Skimmer Socks - Thoughts???

[Spensar]

How tough are they, can you toss a few into the washer with the towels?

[AnnaK]

Sorry, Carl, I misunderstood what you had said.

I hang mine on the fence post by way of easy storage.

Sure, Spensar, you can wash them in the machine. They're like white knee-high ladies's socks.

[NWMNMom]

Boy aren't Junebugs the worst? Those legs cling in a death clutch even when butts up and can't get them out by shaking or flipping, you gotta PICK them off - eww. Can you imagine all those flying ants getting in past the skimmer (those holes are big enough for them to get sucked in) - I was mortified to see how many small insects the skimmer sox caught, thinking all that went into my filter.

[AnnaK]

Yep! I'm not generally squeamish but the amount of flying ants in the sock that one morning did gross me out. I didn't use socks until mid-season last year so those creatures all wound up in my sand filter. No wonder I had to backwash so often!

My method of dealing with the Japanese beetles is to invert the sock and drop it into a plastic Folger's coffee can of strongish bleach water. They pretty much die. When I pull the sock out I peel off the matted dog hair and the bugs along with it and discard the mess. Rinse the sock and re-use.

Still, it's all pretty disgusting.

[ScottS]

How tough are they, can you toss a few into the washer with the towels?

While they are pretty tough I think this would run the risk of causing more damage to them than it would be good. As they get some age on them they slowly start to degrade and become brittle.

You don't have to overcomplicate the skimmer sock. I leave the sock on the skimmer basket, turn it upside down, shake loose (pluck or pull) the bugs off, rinse it clean with the hose, and turn it back over. The sock is now clean and ready to go.

[CarlD]

Launder them? Why bother? They are usually 3 for $5 or 4 for $8 and once a month when I've rinsed them at least 30 times and the weave starts getting more open I discard the current one for a new one with a tight weave again.

[Phillbo]

I'm really starting to appreciate the total lack of bugs in the desert .... but I do think i'll get a couple socks for when my friends bring their dogs over with them.

[fission7x]

Well, it's been 24 hours with skimmer socks in use.
WOW! Talk about bugs and debris!
About a thousand flying ants that would have made their way right to the filter!
It's off to the store tomorrow to get another set.
Change 'em, then wash them. Repeat the next day.

Thanks Y'all!!

[shadowman]

Well, we may have a short pool season up here in Oregon, but I'm glad we don't have the bugs. All I get is a dozen crickets a week or so and a few clumsy bees. I think I'll try the skimmer sock in the spring though, we do have tons of pollen.

[KurtV]

I just use knee-highs. Wal-Mart has a box of six pairs for about a buck and a half here. They don't last as long as the skimmer socks and I don't think they're quite as fine a mesh, but I get a week or so out of each and my wife picks them up at the grocery instead of us having to make a special trip to a pool store (though I think some Wal-Marts carry the skimmer socks).