotten away from. I think that has more negatives than positives in the long run.

 

[kkoch]

Where can you find the filter bags/socks?

 

[mkarston]

I bought my from: http://www.marinedepot.com

 

[Ewan]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10224775#post10224775 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by musky1963
I have heard that not cleaning them is okay? My local LFS never cleans his and says he actually gets better water quality readings. He keeps them slightly suspended over the water.

Let me get this straight;

Trapping detritus in a sock, and then forcing all of your water through this sock, without removing the waste periodically, will account for cleaner water.... Sounds parallel to the mystery of garf grunge.

I guess the question is, better water quality readings than what? Better than swapping out a clean sock every couple of days? I'm a bit skeptical...