What's your filter sock cleaning method?

[Ssteve]

Just moved to a tank with a sump after running a couple aio tanks and got a ton of used filter socks with the tank and I'm wondering whT most of you guys do to clean them? I've read a ton of methods from just rinsing them out, to washing them in the washing machine with no soap or even soaking in bleach. So I'm wondering what you guys would recommend for a step by step process?

 

[MondoBongo]

1. remove filter sock from sump
2. walk to trash can
3. place filter sock in trash can
4. beer.

 

[Ssteve]

Lol I'm on a budget so I would essentially be throwing away my beer money.

 

[bellis31]

I rinse them in the sink then wash them (no soap) in washing machine and rinse rinse rinse like crazy!! final rinse with RO before I use them!

 

[FullBoreReefer]

Washing machine once a month.

What I do...
Run an empty load through first. Meaning max load volume on shortest cycle to flush it out. Then I put it on smallest volume and longest cycle. Once done I let them sit in ro/di water for a few days just in case. But i use nothing as in soaps/etc. Just a cycle in the wash...

After 6mths I pitch them and replace with new.

 

[MondoBongo]

Lol I'm on a budget so I would essentially be throwing away my beer money.

for better or for worse i actually stopped using filter socks in my sump a little while ago.

i was only changing them about once every 4 - 6 weeks, unless they got really grimy in the mean time, so the cost wasn't too prohibitive.

i usually like to completely drain my sump and wipe it out clean then refill with new saltwater every 2 - 3 months anyways, so i get most of the detritus out then.

i also tended to find a lot of pods in my filter sock, making me wonder if running one was inhibiting their population.

i'm pretty sure my girlfriend would kill me in my sleep if i used the washing machine for them.

 

[campos]

1. remove filter sock from sump
2. walk to trash can
3. place filter sock in trash can
4. beer.

That's ridiculous!! You just like throwing money away. I soak mine over night in a bucket of water with 1 or 2 capfuls of bleach, then run in washing machine, no soap. Then I rinse once more for safe measure. Been doing this for years with no issues

 

[cllrmar]

I've been successful for years by doing the following:

1. Place socks into washing machine with small amount of bleach
2. Run an extra cycle to insure bleach is gone.
3. Place in drier without fabric softner.

 

[FlyPenFly]

I only use mesh socks now, the felt ones clog up way too easily.

I have like ten mesh socks, I throw them in a bucket. I then once a few weeks clean all the socks in the shower without any soap. Mesh socks are extremely easy to completely clean with just running water in the shower.

 

[Savant]

1. Turn inside out
2. washing machine, bleach in dispenser, heavy duty cycle with extra rinse
3. air dry until smell of bleach is gone (1 to 2 days)

 

[NTP66]

1. Turn inside out
2. washing machine, bleach in dispenser, heavy duty cycle with extra rinse
3. air dry until smell of bleach is gone (1 to 2 days)

This.

 

[MondoBongo]

That's ridiculous!! You just like throwing money away. I soak mine over night in a bucket of water with 1 or 2 capfuls of bleach, then run in washing machine, no soap. Then I rinse once more for safe measure. Been doing this for years with no issues

i'll be honest with you, i am not real comfortable soaking anything that will be going back in the tank with bleach.

rocks are an exception, but when i soak rocks i give them many weeks of soaking in RODI with water changes.

maybe i'm just being overtly paranoid, but it works.

 

[heritage]

1. Turn inside out
2. washing machine, bleach in dispenser, heavy duty cycle with extra rinse
3. air dry until smell of bleach is gone (1 to 2 days)

Same here.

Felt filter sock changed out every 3 to 4 days.

 

[H.reidi.MN]

-Rinse inside out
-soak in bucket of bleach inside out.
-rinse again
-soak in fresh water for a few days
-rinse again
-let dry.. if i smell bleach i rinse and dry again.

I live in an apartment where i pay to wash cloths so it doesn't make sense to pay $$ to wash 4 filter socks. My method has kept them looking like new and i have enough now to keep a fresh pair on while i was the dirty ones and just rotate like that.

 

[klwheat]

1. Turn inside out
2. washing machine, bleach in dispenser, heavy duty cycle with extra rinse
3. air dry until smell of bleach is gone (1 to 2 days)

Me too, nothing special. In fact, half the time I forget to turn them inside out, yet they still get clean.

 

[Ssteve]

That's ridiculous!! You just like throwing money away. I soak mine over night in a bucket of water with 1 or 2 capfuls of bleach, then run in washing machine, no soap. Then I rinse once more for safe measure. Been doing this for years with no issues

If you drink enough beer and recycle the container it could pay for some more socks.

 

[Ssteve]

I have about 25-30 used socks that came with the tank so I think I'll try the bleach method and just do a extended rodi soak(maybe a week) then let stand for a week.

 

[Vadafallon]

Wash them in bleach, then soak them in RO water with some Prime and then let them dry out. That's it.

 

[tanksfishtank]

I use bleach and them soak in RO water x2. Make sure when they are dry, that there is no remaining bleach smell!

 

[dkeller_nc]

If I'm using them (I typically don't - just when the situation warrants it), I wash them in the washing machine, regular cycle, hot wash, cold rinse, standard measure of liquid washing detergent, drying, then one quick rinse with RODI before use. The detergent is important, btw. It's alkaline and includes proteases, and both features break down proteins and lipids. The amount of detergent left, assuming your washing machine is functioning correctly, is miniscule.