DIY Filter Socks

toohipnoob · Feb 19, 2015

Great idea! While I don't have this filtration system, I bought two battery operated gravel vacuums that I used to pick up debris from the sand, and they only came with one filter. First one was cloth, but the second was a flimsy thin net, that was very good a filtration, but not durable. Ripped, so I had to order more, but if I could just find the material that would resolve the problem as many of us can fashion filters be it sewing or other means. I also have a fresh water 5 gal that takes those pre-packaged (charcoal) filter that are expensive. I took one and cut it and emptied the charcoal and replaced with a blend of charcoal and ammo chips. Worked great, but can't always clean well, but has held up. That boat seat fiber seems to be what I'm looking for. I saved the picture of the filter "felt" material, so I can know what to look for. Thanks again.

Calmbeast · Feb 19, 2015

Awesome idea! cant wait to try. Any pics of how these are set up in your sump?

heathd.hd · Feb 19, 2015

I posted a another thread with a video it about 20 posts back. Forgive the lack of quality lol.

I'll just post the videos again in here. I am a visual person so they may help others like me lol.

Diy filter sock: http://youtu.be/BCa_4AklrvE

Diy filter sock 2: http://youtu.be/EPuTLJWnDm4

Electrobes · Feb 19, 2015

Here's how mine looks if it helps:

s2nhle · Feb 20, 2015

Nice. thank you for sharing.

doughboy · Feb 23, 2015

I got the fabric today for $2.50 a yard. I also got a handheld sewing machine from walmart for $14.44. seems to work fine.
I use 6" filter socks, so I cut 18"x18" pieces. I know it should be 19"x18", but 36" (or 72") is a multiple of 18" so I just went with that.
I figure fabric costs about 34 cents for each bag.

close up of stitches

the sewing machine I used. I got a 500yd spool of white thread.

gettaReef · Feb 23, 2015

doughboy said:
I got the fabric today for $2.50 a yard. I also got a handheld sewing machine from walmart for $14.44. seems to work fine.
I use 6" filter socks, so I cut 18"x18" pieces. I know it should be 19"x18", but 36" (or 72") is a multiple of 18" so I just went with that.
I figure fabric costs about 34 cents for each bag.

close up of stitches

the sewing machine I used. I got a 500yd spool of white thread.

Looks great! I think I'll give this method a try. Even though I have no experience whatsoever with sewing, the benefits of DIY socks (low cost, new socks with every change, better for system, no more cleaning socks, etc...) will totally be worth the effort. Thanks for posting about that little sewing machine you got from walmart; think I'll grab the same one. How did heating and bending/molding the rigid tubing into a circle go? What did you use for the heat source and do you need to heat the entire tubing at once to bend it, or do you heat a small section, bend it, then repeat until it's a circle? Any advice on this part? Haha sorry for the questions, making the ring is what I seem to be most uncertain about.

doughboy · Feb 23, 2015

I used a rigid tubing and used a candle to heat it. It turned the plastic black but it's going to be hidden so it is fine with me. I made a 7" diameter ring. I did a quarter at a time. I shaped the soft tube around the ring of my existing filter sock.

gettaReef · Feb 23, 2015

Alright, sounds easy enough. Thanks for the info

Electrobes · Feb 23, 2015

Just did my first wash (Using 1/2-2/3 cup of bleach and RODI + Prime overnight)! Now comes the drying part.

Purpule Tang · Feb 23, 2015

Also I using from bleach for washing socks I insert for 24 them on water and bleach so after that again washing them with tap water,really good cleaned socks.then insert the sun to dry.

Mark... · Feb 23, 2015

Where is everyone getting their rigid tubing? I've found 9 inch lengths, but need longer for 4 inch circles or larger in the 13 inch length or longer. Thanks! i

s2nhle · Feb 24, 2015

Electrobes said:
Just did my first wash (Using 1/2-2/3 cup of bleach and RODI + Prime overnight)! Now comes the drying part.

Wow, very nice landscape.

Electrobes · Feb 24, 2015

s2nhle said:
Wow, very nice landscape.

Thanks!

Even in Florida, the weather wasn't kind enough to help dry out the socks. This morning they were still fairly wet, so I added a fan to the mix. As of now, they are much drier than before. I took one of the socks (One of the few that was actually dry, not a DIY sock.. it's one of BRS' as it was dry while the others were still wet.) and it's currently in use in my sump. So far everything is as it should be.

Electrobes · Mar 2, 2015

An update:

I have finished doing my first filter sock wash and all went well. I have started using them and want to note a few things.

- The socks look okay after what I consider a thorough cleaning. They should definitely last a couple more washings.

- I was actually hoping for a bit less filtering capability, but it remains about the same. If I had to guess, after viewing them side by side with my commercial/retail filter socks (200 micron), the DIY socks are more in the 100-150 micron range... Closer to 100 micron.

I'll say this, after using the DIY socks, there isn't a speck of funk that can reach the sump! [emoji38] I am a neat freak, and enjoy changing out the dual socks every 2-3 days. But should I need to go away from the house for more than a couple days, I would definitely use the retail socks until I got back.

N1Husker · Mar 2, 2015

I just made up a bunch, but I used nylon mesh instead of the heavy felt. I like a some of the detrius to continue through to feed the corals, plus the felt clogs too fast. I change out my socks every other day. I wash them in bleach the first time with the extra rinse cycle and then I was them again adding prime to the wash cycle. They get really clean, my skimmer doesn't go crazy and I am assured of clean, safe socks.

melev · Mar 2, 2015

Thanks for the update!

s2nhle · Mar 3, 2015

wow, after my daughter throw a rag that I used to clean the tank and spilled tank water into the sump. It made my skimmer going crazy. I am now not a fan of using filter sock.