Has anybody ever made their own? I've got a bunch of cotton gauze I could use (not like medical gauze; it's a closer weave. Think gauze curtains) What do you think? Will it work?
Thanks!
Thanks!
Skimmer "socks"
- Thread starter LauleaHere&There
- Start date
Im thinking of making my own as well, just have to find any type of material that is a close knit and will still allow water to flow thru freely. Thinking of going to the material store to have a look. Would be very easy to make for sure.
I doubt it will be worth your time when you can get a box of knee highs for little or nothing... 
I just started using my old knee hi's a few days ago and they do work great. Now that I'm laid off I don't have occasion to wear them anymore and had wondered what I was going to do with them all . . 
I have one skimmer but two skimmer baskets on hand and each day when I'm done swimming I pull out the dirty basket and replace it with the other clean one. Then I can wash out the dirty one either that eve or next day, whatever is convenient.
I have one skimmer but two skimmer baskets on hand and each day when I'm done swimming I pull out the dirty basket and replace it with the other clean one. Then I can wash out the dirty one either that eve or next day, whatever is convenient.
I'm sacrificing any pantyhose, nylons, kneehighs I find floating around the laundry. I can get about 4 skimmer socks from one pair of pantyhose. Once I use the easy, TOE portion, I tie a knot at the top and bottom of the leg portions. Just have to be careful to make sure it still sits right in the basket. I used just the leg portions.
HOWEVER, you do need to consider the thickness of the hose. I think the WHITE SKIMMER socks that you buy for like $15 for 3 (!) at the pool store are made out of a SUPPORT HOSE type material. I've had finer/lesser quality nylons shred after just a few days However, since the ones I make are practically for free, I haven't been as upset to toss them out and try again.
I think I might try the DOLLAR store and see if they have SUPPORT HOSE or some kind or TROUSER SOCK or maybe TIGHTS!!!
When I've had lot's of stuff floating in the pool, I've even wrapped the unused 'panty' portion around the skimmer part to keep stuff from even getting to the trap.
Oh, and if the top part that wraps around the basket isn't tight, I just pull it tight and make another knot at the top.
Now, here's my question - I use this in the basket for my TRAP and not the skimmer. Does the sock go on the INSIDE of the basket or the OUTSIDE? The configuration of my TRAP makes me think it goes on the OUTSIDE otherwise it floats to the top. I have to rip a hole in it to go around the INTAKE part of the basket. I haven't really tried it on the inside because I'm afraid the whole thing will slip off and get caught in the in between space. Could that happen?
Now for those of you without someone buying pantyhose or tights in your household or someone kind enough to buy them for you ... there are a bazillion choices out there and it might lead to a funny situation having to explain why you've got them in your garage. I do know they make GREAT paint strainers.
Reminds me of the really old joke of a guy who's wearing a girdle in the lockerroom and his buddy asks, "hey, since when have you been wearing a girdle?" And the guy answers, "since my wife found one in my glove box." Ha! I know terrible but I told you it was an old joke. Ya, what's a girdle???
dpool
HOWEVER, you do need to consider the thickness of the hose. I think the WHITE SKIMMER socks that you buy for like $15 for 3 (!) at the pool store are made out of a SUPPORT HOSE type material. I've had finer/lesser quality nylons shred after just a few days However, since the ones I make are practically for free, I haven't been as upset to toss them out and try again.
I think I might try the DOLLAR store and see if they have SUPPORT HOSE or some kind or TROUSER SOCK or maybe TIGHTS!!!
When I've had lot's of stuff floating in the pool, I've even wrapped the unused 'panty' portion around the skimmer part to keep stuff from even getting to the trap.
Oh, and if the top part that wraps around the basket isn't tight, I just pull it tight and make another knot at the top.
Now, here's my question - I use this in the basket for my TRAP and not the skimmer. Does the sock go on the INSIDE of the basket or the OUTSIDE? The configuration of my TRAP makes me think it goes on the OUTSIDE otherwise it floats to the top. I have to rip a hole in it to go around the INTAKE part of the basket. I haven't really tried it on the inside because I'm afraid the whole thing will slip off and get caught in the in between space. Could that happen?
Now for those of you without someone buying pantyhose or tights in your household or someone kind enough to buy them for you ... there are a bazillion choices out there and it might lead to a funny situation having to explain why you've got them in your garage. I do know they make GREAT paint strainers.
Reminds me of the really old joke of a guy who's wearing a girdle in the lockerroom and his buddy asks, "hey, since when have you been wearing a girdle?" And the guy answers, "since my wife found one in my glove box." Ha! I know terrible but I told you it was an old joke. Ya, what's a girdle???
dpool
I buy the cheapest ones from Walmart, they come in a box of 10. Queen size... They last me a good long time because I rinse and reuse them until they get holes. A box lasts the whole summer for sure, probably the whole year.
As far as how they compare to true skimmer socks, I don't know. I'm sure the real skimmer socks are better, but the knee highs catch so much stuff I just don't sweat it. For a while I used two knee highs layered on top of each other, and I know that configuration caught even more but they were a major PITA to put on, remove & clean so that didn't last long.
As far as how they compare to true skimmer socks, I don't know. I'm sure the real skimmer socks are better, but the knee highs catch so much stuff I just don't sweat it. For a while I used two knee highs layered on top of each other, and I know that configuration caught even more but they were a major PITA to put on, remove & clean so that didn't last long.
anonapersona said:
I can't get to my old email right now but I think this is where I ordered a bunch of packages of these. I think the price has come down if so. That's a great price and they are good quality.
