I have been using skimmer socks for a few years now and they work great. I usually have to clean them out weekly. I decided to try knee highs to see what the difference is. I put a Knee High on my skimmer basket over 2 weeks ago and it has not caught ANYTHING in it! I put a sock on the basket this morning and there is already stuff collected in it this evening. My conclusion is that Knee Highs, while cheaper, don't work anywhere near as well as skimmer socks do!
I thought of that but we are really talking about a piece of pool 'equipment' and a common substitute for it. If you think it should be moved please feel free! 
i don't know what your wife would think of you calling her clothing accessories equipment haha. But mine has a tool box full of makeup hahaha.
I'm really surprised by your results. I haven't tried the knee hi's but was thinking of doing so. Guess I'll stick with the skimmer socks. Thanks!
- Apr 5, 2007
- 425
- Surface
- Vinyl
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Hayward Aqua Rite (T-15)
interesting...thanks for writing your thoughts!
A while ago I bought two packages of skimmer socks. I just keep washing them and most are holding up good so far
Maybe I'll just add another package. Hmmmmm
dan
A while ago I bought two packages of skimmer socks. I just keep washing them and most are holding up good so far
Maybe I'll just add another package. Hmmmmm
dan
I have been using Knee Highs for a while now, it really REALLY depends on the quality. The good ones work better IMO than a skimmer sock, but the cheap ones do not.
Waterbear, et al -
I've never used a skimmer sock, but have recommended them to some customers with filtration problems. I have recommended knee highs and have installed the first one for folks who have a lot of pine needles dropping into the pool (I carry a supply of knee-highs to add the cya to our new SWCG pools) When I install a stocking in the skimmer basket, it is only to keep the ~larger debris from clogging the impeller and for this purpose, they do well (as long as they don't develop a hole
)
I've never used a skimmer sock, but have recommended them to some customers with filtration problems. I have recommended knee highs and have installed the first one for folks who have a lot of pine needles dropping into the pool (I carry a supply of knee-highs to add the cya to our new SWCG pools) When I install a stocking in the skimmer basket, it is only to keep the ~larger debris from clogging the impeller and for this purpose, they do well (as long as they don't develop a hole
)
Waste, I agree that knee highs will catch the larger debris floating in the pool, but it's really amazing how much Crud a skimmer sock will catch, and I figure, the more I catch in a skimmer sock, the less I'm going to have to hose out of my filter later.
I agree that skimmer socks work great, I've used them since day one and was amazed what they trapped. I can also see though why people look for something else that might do as well since the price of skimmer socks at my local pool store are a rip-off, $10.99 for a pack of 5.
When the pollen was bad the skimmer socks had to be rinsed out twice a day. I could pull the basket out and the water would slowly drain out of the basket. They can block the flow allot if they get dirty. Just something to stay on top of during different times of the year.
I just tried the skimmer sock last week and could not believe how much Crud got caught in it, but one thing I noticed is that the gauge on my filter was running at 10 PSI greater than without the sock, even after cleaning the sock. Much like the last post by DaveNj I noticed the water to drain slowly out of the basket when lifted. This occured even after cleaning the sock. This now gives me great concern that I may be putting extra strain on the pump.
Anyone else having this issue? Perhaps skimmer socks are not a good idea? Should I worry about the pump?
Anyone else having this issue? Perhaps skimmer socks are not a good idea? Should I worry about the pump?
Adding a clean skimmer sock shouldn't affect the filter pressure significantly. A dirty skimmer sock is a whole different issue.
If you are seeing a 10 PSI increase from adding a clean skimmer sock then something is wrong and you should remove the sock.
If you are seeing a 10 PSI increase from adding a clean skimmer sock then something is wrong and you should remove the sock.
Interesting. I have never tried the purpose-made skimmer socks, just used the knee-highs. B/c my pool is indoors, I don't get HUGE amounts of junk in the skimmer basket, but the stocking does catch smallish bugs like pillbugs and some bits of plant matter. I usually rinse the stocking once a week.
The stockings don't last very long, tho. About 2-3 weeks and they're shot. First the chlorine bleaches them out to an orangey color, then the fabric breaks down. . .
The stockings don't last very long, tho. About 2-3 weeks and they're shot. First the chlorine bleaches them out to an orangey color, then the fabric breaks down. . .
