Okay, so my wife ....

[Nemo2007]

Okay, so my wife didn't look in the washing machine before hand and washed my filter socks again with the regular wash and detergent. I usually only use Chlorox Bleach with my filter socks and rinse them twice before putting them back in the rotation. I am concerned the detergent may leave a residue that might be injurious to my tank, even after an extra rinse. Does anyone have any experience with this issue? Or helpful advice?

I would just replace the socks but they are the only large 25 micron socks I have ever found and I don't live near the LFS where I got them anymore.

Thank you.

 

[Anonymous]

I would use vinegar to rinse them through, then would soak them and test EC (conductivity). Then, I would scrub them well with table salt, anything to get the residue out. Finally, some very hot water poured through should do the trick, but I would get feeder guppies and leave the filter socks in a small tank with the sacrificial guppies before I try to use them with the expensive stock.

Interesting dilemma.

 

[Nemo2007]

Thanks, I will try some of those techniques starting with the vinegar. I have two socks that were missed in the wash and I'll have to keep rotating them which is a lot cause the small pore size clogs quicker. I have already sent them though the wash 2 more times in just water with one more to go. I saw something on a different manufacturer's site stating residue causing extra bubbles introduced from the production process could be removed in the rinse cycle 3 times.

 

[Anonymous]

In all honesty, I would scrap them, not sure what your tank is stocked like, but when mine was at its prime, I would not risk it. Better to improvise with something less for week or 2 and order new ones IMO.

 

[Anonymous]

Looks like vinegar may be your best defense.
http://laundry.about.com/od/productrevi ... esidue.htm

 

[condiman]

I am with ranger and I would scrap them. Whats the cost of them comapaired to the cost of your stock in your tank.

 

[Nemo2007]

Well, I would not say my tank is at its prime right now because I recently moved across the state and lost some of my stock in the move. The only have two or three frags from the acropora colonies I used to have. I have only three fish with the most expensive being a Ctenochaetus tominiensis tang. Still, I have worked hard to maintain the tank and I would not want to lose anymore than I already have. Besides, nuisance algae has been eliminated which took me a long time to do right. That being said, I was not able to find a suitable substitute sock during several searches over the net.

Since I had already rinsed the socks twice. I decided to combine some of the steps above and instead of rinsing a third time, I sent them all through the wash cycle again with a cup and a half of distilled vinegar and a generous portion of Kosher sea salt. I put them though the rinse cycle a forth time. There was no detectable scent of tide. I let them air dry for an extended amount of time and have since placed one of them back into the system last night. So far everything looks fine. I checked some of the chemistry this morning which seemed fine. Outside of calcium and magnesium being a little lower than I desire, it was okay. Okay, pH was not tested because I need new tests.

If a problem develops, I will post it.

 

[Nemo2007]

I will rectify the pH test issue tomorrow.