How do you clean your filter sock?

[metrokat]

I've been following my LFS recommendation.

 

turn inside out, wash as thoroughly as possible

soak in water+bleach

rinse several times

soak in water + heavy concentration of PRIME or Aquavitra Alpha

rinse well

use

 

I've been following this for about 2 months. What do you do?

[saltt]

I don't use filter socks, but my boyfriend has for all of his tanks and he cleans them by just throwing them in the washing machine it's worked great for him!

 

Also I used to work at Vivid and they do the same, they take all the dirty filter socks to the nearby laundromat

[matty0206]

I turn mine inside out and spray out with kitchen sprayer. I throw them in a pile until I have used all but 1 and I wash them all together in the washer on hot with hot rinse no bleach or soap then dry in dryer. IMO all the bleach does is make them white again but doesn't actually clean them any better than hot water so I have never used it.

[metrokat]

I turn mine inside out and spray out with kitchen sprayer. I throw them in a pile until I have used all but 1 and I wash them all together in the washer on hot with hot rinse no bleach or soap then dry in dryer. IMO all the bleach does is make them white again but doesn't actually clean them any better than hot water so I have never used it.

The bleach doesn't whiten them at all. My guess is that is it used to kill off stuff that would decay in the sock.

[matty0206]

The bleach doesn't whiten them at all. My guess is that is it used to kill off stuff that would decay in the sock.

 

You must use a very small amount of bleach if no whitening occurs? There is a write up on an experiement from another forum I will try to find when I get home that basically states on a microscopic level bleach does almost nothing except turn the pigments in the detritus and algae clear. If you want to completely remove the nasties and sanitize the sock the article recommends using hydrogen peroxide.

 

Personaly I just don't see the point of introducing things like bleach into my tank when mine come clean with hot water but that's just my opinion. Filter socks are cheap and I would rather replace them after a few uses and have peace of mind.

[matty0206]

Here is the write up.

 

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1943735

 

Just for the record I have no idea what is the best way only what I do and it seems to work. Bleach and other chemicals around my tank scare me.

[metrokat]

If you are running GFO what you are probably seeing is residual GFO dust, bleach won't remove it.

You're right, I'm not using bleach to whiten.

 

Here is the write up.

 

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1943735

 

Just for the record I have no idea what is the best way only what I do and it seems to work. Bleach and other chemicals around my tank scare me.

Thanks for the link. I'm confident about both bleach and peroxide. And with bleach, PRIME fixes it.

[NanoTopia]

I'm using the vertex socks, 300 micron ones. I rinse them out well under the tap, then soak in a mild bleach/water solution for 12 hours, then rinse and soak in a Prime/water solution for 12 hours. Lots of work. The Vertex socks are nylon mesh type. The problem is that they don't last long, maybe 3 months, the bleach eats them away over time. I'm thinking of switching back to felt ones.

 

I have never had a problem with using bleach but I use a good amount of Prime.

[boxboy]

Washing Machine! Works every time! But can get costly.

[metrokat]

I'm using the vertex socks, 300 micron ones. I rinse them out well under the tap, then soak in a mild bleach/water solution for 12 hours, then rinse and soak in a Prime/water solution for 12 hours. Lots of work. The Vertex socks are nylon mesh type. The problem is that they don't last long, maybe 3 months, the bleach eats them away over time. I'm thinking of switching back to felt ones.

 

I have never had a problem with using bleach but I use a good amount of Prime.

 

I use a lot of PRIME as well. Do you get Aquavitro in Canada? You might want to try Alpha, it has more power than PRIME and it cost me about the same as a bottle of PRIME.

 

I think for my next rinse I might try the peroxide.

[mpg732]

You just want to make sure you don't use any kind of soap. Soap is very hard to completely rinse off. So you run the risk of contaminating the tank. If you use bleach, all you have to do is to let them dry out completely for a few day to make sure all the chlorine has evaporated from the socks.

