should i get rid of my filter socks?

[awholelota]

they seem to be doing a great job catching all the junk coming from my tank, but it seems like i have to change them every week with new ones.... my tank has two drains into the skimmer chamber part of my tank. the skimmer is lifted on a plexi platform so i'd have to take the skimmer out every week or two to vacume all the junk out... which seems like a lot of work. my skimmer isn't great so i'm worried about it being able to handle all the extra detritus.

also i know i'd get lazy and eventually skip changing the socks, or skip vacuming the skimmer area, so the real question would be which is worse? detritus in the skimmer area where it may or may not get picked up by my crappy skimmer, or detritus in a filthy sock which is partialy out of water?

[Jnicho]

When my socks get dirty I use the sink sprayer to clean them as good as I can, then soak them for 24 hours in 50/50 bleach and water. Rinse them like crazy and they come out looking like new. Don't know if this is an option in your case, but might be worth a try.

[seasalt dreams]

If you dont wanna clean them daily, then you better get rid of them.

[b16drag]

I have three of them, I change them out every 2-3 days and just batch them up for a wash once a week. I just use a lil bit of bleach with the first cycle and then another cycle with just water to rinse off the extra bleach.

Works great for me!

[crvz]

Socks can be used with great success, but you do need to switch them out regularly... weekly at the longest. Getting a few more, you can swap them easier and then wash them as b16drag mentions. But, you may also consider siphoning the detritus in the sump, as you don't want to allow any collected wastes to sit for too long, else they break down and start to cause problems.

[Bender 2]

I would say that changing the sock is far easier than removing the skimmer and vacuuming the sump. I use a sock for that very reason. But as others have said, you have to change them pretty regularly. I change mine every few days and just wash several at a time.

[awholelota]

i guess i can make my own, and have about 5 - 10 socks. do i use and soaps or laundry detergent in the washer?

[Jnicho]

I think reg detergent is OK and some bleach...but no fabric softener.

[motorslave]

Just use the hot water setting. It will remove the goo.

[Phishy]

I didn't have one then got one and have since had no issues with gunk in the sump. I wasn't aware you can wash them, this is good to know, cause I have rinsed mine for 20minutes under hot water and still stuff comes out. I also have a filter sponge in my overflow before it hit the sock.

[luvmylo]

I like my filter socks. i have a tiny sump so it's hard to get in to shop vac

[Phishy]

Do you want to keep them totally out of the water?

About 1/3 of mine sits in the water

[luvmylo]

mine are submersed

[Jack jjd]

I recently removed mine from my year old tank and I was wondering if this was a good or bad move.

[OneDummHikk]

If you are tired of changing them out regularly, its a good move. If you don't want to have to do the extra maintenance of cleaning the sump weekly or so, its a bad move. It depends