Is there an easy mode filter sock maintenance?

[MoshJosh]

Depending on how quickly your current socks are getting clogged. . . This may not work as you are losing a ton of surface area but. . . Reef Diapers with the 7" adapter?

Shop Custom Flanges & Adapters - Reef Diaper

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reefdiaper.com

 

[X-37B]

I use 400 micron socks in 3 systems. They catch the big stuff and are simple to rinse out.
I use my outside sink to rinse them and dry.
I use a filter cup and floss on my nano. I have cups for all systems but floss is just another consumable I don't need anymore in my larger systems.

 

[Reeferbadness]

After swapping my 4 sock system on a Red Sea 750 for a Reef Mat ... that i only change every 6 weeks or so.. that was a game changer. Socks suck. No matter how quick your clean up system is... not having to deal with them every few days is a real game changer.

 

[buzzfin]

Rinse well in the sink with tap water, that will remove most of the saltwater and debris. Then toss in the washer with a little bleach and add an extra rinse. There won't be enough salt to cause any harm to your washer. Or.... get a filter roller. No more socks!

 

[Imrahilwjz]

fwiw, I meant clothes washer, and there have been stories that they were ruined.

Do dish washers really use salt?

I don't know about dishwashers. I have 14 filter socks that I bought off Amazon (mostly). I used to run one sock constantly and store them dirty until I ran out of clean ones. My washing machine lasted years with that regime and no indication that salt was the problem when it did finally give up.

 

[fishkat]

i over think tap water, that is my only concern with your method... That worries me, but maybe if a lot of other people say the same I'll stop worrying.

Calm down! I turn my sock inside out and flush it with the sink faucet spray on full 'till it looks lighter in color then turn it outside in abd reflush. I soak it in bleach water 1:3 overnight outside (it smells) . I flush it again in tap water and soak it in tap water plus a few ml of "ammocarb" overnight to remove any traces of bleach. They smell clean and are new again! Then air dry for re-use.Its a bit of a drag I agree but it works for me and cheaper than buying more.
fishkat

 

[DHill6]

Reef diapers just toss them out.

 

[56longroof]

I have about 2 weeks worth. I put them in a bucket with bleach water until I wash them. A double cycle through the washing machine and hang outside to air dry. Pretty easy.

 

[blazn]

My system utilizes a pair of 14" socks. I keep a 5 gallon bucket with about 3/4 full of bleach water and when it's time to swap filter socks, the dirty ones go in the bleach bucket. After I get about 5 pairs of socks in the bleach bucket, fully soaked, so there's no 'debris' left on the socks, I run them thru the washing machine with hot water and bleach and an extra rinse. I then let them air dry for 72 hours and they're 'good as new' ready to be used again. Super easy, at least to me.

 

[Reginald Reefer III]

Buy a bunch, collect them and wash them on the sanitize cycle with nothing but a splash of bleach with a couple of extra rinses and they are like new!

PROTIP: do it while your wife is away

 

[Reef Puncher]

i hated doing filter socks, but i couldnt fit a mat roller. So you can do what i did. i swapped from filter socks to this combo. for $10, this lasts me like 3 months. and you never have to wash anything. i just cut this roll into a 8" X 8" square, pop it in that cup. every 3-6 days ill swap it out. depending on how dirty its getting. the only work involved is the cutting of it. but it takes me like 10 min to cut the whole roll into like 50 squares or whatever. so 10 min every 3 months, is way better than washing socks IMO.

 

[mpatterson42]

Does anyone use anything like a Giantex Portable Washing Machine for their filter socks so it's not messing with your home washing machine?

 

[BonnieB]

I have two sets. At water change I take out one, rinse out in the water I’m removing and put in washer with bleach only. Set them in the sun to dry for next change out.

 

[Aaron75]

Tank has only been up for 2 months and was already tired of socks. They were overflowing every other day. My wife also hated the smell of me washing them, granted dinos do have a horrible smell. But I just switched to a filter roller and couldn't be happier so far.

 

[Featherweight]

If you are worried about your tap water just rinse them in a bucket of RO water after washing in tap

 

[exnisstech]

On my 330.7 I use 200 micron mesh socks. They are really easy to clean with a garden hose and I have a tub in the basement with a hose attachment for winter. Spray then inside out spray again, then right side out and done. Hang dry no bleach or any other sanitizer used.
I used felt socks for 5 or 6 years and always washed them in the clothes washer with no issues. Turn inside out, wash with a splash of bleach, turn right side out and run and extra rinse cycle and hang dry.
I won't use felt socks again, they're too much hassle.
I used reef diapers in a smaller tank once and they were great but I fill a two seven inches socks every 3 days so 4 inch diapers would cost too much.
I'd love to add a reefmat 1200 but just don't feel like crawling around to do the plumbing.

 

[littlefoxx]

i over think tap water, that is my only concern with your method... That worries me, but maybe if a lot of other people say the same I'll stop worrying.

I found they dont really do much for my tank. I get oversized skimmers and that seems to help. Plus I get annoyed by the filter socks

 

[littlefoxx]

On my 330.7 I use 200 micron mesh socks. They are really easy to clean with a garden hose and I have a tub in the basement with a hose attachment for winter. Spray then inside out spray again, then right side out and done. Hang dry no bleach or any other sanitizer used.
I used felt socks for 5 or 6 years and always washed them in the clothes washer with no issues. Turn inside out, wash with a splash of bleach, turn right side out and run and extra rinse cycle amd hang dry.
I won't use felt socks again, they're too much hassle.
I used reef diapers in a smaller tank once and they were great but I fill a two seven inches socks every 3 days so 4 inch diapers would cost too much.
I'd love to add a reefmat 1200 but just don't feel like crawling around to do the plumbing.

Yeah that part about the plumbing! So annoying.

 

[exnisstech]

Yeah that part about the plumbing! So annoying.

Ya I can do the plumbing but getting down on the floor to work isn't too easy these days and getting up is even harder

 

[TheNative192]

i over think tap water, that is my only concern with your method... That worries me, but maybe if a lot of other people say the same I'll stop worrying.

I have no issue with tap water. I just wash it in tap water and then I just give it a quick rinse & clean it in water that is RODI or if you do not have that handy just conditioned water to remove the chlorine or ammonia. I do sometimes let it dry off too but you don't really have too.