[metrokat]

You just want to make sure you don't use any kind of soap. Soap is very hard to completely rinse off. So you run the risk of contaminating the tank. If you use bleach, all you have to do is to let them dry out completely for a few day to make sure all the chlorine has evaporated from the socks.

+1

[MeanGreenEyes]

When I was using one I ran it through my was machine on the hot water cycle with bleach only (no detergent), extra rinse cycle and soaked twice in RO and Prime before putting it back in my tank...too much of a p.i.t.a. so I got rid of it...

[sean151]

I use a half cup of hydrogen peroxide and leave that in a glass jar with a washed media sock. I have tons in rotation so I don't really pay attention to time.

[Mstefa1]

I don't use a sock (except on my feet) however I do have some outsider questions. If your running it through the washing machine are you picking up phosphates from your detergent? Even if you don't add detergent, you know there is residuals. Are you bleaching the sock to actually clean it or just to make it white again? Or to kill bacteria. Who cares if it's white? And with all these cleaning agents, prime, etc... Isn't it just cheaper to purchase a new sock (including your time and effort involved)? I would think that you would use high pressure water to clean it a few and be done with it. Enlighten me as I'm sure I'll be in this scenario eventually. Use it for a month cleaning it weekly then replace? What are they like $6 anyway?

[metrokat]

I use 200 micron felt sock which can run $7- $10 each. I use one every 3-4 days requiring me to have at least 3 in rotation which is about $30 with shipping.

Bottle of prime is about $11

Bottle of peroxide $4

 

Bleach is to kill off decaying matter, not to make it white (not for me anyway).

Peroxide will work the same way.

PRIME is to remove the ammonia from the bleach and the chlorine from tap water.

 

I don't know anybody that power washes it and sticks it right back, I live in an apartment with commercial washing machines. I am not throwing my filter sock in the laundry room machines and don't have access to a power washer or kitchen "spray" faucet.

[Mstefa1]

I use 200 micron felt sock which can run $7- $10 each. I use one every 3-4 days requiring me to have at least 3 in rotation which is about $30 with shipping.

Bottle of prime is about $11

Bottle of peroxide $4

 

Bleach is to kill off decaying matter, not to make it white (not for me anyway).

Peroxide will work the same way.

PRIME is to remove the ammonia from the bleach and the chlorine from tap water.

 

I don't know anybody that power washes it and sticks it right back, I live in an apartment with commercial washing machines. I am not throwing my filter sock in the laundry room machines and don't have access to a power washer or kitchen "spray" faucet.

 

Thanks for the info Kat. I'll be needing it eventually as I'll have a sump in a later setup one day. If I'm upstairs I hit my items with the faucet sprayer. If downstairs I have a hose that I stick my finger over to get better spray which usually does the trick

[mike c]

I don't know anybody that power washes it and sticks it right back, I live in an apartment with commercial washing machines. I am not throwing my filter sock in the laundry room machines and don't have access to a power washer or kitchen "spray" faucet.

 

Im in the same boat with the washers.

 

Kat, you can find sprayers at Home Depot, or Amazon for around $10. They screw right on to your existing faucet. You can take them on and off as needed.

[saltwatercoral]

I throw them in the wash with regular uncented bleach on a hot load with a second rinse. I then put it on another wash with a second rinse but on cold to make sure all the bleach is out.

[MikeTR]

Washer on hot setting with a couple capfuls of bleach, extra rinse, air dry. I do turn them inside out.

[metrokat]

Im in the same boat with the washers.

 

Kat, you can find sprayers at Home Depot, or Amazon for around $10. They screw right on to your existing faucet. You can take them on and off as needed.

and have the family toss me out for contaminating the kitchen? You have an extra room for me Mike?

[mike c]

and have the family toss me out for contaminating the kitchen? You have an extra room for me Mike?

 

Sure, you can pay your rent in water changes, and filter sock cleanings!

[disaster999]

i just flip it inside out, and blast it with a garden hose, and put it back into my tank

[metrokat]

I'm doing the peroxide cleaning today!

[Mstefa1]

Did you know that bleaching your real socks destroys the elastic in them? A lot of people don't know that. I'm such girl.