Filter socks

[snickers104]

Which filter socks work best....mesh socks or felt socks?

 

[vetteguy53081]

Which filter socks work best....mesh socks or felt socks?

I like mesh for ease of cleaning but met with a company which we discussed socks and it was proven that felt had better sediment/waste retention and entrapped micron particles more effectively. You may have noticed that mesh cloggs easily in 48-72 hours and requires cleaning every 3-4 days. Felt every 7-10 days

 

[August]

I have noticed that when I use the felt, it takes a lot more time to clean them with a sprayer. I heard about people putting them in the wash machine, but I haven't ever done that nor do I want. I think the felt I have used is harder to clean than the mesh socks. I heard a powerwasher sprayer works wonders.

 

[gbroadbridge]

I have noticed that when I use the felt, it takes a lot more time to clean them with a sprayer. I heard about people putting them in the wash machine, but I haven't ever done that nor do I want. I think the felt I have used is harder to clean than the mesh socks. I heard a powerwasher sprayer works wonders.

When I ran socks, I bought a cheap camping washer machine online and dedicated that to the socks.

No way the wife was letting filter socks near her undergarments :)

 

[August]

When I ran socks, I bought a cheap camping washer machine online and dedicated that to the socks.

No way the wife was letting filter socks near her undergarments :)

I never knew that such a thing existed as a camping washer! Though I spend more time watching my fish than camping. Walmart has some link to ones under $200. What did you consider a good price point and model for your portable washer?

 

[Spare time]

Felt catches more. Just get a bunch and throw therm in a bucket when dirty. Then, throw them in the washer machine with bleach.

Mesh is easier to wash, but stuff more will pass through and rot somewhere in the tank,

Remember, a sock lasting longer before it is clogged is not necessarily a good thing.

 

[gbroadbridge]

I never knew that such a thing existed as a camping washer! Though I spend more time watching my fish than camping. Walmart has some link to ones under $200. What did you consider a good price point and model for your portable washer?

I think I paid $50 for a new one on ebay in 2017 - looks like they're about the same price now.
I could put 6 x 4 inch socks in at a time.

If you were closer you could have mine for free.. lol :)

 

[DarkReefer]

I ran both a mesh and felt sock in my system at once for months.
I decided to change to a Klir filter roller however as I was intending to take some holidays which would see me away for a week or two at a time and wasn't going to be around to clear out the sock.

As it turned out the filter roller jammed up not long before I was due to leave and I was forced to run a sock anyway, however I just ran a mesh sock during that time and managed to get away with it, just.

I think the roller jammed up because there was too much of the used roller on one of the rolls and it didn't have enough strength or was rubbing too much on the side to roll it further. Since fixed it... for now.
See how it gets once it builds up again :)

 

[blaxsun]

You may have noticed that mesh cloggs easily in 48-72 hours and requires cleaning every 3-4 days. Felt every 7-10 days

Pretty sure you mean the reverse (my mesh can go a week or more, but my felt clog up after only 2 days).

 

[Koh23]

Simply put it in some container, pour water, add some bleach, and leave for few hours.... Rinse with plenty of water.... Done... No need for washing machine....

 

[vetteguy53081]

Pretty sure you mean the reverse (my mesh can go a week or more, but my felt clog up after only 2 days).

It will depend on your load
Mine is every 2-3 days whereas felt is about a week
Net with Red Sea and they exclaimed the shorter interval with mesh and saltwater.com did a study and found mesh clogged faster
Mine at day 3 start to overflow from being clogged

 

[drmdvl]

Ditch your socks and buy some filter cups and stuff with polyfil!

 

[aarbutina]

I recently switched over to using Reed Diapers. I don’t like the hassle or the idea of cleaning used filter socks. Very nervous about residual soap for the washing machine getting into my system. For a while I was running home made felt filter socks. They were relatively cheap to make and could just be thrown away after they became fouled. When I changed the configuration on my drain and sump around I needed something that was more of a traditional filter form factor. That’s when I switched to the Reef Diapers. They are relatively cheap and disposable and on top of that I think they work well for particle retention. If I remember correctly I think they are or were a sponser.

 

[Harold999]

Simply put it in some container, pour water, add some bleach, and leave for few hours.... Rinse with plenty of water.... Done... No need for washing machine....

Bleach doesn't remove dirt, it only bleaches dirt so you might think it's gone. ;)

 

[Koh23]

Well, use simple test.....

Take dirty clogged sock, soak it in bleach.... Rinse with water.

Is it still clogged? If yes, then all stuf that causes clogging is still in fibers, just we cant see them.

If not...well, then its clean, right?

As far as i know, chlorine bleach disinfect, kills pretty much everyrhing, and dissolve any dirt, stains, etc.....

If it don't dissolve (clean) anything, why we use bleach for cleaning old dry rock? To clean them from organics, or just to make them shiny white? ;)

 

[Big Smelly fish]

I like felt over meshed, they don’t clog up as fast for me. The felt get a slimy film and clogs up really quick.

 

[bnord]

When I ran socks, I bought a cheap camping washer machine online and dedicated that to the socks.

No way the wife was letting filter socks near her undergarments :)

so I wash them as follows;
- tuned inside out
- run a "rinse and spin cycle" - to get ride of residual detergent
- Run a "sanitize cycle" with a 1/4 cup bleach
- run 2 consecutive "rinse and spin" cycles
- oh yeah, step one - make sure I can get this done while the wife is out of the house

 

[moz71]

oh yeah, step one - make sure I can get this done while the wife is out of the house

Most important step! lol somehow when my wife comes home she always knows I did it! there is always something out of place she notices! lol

 

[exnisstech]

I've ran mesh and felt. With the mesh my water wasn't as clear as with felt so I ran felt for years. Had a bunch so I turned them inside out when removed. When there was enough dirty for a load in the washer they go with a splash of bleach. After the wash turn them right side out then ran a rinse cycle and called them done. I recently switched to reef diapers and have been happy with them.

 

[DeniseAndy]

I use the felt type. They will clog anywhere from 3 days to a week depending on what I do in the system during that time. :)

I just buy the stuff online or at a fabric store and make my own. Easy and cheap. I spray them out well, throw in a bucket until I am running out.

Then they go in my washer with bleach or vinegar (whichever I have near by) and then rinse for like 6 cycles, then hang to dry for minimum of 24hrs, usually closer to 48-72.

I then run a clean cycle on washer as needed. Usually, I will run the dog towels (aquarium towels) first, then run a clean cycle.