Care and Feeding of Filter Sock ?

Howdy all...
OK..so I'll throw this out there..I'm sure this is all tank size and livestock/bio load specific..but I'm just looking for some general responses....
90 gallon..Mine is usually full in 7 days..hose it off with a garden hose, ring it out and hang on a hook until next week...I have two and rotate like this continually....so,
How do you clean and maintain your filter sock?
How long do they last? (how many cleanings)
Do they wear out? (quit filtering properly)
etc etc etc..
Thanx.
LG

 

i've only had mine a week now. I started just throwing it in the washer *no soap or detergent* and by the time it was done it was already dry so then i would throw it back on my skimmer.

2nd time i washed it, i dedecided to try to use the the bahthtub hose and use the power spray section and just washed inside and out and got it as clean as i could. Then once it was pretty clean i just threw it back on the skimmer.

I this is my only filter sock right now, i haven't gotten a second one but i think so far i've had to wash it two times a week

 

1 part bleach to 4 parts water is what I use to wash my filter socks. I give them a good rinse and let air dry then put back into use. I clean them once a week as this is when they start to clog up.

 

Wow! Once a week? I'm even more glad I don't have any filter socks on my system.

 

They have some pretty good benefits as well. They help to keep detritus down and they catch any extra food and of course there are always those misc. particles floating around the aquarium.

I usually, clean mine weekly as well. I just rinse it out in the sink and shake it off and reuse it. I have put it in the washing machine too if you want it extra clean.

 

yup, i just use mine to stop microbubbles from pouring into my tank from the skimmer, works amazing!

 

I wanted to chime in I really like the way the filter sock works in my system I usually get around a week and a half to 2 weeks in between cleanings. I have 4 socks I usually wait untill I have 3 dirty ones sitting dried up and dirty and install the last clean one and I throw the three dirty ones into the washing machine by themselves on a cold wash with no soap or anything maybe a small amount of bleach every once in a while and thats it. As far as life span for the socks ill have to let you know as mine are all at least a year old and are still working great.

 

I use filter socks on all of my tanks.. I get about 2 weeks on mine till I have to change it . I have around 12 of them that I rotate and when the last one gets used I turn them all inside out and wash with no soap or anything. then after they are washed the first time I run the washer again and remove when done and let air dry. I have been using the ones I have for about a year and a half now with no signs of wear..

 

question, i have mine over the outtake tube of my hob skimmer because it creates a massive amount of microbubbles in the tank. Do i need to clean the skimmer every time i clean the filter sock to make it run better? My skimmer fills up very slowly because it's a good brand overkill skimmer on a currently lightly stocked tank. I don't want to have to clean my skimmer every time i clean the sock, so should i be ok with only cleaning the skimmer when it needs it?

 

I keep my skimmer cup clean...like every other day i clean it out and then once a week i clean the output chamber by the discharge to the tank and the mixing chamber around the top as it gets a little dirty. ( mine is a Remora Pro HOB/Mag 3 pump)

Also remember I use no mechanical filtration except the skimmer