Interesting
What kind of stuff are you getting out? What size? I am curious. I am well pleased using knee-highs. I think it matters what kind of stuff is around your pool. Grass is bad, leaves are bed, bugs are bad. My knee high catch little black ants. You would have to catch really fine stuff that be smaller than that. I hardly ever have any thing in the pump basket.
I think the size of knee-hight is important as well. If you use petite vs women's / plus size, that would be big difference, as more stretching is involved. Also, the skimmer basket size has a play in it. Obviously the bigger the basket, the more stretching. If you use small knee-hights on big basket, you definitely would see performance issues. I bbelievethat the skimmer socks are designed to not have to sstretchas much. I would be curious to see diameters of baskets posted with size of knee-highs of those who aren't seeing good results with knee-hights.
The consensus generally is that uusingsomething is better than uusingnothing.
If your pressure goes down significantly, something is definitely wrong, whatever you are using.
What kind of stuff are you getting out? What size? I am curious. I am well pleased using knee-highs. I think it matters what kind of stuff is around your pool. Grass is bad, leaves are bed, bugs are bad. My knee high catch little black ants. You would have to catch really fine stuff that be smaller than that. I hardly ever have any thing in the pump basket.
I think the size of knee-hight is important as well. If you use petite vs women's / plus size, that would be big difference, as more stretching is involved. Also, the skimmer basket size has a play in it. Obviously the bigger the basket, the more stretching. If you use small knee-hights on big basket, you definitely would see performance issues. I bbelievethat the skimmer socks are designed to not have to sstretchas much. I would be curious to see diameters of baskets posted with size of knee-highs of those who aren't seeing good results with knee-hights.
The consensus generally is that uusingsomething is better than uusingnothing.
If your pressure goes down significantly, something is definitely wrong, whatever you are using.
I'm using the Bughouse Skimmer Basket Bag. It fit on my skimmer basket fairly easy.
I have been pulling out grass, leaves and bugs in small quantities in addition to black filth. I have no idea what the black filth is (probably just plain old dirt) but it does not appear to be to thick and comes off very easily with the garden hose.
I really think the sock might have such a tight weave that it is affecting my PSIs. Perhaps it is the make. As noted before, when I pull the basket out with the sock on, I notice the water to drain out very slowly.
My next test will be to use on of my wifes knee-highs. I'll punch back in after the knee-high test.
Any other suggestions are welcome!
I have been pulling out grass, leaves and bugs in small quantities in addition to black filth. I have no idea what the black filth is (probably just plain old dirt) but it does not appear to be to thick and comes off very easily with the garden hose.
I really think the sock might have such a tight weave that it is affecting my PSIs. Perhaps it is the make. As noted before, when I pull the basket out with the sock on, I notice the water to drain out very slowly.
My next test will be to use on of my wifes knee-highs. I'll punch back in after the knee-high test.
Any other suggestions are welcome!
waterbear said:
The knee-highs aren't all created equal. Some have a finer and some a coarser weave. The finer ones will pick up more. I tried the skimmer socks starting a couple of weeks ago and don't find them to be catching any more or less than the knee highs I was using were. They are, however, quite a bit more durable than the knee-highs and fit the baskets better/easier. Cost-wise, it's probably six of one, half-dozen of the other as the knee highs are much cheaper but only last a few days on average. I'll probably go with the socks the next time I need to buy.
Re: Interesting
My skimmer socks catch all the big stuff of course - leaves, bugs, etc. , but it also catches pollen, small plant matter, and i'm guessing just plain old dirt/dust. the pollen/dirt/dust collects where the water flows through the basket, so I get a greenish/blackish/brownish checkerboard pattern on the sock which I hose off. I'll try to take a picture either tonight or tomorrow night to show you what it catches.
mrspock said:
My skimmer socks catch all the big stuff of course - leaves, bugs, etc. , but it also catches pollen, small plant matter, and i'm guessing just plain old dirt/dust. the pollen/dirt/dust collects where the water flows through the basket, so I get a greenish/blackish/brownish checkerboard pattern on the sock which I hose off. I'll try to take a picture either tonight or tomorrow night to show you what it catches.
I wasted $6 at my local pool store on some sox that are too small for my skimmer.
If you bother to spend the $, make sure you get some large enough for your skimmer.
I plan to try again soon.
If you bother to spend the $, make sure you get some large enough for your skimmer.
I plan to try again soon.