Filter sock felt fibers releasing into tank

[Miami Reef]

I cleaned put my skimmer pump, and I saw filter sock fibers tangled around the bristles.

I remember reading something about felt socks “decomposing“ on Reef Man’s YouTube channel a few months back.

I think I might switch to mesh socks to prevent the skimmer pump from accumulating the fibers. If you used felt socks, have you noticed something similar?

 

[blaxsun]

When I ran felt filter socks (about a year and a half) I never noticed any issues. I did machine wash them with Oxyclean instead of bleach, and I had 20 or so that were rotated out 4 at a time. These were the Red Sea 100-micron ones.

 

[hart24601]

Before the reefmat I was using the same filter socks for at least 10+ years, not and exaggeration. I bought more over time just to take longer before washing but I don’t think I have ever had to toss one in all that time. The plastic cracked along the top but they held in place fine and still were used. Fwiw I would wash them in the washing machine with bleach although sometimes alternated with percarbonate (oxyclean). I never saw fibers or them decompose in the tank.

 

[reefsaver]

A while ago I bought some fabric filter socks that have been durable and robust enough to be hit point blank with a jet stream pressure washer. They’re 20$ each but they really opened my eyes to the future potential of filter rollers and their reusability if they were to use a better material.
Sure you might get less time in automated filtration. But at least you could maintain filter rolls. Even if it was a pain in the butt process, for the average reefer it’s worth saving this kind of stuff for the long term.

 

[gbroadbridge]

I cleaned put my skimmer pump, and I saw filter sock fibers tangled around the bristles.

I remember reading something about felt socks “decomposing“ on Reef Man’s YouTube channel a few months back.

I think I might switch to mesh socks to prevent the skimmer pump from accumulating the fibers. If you used felt socks, have you noticed something similar?

Only happened to me after more than about 50 cycles of bleach/washing machine.
Figured by then it was time to buy a new batch.

Never saw it with new socks.

 

[exnisstech]

I used felt socks for several years and never noticed this. I run mesh socks in 2 redsea tanks because they are easier to clean than felt. I run reef diapers in my 180g and just throw them away. I got tired of washing felt socks.