Skimmer overflowing because of filter sock

[tkimmons85]

I recently installed a filtersock on my refugium side of my sump. This drastically cut own on the air bubbles entering the Main Tank. The bad side effect is that ever since installing the sock my skimmer randomly goes from skimming brown coffee colored skim to an extremlely wet skim and overflows the collection cup. My guess is that as the sock gradually gets dirtier it changes how much particulate is in the water and messes with the skimmer. Is there anyway to prevent this besides changing the sock every day or so? Or is this just how its is with a filter sock set-up sump?

 

[DMBillies]

Is there anyway to prevent this besides changing the sock every day or so? Or is this just how its is with a filter sock set-up sump?

I've never had a sock I didn't need to change at least every couple of days because they simply start to overflow a lot of times (the water can't push through the sock when it is gunked). You probably should be changing them every couple of days anyway or the crap in the sock will just be breaking down and messing up your water anyway.

On the other hand, I've never had an issue with my skimmer getting messed up by a sock no matter how clean/dirty. I wouldn't think a filter sock taking stuff out of the water would change the surface tension of the water that much and in any case, cleaner water "should" produce less stable bubbles (i.e., the water level in the skimmer should go down when it is clean).

You aren't washing the filter socks in something that might be hindering bubble production? So that when their fresh your skimmer is running lower than it should? If something in the sock when it is fresh is causing the bubbles to be less stable and you adjust the skimmer to that, then as that works its way out of the system over the next couple of days, the bubbles in your skimmer will start to overflow.

I always just used bleach and the double rinse setting on my washer... soap would introduce nitrates to the tank.

Anyway... just thinking out loud.

 

[tkimmons85]

No I am always paranoid about things I put in my tank. I have only been hand washing the socks in tap water and letting them air dry until I change the old sock out every 3 days or so.

Also the skimmer was working great right up until the skimmer sock was introduced. Thats when the issue started. All other factors with the tank have remained the same. I dont know what else it could be?

 

[DMBillies]

Also the skimmer was working great right up until the skimmer sock was introduced. Thats when the issue started.

Yeah, that's why I thought maybe the filter socks were introducing something that might be screwing up your bubbling.

I haven't thought of anything else...

 

[tkimmons85]

Well I took your advice. I wash both socks out in the washer with just water. Also I am going to start changing them alot sooner. Maybe every 2 days and see how that goes. Might have to go every day. Hope not though.

 

[commonstranger]

tk Id suggest just washing them in the sink with hot water and bleach. Just make sure you let them air dry for a day or two. Make sure you cant smell any bleach odor and I think youll be fine.(Its what I do w/ no problems) Id be scared that residue in the washing machine might get on the filter sock but thats just me.

 

[MVlk]

When I used them, I'd soak them in a bleach water mix for a day and then thoroughly rinse them in water. After a couple of days drying they should have no bleach smell.

I never did the washing machine route because the thought of the gunk on them getting on the next load of clothes gave me the chills being a mild germaphoebe (spelling?). Also, the washing machine has plenty of residual soap left in it that may make its way into your tank. Of course lots of people do use the washing machine without issue.

 

[yerboy]

been washing mine in the washing machine with just water for about a year now and knock on wood i haven't had anything go wrong.

 

[DMBillies]

It is true that soap has plenty of phosphates in it and that, in theory, those phosphates could end up in the tank. This is part of the reason I run a double rinse. The other reason being that I don't want any bleach in there either.

The amount left in a sock that could possibly cause problems, especially after a good spin (I have a front loader which spins even faster) is really minimal. I know a lot of people are really careful about what they put in their tank (and I am too), but I practically guarantee you are putting more nutrients back into the tank by just rinsing them than you are from putting one in from the washing machine...

If you aren't comfortable with it, don't do it... I'm not sure that could be causing the problem anyway... I was just saying that's what I have done. I was mostly asking about what you do with them because oils (in particular) will tend to mess up how your skimmer produces bubbles and if you were using something to treat them I would have suggested a change.

 

[poolkeeper1]

It is true that soap has plenty of phosphates in it and that, in theory, those phosphates could end up in the tank. This is part of the reason I run a double rinse. The other reason being that I don't want any bleach in there either.

The amount left in a sock that could possibly cause problems, especially after a good spin (I have a front loader which spins even faster) is really minimal. I know a lot of people are really careful about what they put in their tank (and I am too), but I practically guarantee you are putting more nutrients back into the tank by just rinsing them than you are from putting one in from the washing machine...

If you aren't comfortable with it, don't do it... I'm not sure that could be causing the problem anyway... I was just saying that's what I have done. I was mostly asking about what you do with them because oils (in particular) will tend to mess up how your skimmer produces bubbles and if you were using something to treat them I would have suggested a change.

I had a problem with a 120 that everything I put In It died. One of the things i was doing was rinsing my filter socks In a front loader, rinse twice with bleach same as you mention. What i was told was the H. E. soap those front loaders use is so strong that they leave large amounts of soap residue in the machine. And that was from a rep from the MFG G.E. model that I still have today. After I stopped doing them that way and started rinsing them In the sink with bleach rinsing well and air drying until you can not smell any bleach, I had no more problems after I changed methods, to me that's too much of a coincident to Ignore. May have just been bad luck but If that Is the only change made It makes you think! You can also use RODI water to clean them with bleach but seems excessive to me to go to that much trouble.
Let me also be very clear that this Is just my opinion as to what happened In my situation and other suggestions may also be very good advice.:fish1:
Bill:dance:

 

[DMBillies]

Let me also be very clear that this Is just my opinion as to what happened In my situation and other suggestions may also be very good advice.

Yeah, just my opinion too. I never had any problems, but of course I'm not even running a sock now that I could change my method and see what happens. I was also running the socks mainly on my 270, so dilution in a larger amount of water could help offset negative effects.

Either way, getting back to the problem at hand, he isn't doing something like washing it in a machine with the soap or using something other kind of solvent/detergent when hand washing that I would expect to cause issues with bubble formation. It doesn't take much to really effect that (e.g., oils from your skin can put a hurt on your bubble production if you are working in the tank a while and just a little bit of aquamend can make a skimmer blow foam like mad).