Best way to clean a filter sock?

[gnashty]

what is the best method to use to clean a filter sock? i was cleaning mine earlier and couldnt seem to get it as clean as i wanted to.

 

[william1]

I throw mine in the washing machine once a week with a little bleach....

 

[brianjfinn]

WILLIAM1;443368 wrote: I throw mine in the washing machine once a week with a little bleach....

With your clothes? I don't think my wife would like that idea...

 

[twocute2b4u]

I do the same as William, but I use a ton of bleach and rinse it once with clean water.

 

[gnashty]

WILLIAM1;443368 wrote: I throw mine in the washing machine once a week with a little bleach....

does it get all the debris out? i had a hard time getting all the bits of Nori out from the algae clip.

 

[william1]

LOL not with the cloths but I guess you could save on water haha I rinse them in the sink first turn them inside out and toss in the washing maching. Then an extra rinse cycle.

 

[lilrobb]

I just turn them inside out and wash/rinse with boiling hot water. Doesn't upset my skimmer like a real washed one would...

 

[markl]

Washing machine.

 

[budsreef]

I rinse them, turn them inside out and soak them in a bucket of water with a little bleach, rinse again with tap water and air dry.

 

[jmaneyapanda]

I still dont understand why people use bleach. Are you trying to disinfect them? Or mechanically clean them? Because I dont see how bleach is a detergent, and mechanically cleans anything. Other tahn jsut being white white, I see no benefit in it.

 

[jmaneyapanda]

How so? Its not a detergent. I may make them whiter (the same way it would make your red tshirt whiter), but that doesnt mean they're cleaner.

 

[grouper therapy]

The bleach must remove something or they would not be whiter. Something makes them stained so what ever that is must be removed?

 

[jmaneyapanda]

But.....when I put my brand new red tshirt in the wash with bleach, it comes out whiter. Is that cleaner?

 

[jmaneyapanda]

Overall, I dont really care either. I just wouldnt put bleach anywhere enar my tank unless I really had to. And cleaning a filter sock is not that "had to" occurance. Especially with the dubious benefit.

 

[jmaneyapanda]

Now that I think about it, I guess the bleach could chemically oxidize the organics, but this seems a rather unnecessary step to me. Oh well, just my opinion.

 

[grouper therapy]

It is bactericidal as well not sure I want it in mine either! You are correct though it does oxidize organics.

 

[jmaneyapanda]

Right, if people were aiming to "disinfect" the filter socks, then I get it. But for all intense purposes, simply running it with water will accomplish 99% of what you wanted anyway. Unless youre OCD like Charlie and must have a whiter shade of white to the filter socks. I would also be wlling to bet that bleaching tehm shortens their lifespan also, by degrading what you dont want degraded.

 

[jmaneyapanda]

And they are so darned uncomfortable to wear!!!

 

[budsreef]

I'm not sure what the chemical reaction is, but the bleach breaks down all the crap trapped in the fibers. I only think that because the bottom of the bucket I soak them in has a layer of gunk on it when I remove the clean filter socks.

I also soak any pump or plumping part that has any kind of algae, except coraline in a bucket with some bleach water and then soak them in vinegar water to remove any coraline or other calcium type buildup.

All of it gets thoroughly rinsed and dried before using it again.

 

[budsreef]

I used to just turn them inside out and take them outside and use the power nozzle on the hose to clean them, but switched to the bleach method after surgery and the inability to use my right arm. Now I could probably go back to that but at the moment outside water is turned off until the spring thaw.