how often to clean filter socks?

[nychris351]

i purchased two 100 micron filter socks a couple days ago and they are already all brownish green in color...do i need to clean them? or how often do i do so

[aquaman05]

I believe most people change them once a week. I purchased 5 of them and plan on changing them once a week and washing four at a time if this helps.

Peace

[roneil]

Originally Posted by aquaman05

I believe most people change them once a week. I purchased 5 of them and plan on changing them once a week and washing four at a time if this helps.

Peace

+1. you can turn them inside out and toss them in the washing machine but with no soap.

[iamwrasseman]

4 or 5 days each

[JMartin104]

Just out of curiosity, why would you change them so often? These are designed to pick up large(r) particles are they not? I change mine once every two weeks and they hardly seem dirty and my readings are at 0.

[slattery]

once a week

[iamwrasseman]

no nitrates ? none ,Zip ,nada ?
when i change mine more often i have no nitrates but if i go for a week in between then i start to measure nitrates . switch back to 3 or 4 days and the nitrates become less with every water change until they are gone . thats why i change them more often ~

[aquaman05]

Originally Posted by JMartin104

Just out of curiosity, why would you change them so often? These are designed to pick up large(r) particles are they not? I change mine once every two weeks and they hardly seem dirty and my readings are at 0.

I'm no expert on this but from what i have read on here i believe maybe more so as a saftey precation as they can get to dirty and start to leak out the top.
Someone else should chime in on this question with more experience and input.

[iamwrasseman]

actually if you collect waste and run water through it its just like not collecting it at all because it continues to break down in the sock . if you remove it then its like taking it out of the tank and can no longer break down and pollute your tank . just because its caught in a sock doesn't mean that its gone .

[aquaman05]

Originally Posted by iamwrasseman

actually if you collect waste and run water through it its just like not collecting it at all because it continues to break down in the sock . if you remove it then its like taking it out of the tank and can no longer break down and pollute your tank . just because its caught in a sock doesn't mean that its gone .

Great Point !!!

See here come the experts....

[JMartin104]

Originally Posted by iamwrasseman

actually if you collect waste and run water through it its just like not collecting it at all because it continues to break down in the sock . if you remove it then its like taking it out of the tank and can no longer break down and pollute your tank . just because its caught in a sock doesn't mean that its gone .

Makes sense. But to what degree? Like I said, my readings are at 0 changing socks once every 2 weeks. I have two BTW.

[redfishblewfish]

I’m relatively new to socks and run 7” 150 micron socks just to remove debris that might get caught up in the beckett of the skimmer. I’m not comfortable throwing it in the washing machine because it has that rigid plastic ring at the top. So I RINSE the sock approximately every 5-7 days. After about 5-6 weeks, rinsing isn’t enough, and within 3 – 4 days it is overflowing. I change out the sock and soak that dirty one in bleach overnight. Rinse real well, dry, rinse again, and now ready for the next change.

[ali1]

changing your socks depends on your bioload. If you feed heavily, see discoloration quickly, or have too much livestock, then it's a good indicator to rinse our the socks more often. i never buy new socks. Just flip them inside out and rinse them, then return them.

[Paco]

There's a big difference between mesh socks and felt socks. The felt ones clog up much faster -- I used to change mine about every two days. The mesh ones can go longer.

[Chris27]

Originally Posted by ali1

changing your socks depends on your bioload. If you feed heavily, see discoloration quickly, or have too much livestock, then it's a good indicator to rinse our the socks more often. i never buy new socks. Just flip them inside out and rinse them, then return them.

+1

Watch your system, you'll be able to judge when it's time to change them. Generally speaking though, the finer ones will clog long before they pose a water chemistry problem. Just keep a couple on hand, and change it when you need to, having a few on hand will make it much less a hassle, and therefore make it easier to change them since you won't be changing it and cleaning it all in one evolution.

[SwampyBill]

I change mine every 2-3 days, no more than 4 days. I turn them inside out, spray with hose, then throw em in the washer with some regular bleach (after running washer once to get all traces of detergent, fabric softener out). Let them air dry outside.

Hey Iamwrasseman-how're all those leopards doing? My maleagris & bipartitus are doing great & have become my favorite fish.

[phhbrown]

I make filter socks out of sheets of polyester felt fabric and a glue gun. I'll let them go about a week before I change them. I just rinse them and scrub them a little by hand, then air dry. Before I use them again I'll rinse them off real quick in some old water change water.

[iamwrasseman]

bill ,my wrasses are doing great ! thanks for asking and i just got a royal cleaner ,yellow chest twisti ,and a tiny blue spotted leopard .
in respect to the sock changing i would suggest more often than letting them go for over a week .whatever gets in the sock breaks down very fast as i have lost fish via the overflow and found them the within a couple of days in the sock ,all i find is bones so they break down fast and all that went back into my tank .
in respect to how much of a difference it makes ,dont we spend hundreds just to make small changes so if for no money you could remove just a little no matter how small wouldn't you do it ? i would and do and in now way bragging i am keeping some of the most delicate wrasses there are so its working even if its just a small amount .

[neoalchemist74]

I change mine every three days. inside out in the washer no soap then I inoculate the new one with micro bacter7, and take a look at the tank in my bio.

[marcin11379]

Originally Posted by roneil

+1. you can turn them inside out and toss them in the washing machine but with no soap.

You cab use bletch. but have wash 3-4 times after with only water

[marcin11379]

and change them the pence of your water.If is clean and you no have any of allergy then every 3-4 days

[watchguy123]

I find them a little gross and prefer to replace them once a week

[reefyourself]

i change my felt one every 2 days...best advice dobt leave it there for more than 3... especially if ur tank is sps dominated