Filter socks

[doaz]

Is it possible to clean and reuse the filter socks in a refug?

Kevin Baker

 

[TheTodd]

I'm just getting mine going and have never had a setup with a true sump/fuge, but you can. Buy multiples, take a dirty one out, put a clean one in, get a few dirty ones and wash a few at a time. I bought three...I've heard of people having over a dozen.

 

[doaz]

This may seem silly but how to wash them ?

 

[Sniperhank]

Some people turn them inside out and wash them by hand. Others run them through the dishwasher w/o any soap or anything in it. I personally found them to be to big of a pain and switched to panty hose and throw them away.

 

[TheTodd]

I think some run them through clothes washers too. That was my gameplan. I'm not sure I want fish waste in with my dishes. This is new to me, so we will see...

 

[Jonnypro]

I think some run them through clothes washers too. That was my gameplan. I'm not sure I want fish waste in with my dishes. This is new to me, so we will see...

i have a question I have 2 filter socks in my 135g with a 40g sump and the water just goes over them. They are not clogged either. Nave I should try the pantyhose lol.

 

[Animal-Chin]

If you put them in the washer don't use any detergent, just run the wash with water...

 

[Rare]

Take it outside and use the water hose. You want water pressure to clean it. Clean it inside and out. It will be a slight yellow. To get the rest of it out get hydrogen peroxide. If you get it stronger than 3% it will be better. Fill bucket with water & pour some hydrogen peroxide on the sock (inside out) it and just drop it in there over night. This will make your sock white again killing any organic matter left

You can see it here. It's a long post I made a few days ago and shows the sock being cleaned and a new one being added. I can use the same solution in the buckets for months.
http://www.aquariumadvice.com/forums/f23/tank-maintanance-and-how-i-do-it-282183.html

 

[SaltwaterNuB]

I have a 135g dt with a 40g sump. I keep 4 socks on hand and rotate them. I wash in washer with a little bleach then flip inside out and run them again. This time no bleach, just rinse and spin. Works well for me. I find myself changing them out every 4-5 days.

 

[Shirtlessbill]

I run mine through the wash twice. No soap. Once inside out, then regular. Lasts me about a year and then I replace them. Easy. Just buy an extra and switch it out

 

[mwilliams]

I have heard to wash them in the washing machine with some bleach. I quite using mine because I found one of my fish inside the sock dead water I guess use to strong in there and he could not get out and killed him. So I quite using mine after that.

 

[carey]

I have well over 2 dozen socks since I use them in most of my tanks. lol I get them for like $5 a piece during a BRS group buy so it makes it cheap. I keep a bucket of used socks and when the bucket is full, like once a month I throw them in the deep steam cycle of my washer with a cup or so of bleach. I run the longest and hottest cycle i can. I then run them through the same cycle again with no bleach. Comes out pretty clean. You can them let them air dry outside to let any bleach gases dry out of them. If they smell at all like bleach run them through the rinse again til the scent is gone. I have never gone past the double cycle though, they never smell like bleach when I'm done.

I used to wash them out with a high pressure garden hose attachment but got tired of getting soaked every time I did that so I made the move tot he washing machine.

 

[SaltwaterNuB]

I have heard to wash them in the washing machine with some bleach. I quite using mine because I found one of my fish inside the sock dead water I guess use to strong in there and he could not get out and killed him. So I quite using mine after that.

I remember the first night I had my diy overflow set up it sucked 5 fish in. I found the fish the next morning in the filter sock (all alive).

 

[AquaRick]

+1 washing machine. Once every few months I use very small amounts of bleach (no detergent) to make them like new again. (There's no real benefit here, just personal preference.) When I do this, I do another cycle with just hot water to rinse the bleach off.

 

[Phranque]

+1 washing machine. Once every few months I use very small amounts of bleach (no detergent) to make them like new again. (There's no real benefit here, just personal preference.) When I do this, I do another cycle with just hot water to rinse the bleach off.

+2 When I pull them out, I'll turn them inside out and rinse off any coarse stuff that's accumulated, then toss them in a bucket for later washing. I've got a dozen socks, and changing them out every 3 days or so lasts me about a month, then toss them in the wash. First wash cycle with some bleach only, and a second wash cycle to ensure a good rinse.

 

[Jonnypro]

I had the felt filter socks and they were not able to strain the water fast enough. I went and bought polyester ones and they work a lot better.

 

[begginersluck]

I have a 135g dt with a 40g sump. I keep 4 socks on hand and rotate them. I wash in washer with a little bleach then flip inside out and run them again. This time no bleach, just rinse and spin. Works well for me. I find myself changing them out every 4-5 days.

Yep do this exact same thing