I like the real skimmer socks better. They seem to catch a lot more of our "microscopic" dust and they do last longer than any of the hosiery I've used. As my pump runs 21/7 it becomes obvious pretty quickly which last longer with some many hours. The pump runs pretty slowly all that time so there isn't as much high flow stress on them as there may be in other pools where the flow is much faster. I gave some to a friend. Her pump is running 24/7 (until she does a mustard algae shock which I've been trying to get her to do for months now - I've told her she'll use much less bleach once she gets rid of the MA for good - but there's always a reason to not do it
) and her socks load daily with juniper "needles" so her's stretch out and tear much faster than mine do.gg=alice
I really like that place for supplies, Polaris parts are reasonable. Last time I ordered from them I got a ton of stuff, something like 10 3 packs of Polaris tail scrubbers and 8 5 packs of skimmer socks, plus a few Polaris parts that I will need eventually.
anonapersona said:
I ordered a bunch of other stuff too. That may have been where I got the tires, bearing kits, scrubbers, etc., right before I sold my 280 to my friend for a steal. I don't remember if I did a google search or found them on eBay. My computer is out of commission right now so I can't double check on that. I think I purchased at least 10 bags of socks. The dogs have eaten some (a fact I always allow for when ordering certain things
) (they don't ingest them; just have a blast playing tug of war and chase) and I gave some to my friend (hey, great gift for pool friends) and I still have bunches left; all have been used but I wait until I have a bunch of dirty ones and then do some bucket dipping and a gentle cold wash with vinegar when I wash a bunch of Aquabot Nasty Bags. I'm not using the socks right now as they and the filter load so fast with the calcium scale that is lifting. I have to change out the socks several times a day and the big filter wants a daily backwash. BTW.... I love the Aqua Pearl filter media. It backwashes almost completely out, very quickly, no silica, and I don't have to take the filter apart to get it all out like I was having to do with the cellulose. The only issue, so far, is that it is hard to find on Internet, and it took forever to get here.gg=alice
I've noticed that the socks (we call them filter savers 'round these parts) tend to pick up very fine particles. They are definitely a finer mesh than kneehighs.
I have to rinse them out once at least every day and there is always a layer of fine dust coating the inside.
BTW...never try to add DE through the sock...lol...lesson learned
I have to rinse them out once at least every day and there is always a layer of fine dust coating the inside.
BTW...never try to add DE through the sock...lol...lesson learned
That's funny, thought I was the only dummy to try that... :lol:Peter_S said:BTW...never try to add DE through the sock...lol...lesson learned
dpool: Im not sure what you are referring to when you say trap? But i put mine over the skimmer basket, in the top, then just drop a small rock in there to keep it from floating when the pump is off.
britinusa said:
Thanks - I like the marble idea too.
I have an AG Splasher pool with a plastic SKIMMER basket that attaches to the inside wall of the pool. Then from there the hose conects to a BASKET (trap) that has a clear top that's right before the MOTOR (Pump?) then that's connected by a hose goes to the cartridge filter that goes back to the pool.
If I take the top off the BASKET with clear top before I shut down the system or before I close the INTAKE/OUTGO valves I take a refreshing (or not so refreshing) shower.
I think the part you are covering is what I would call my skimmer. What's the part that is right before the motor? That's the part that has a basket with a hole in the side where the OUTFLOW from the pool goes in. That's kinda why I've never figure if I've got the socks on right.
dpool
dpool: the sock has to go in the first skimmer basket...the one inside the pool. The basket with the clear top that is attached to the pump is too inconvenient to change and in most cases has a side entry that isn't suitable to use a sock in.
I assume you also have a basket in the skimmer that is inside the pool??
I assume you also have a basket in the skimmer that is inside the pool??
Peter_S said:
HA! Is this true???
I have always put the SOCKS on the CLEAR TOP TRAP (outside the pool) because the sock and the basket were the same shape. You are right about it being TOO INCONVIENENT to change it out. You are also right about the SIDE ENTRY situation. THAT's why I thought the sock went on the OUTSIDE of the basket. Now I've had this set up for going on SEVEN SEASONS but have I been wrong all these years? HA!!!
My first skimmer (the one IN THE POOL WALL) is kinda OBLONG (to fit along the pool wall) and there is a sieve? skimmer? in there that can be pulled out and clean. I thought it was just for pulling big stuff off the top of the pool. And there's no way I could fit a regular skimmer sock on that one. That's the one I've OCCASIONALLY but the 'panty' part over when I've had too much floting stuff in the pool (usually pollen or these tiny petals that come from a flowering tree). However as soon as I turn off the pump ... everything floats back into the pool - unless I clean it out prior to turning off the pump. Okay - not a big problem just something more to remember every day.
I wonder if this is why I always have stuff in my CARTRIDGE filter? Mostly bug parts.
Well, I'm always open to learning new things. For the first couple of seasons I think I had the INTAKE and OUTGO hoses mixed up on the CARTRIDGE because the manufacture of my OFF-PLANET cartridge housing had them marked just IN and OUT. Now I thought that meant. WATER from the pool goes IN to the cartridge and WATER from the cartridge goes OUT to the pool ... NOOOO ... it was WATER From this port goes IN to the pool and WATER from this port comes OUT of the pool. I know - that's why I changed out my WHOLE system about year three for a HAYWARD Cartridge. Just so I could buy replacement parts and have an 800 number if I needed help.
So the sock should go on the skimmer BEFORE the trap - HA! Too funny!
dpool
lol..your post had me rolling. I'm so glad to have connected with your real issue and to have been able to help. It's all easy from here 
Has anyone gotten the skimmer socks from Leslie's lately? They must be half the size now and I can't even get them to fit in my basket anymore. It's well past the 14 days, but I'm going to Leslie's and see if I can get some kind of refund since they don't fit my basket anymore since they changed the sizes.
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