Great vids man. I’ve been looking for the mesh filter socks but can’t seem to find them anywhere. Where did you get yours? Also, are your filter socks catching a lot of pods? Do you place them back in the tank or just rinse them out?
I get mine from Buckeye Field Supply. Make sure you get the mesh ones. They catch pods when I have them in my tank and I try to catch the big ones and put them back in the tank.
i put bleach in mine. Just make sure afterwards that you allow them to dry completely for the bleach to evaporate. I have washed my felt socks on delicate with bleach probably 80-90 times, and they are still going..
Johnny, believe it or not, I went to dry cleaning school. (Yes, there really is a dry cleaning school in NYC. Don’t laugh.) I was told that when something is bleached, the bleach stays in the garment and needs to be neutralized with an acid to make the bleach stop bleaching. (This was during the time when distressed clothing was the rage). I’m guessing your system has worked for you your way all this time just fine, I’m a bit more cautious with my tank… I think if I bleached it, I would also neutralize the bag by giving it a dunk in vinegar solution ‘just incase’ before throwing it into the washing machine as shown in Mr.SWT’s video. But doesn’t the tap water have a certain amount of chlorine in it anyway and the hot water would kill off any good/bad bacteria? Or is just having a pure white bag what you are aiming for, Johnny? Or is it the microscopic unclogging of the mesh fibers you’re aiming for when using your bleach method?
bleaching filter socks is really common, i put mine in with a cap full of bleach let it run through the cycle then i run another cycle with just straight water, let it hang dry and its good to go.
I use bleach and water to clean my filtersocks … just in a bucket … water + bleach … cover … shake; rince more than enough and hang m outside to dry … before my socks allways still looked dirty … and now clean as new 🙂
Off course I also have 6-7 filter socks so I can leave the other outside to be sure all bleach is out.
I use felt bleach my felt socks with a capfull in the washer then I run it again without bleach, and then I let the sun bleach them. I’ve lost a couple as my wife tends to throw everything away. I didn’t know about the mesh socks and you can bet I’m switching ASAP. Thanks for thhe tip.
Excellent tip. I had never thought about washing them. Is there a link to the mesh filter section on the Buckeye site? I can’t seem to find a page with the socks on it…
Thanks for the tip. Since I am still in the build stage, the socks go where in the system? At the point where the drain enters the sump? Most people I have been speaking too do not use filter socks.
Yes where the drain enters the sump. All of my fellow reefers use filter socks. Its great to catch any large waste that comes from your tank. If not for te filter sock that waste would keep getting cycled from your sump to your DT over and over.
I have a 50lb stock of Stain Solver (http://www.stainsolver.com/) that we use around the house and is great to use to wash felt socks in the washing machine. I also use it to clean pumps.
Hey mark i have been following you sence i started my salt water tank but i had an issuse the other night where we lost power for hours. my tank got cold i lost couple fish and corals. so i was wondering if you had a video or advice incase it happens again. up here in alaska it dosent happen often but dose so i wanna be better prepaird for next time. thank you DJ.
Mark
I live in Australia and I’m trying to get a dual gfo/carbon reactor I like the bulk reef supply but they do not post to Australia, I can find any dual reactors for sale in Australia I just wondering if u know any where that willowy to Australia or even if u will sell me two from bulk reef supply and post it to me if u could let me know if that’s possibly or not
Cheers Brett ….
Thanks for the tip. I have not thought of cleaning my media bags that way.
Mark, do you use mesh or felt socks?
I use mesh socks. The felt ones clog easier and don’t last as long.
I see. Do the mesh ones filter the water as well as the felt ones?
Yes and they last a lot longer
Hi Mark!
Great vids man. I’ve been looking for the mesh filter socks but can’t seem to find them anywhere. Where did you get yours? Also, are your filter socks catching a lot of pods? Do you place them back in the tank or just rinse them out?
I get mine from Buckeye Field Supply. Make sure you get the mesh ones. They catch pods when I have them in my tank and I try to catch the big ones and put them back in the tank.
If the filter socks have a plastic ring instead of a drawstring, can they still be washed?
Tom…yes, just use the low/gentle setting
i put bleach in mine. Just make sure afterwards that you allow them to dry completely for the bleach to evaporate. I have washed my felt socks on delicate with bleach probably 80-90 times, and they are still going..
Johnny,
How often do you change them?
Mark,
Oldie but goodie… 🙂
Johnny, believe it or not, I went to dry cleaning school. (Yes, there really is a dry cleaning school in NYC. Don’t laugh.) I was told that when something is bleached, the bleach stays in the garment and needs to be neutralized with an acid to make the bleach stop bleaching. (This was during the time when distressed clothing was the rage). I’m guessing your system has worked for you your way all this time just fine, I’m a bit more cautious with my tank… I think if I bleached it, I would also neutralize the bag by giving it a dunk in vinegar solution ‘just incase’ before throwing it into the washing machine as shown in Mr.SWT’s video. But doesn’t the tap water have a certain amount of chlorine in it anyway and the hot water would kill off any good/bad bacteria? Or is just having a pure white bag what you are aiming for, Johnny? Or is it the microscopic unclogging of the mesh fibers you’re aiming for when using your bleach method?
bleaching filter socks is really common, i put mine in with a cap full of bleach let it run through the cycle then i run another cycle with just straight water, let it hang dry and its good to go.
Hey,
I use bleach and water to clean my filtersocks … just in a bucket … water + bleach … cover … shake; rince more than enough and hang m outside to dry … before my socks allways still looked dirty … and now clean as new 🙂
Off course I also have 6-7 filter socks so I can leave the other outside to be sure all bleach is out.
I use felt bleach my felt socks with a capfull in the washer then I run it again without bleach, and then I let the sun bleach them. I’ve lost a couple as my wife tends to throw everything away. I didn’t know about the mesh socks and you can bet I’m switching ASAP. Thanks for thhe tip.
Excellent tip. I had never thought about washing them. Is there a link to the mesh filter section on the Buckeye site? I can’t seem to find a page with the socks on it…
Da’mon. I don’t think Buckeye sells the mesh socks. I know Bulk Reef Supply does.
You can also buy them on ebay judt make sure you get a seller thats in the states so it can get to you faster.
Thanks for the tip. Since I am still in the build stage, the socks go where in the system? At the point where the drain enters the sump? Most people I have been speaking too do not use filter socks.
Yes where the drain enters the sump. All of my fellow reefers use filter socks. Its great to catch any large waste that comes from your tank. If not for te filter sock that waste would keep getting cycled from your sump to your DT over and over.
Don’t use regular bleach. Rather, use some type of oxygen bleach, similar to Hydor’s Magi Klean that Mark reviewed (http://mrswt.wpenginepowered.com/vinegar-is-so-last-year-hydors-magi-klean/) sometime back to clean pumps. It’s organic, food-grade, and non-toxic.
I have a 50lb stock of Stain Solver (http://www.stainsolver.com/) that we use around the house and is great to use to wash felt socks in the washing machine. I also use it to clean pumps.
Hey mark i have been following you sence i started my salt water tank but i had an issuse the other night where we lost power for hours. my tank got cold i lost couple fish and corals. so i was wondering if you had a video or advice incase it happens again. up here in alaska it dosent happen often but dose so i wanna be better prepaird for next time. thank you DJ.
Mark
I live in Australia and I’m trying to get a dual gfo/carbon reactor I like the bulk reef supply but they do not post to Australia, I can find any dual reactors for sale in Australia I just wondering if u know any where that willowy to Australia or even if u will sell me two from bulk reef supply and post it to me if u could let me know if that’s possibly or not
Cheers Brett ….