how often do you change your filter socks?

[cybermeez]

i change them when water starts spilling out the top.

Me too. Once the water starts coming over the top I swap them out. I put the dirty ones in a bucket of water and bleach and let 'em soak until I need to change them out again. Before putting them in the sump I rinse all the crap out of them using the shower massage in the tub and then swish them in some extra dechlorinator in it. I'm gonna try the washing machine since it sounds so much easier. Maybe then I'll change them more often!

 

[Wes]

A LFS stated if you throw them in your washing machine, regardless if you do an empty wash cycle after, washing your clothes afterwards will smell of your fish tank. I have a few new pairs of filter socks and I'm hesitant to try this now. Any opinions on this?

another reason to use bleach. keeps the washer clean. Believe me, if there was any type of smell or residue afterwards the wife would have had me killed years ago.

 

[meschaefer]

another reason to use bleach. keeps the washer clean. Believe me, if there was any type of smell or residue afterwards the wife would have had me killed years ago.

Ditto (but I use oxyclean), If I had any kind of smell or residue I would lose access to my washing machine. As it is, I am kind of surprised that she lets me wash them in there.

 

[meschaefer]

A couple of people mention that they keep them in the tank until they start to overflow. How long does this take?

I ask because if I don't switch them out religiously, I start to see my nitrates rise. This is why I tend to remove them every other day (I admit sometimes it takes three days), I have seen my nitrate rise from 5 to 50 after forgetting to take them out for a few days.

When i go on vacation, I remove them completely so I don't have to have my tank sitter touch them.

 

[Wes]

sometimes it takes 3-4 days...sometimes a week.

i have never had any issues with nitrates. but my DIY coil denitrator probably keeps it in check