Vanguard owners--tri-x cleaning question

[kervis]

What do you soak your 5 filters in?  I had mine soaking overnight in an 18-gallon bin, but only 3 fit in at a time, and I still had to dilute the solution a bit to get it to BARELY cover the 3.  

Then, I put the other 2 on top to hold the 3 down under the solution.  The directions say 3 hours for sure, but over night is best.  

This morning, I rotated the filters and figure that the other 2 will get their 8 hours in as the day goes by.

Is there an easier or better way to do these 5 at once?

I do know that I should store the solution and use it again.

Thanks!  

[tonyp]

No matter what I soaked them in and no matter how much I rinsed, I got suds.  So here's my method:

I put my Tri-X filters in the dishwasher.  Simply rinse them with a hose.  Put them in the dishwasher with a little dishwasher detergent and run.  I usually run them through an extra rinse cycle.  Then put them back in the spa.  

I also run the dishwasher again empty to keep the wife happy.

[kervis]

Do you do this in place of the "water change overnight super soak"??

I have done that twice now, using Cascade, with great results--no foaming at all.   I have done that in place of the spray-on filter cleaner.


I am thinking that if I just keep using the cascade/dishwasher method, I shouldn't have to do an overnight.  What do you think?

[Webini]

You guys are using Cascade on your filters?!?  Everyone I talked to said not to use dishwasher soap at all.  

[Brookenstein]

I have one extra filter.  I use it to rotate when I do overnight soaks.  I only do the overnight soaks (so far) on the one on the circ pump filter though.  The others don't seem to need it.  They do fine with regular cleaning with hose off and spray on cleaner and dishwasher rinse.  I don't use dishwasher soap.

[tonyp]

What do you soak them in?  

The important thing to remember about dishwasher detergent is that it doesn't foam.

[Brookenstein]

I soak em in the bright red/purple filter cleaner crap.  I use a five gallon bucket from Home Depot, hence I can only do one at a time. After I spray the crap out of it, I run it through the dishwasher, then I spray it off with the hose again... overkill yes, but I never have any foam either.  

[Spiderman]

I didn't think you needed to soak the Tri-X filters in cleaning solution;  just hose 'em down, or run 'em through the dishwasher with no detergent?  

[Brookenstein]

I don't do it very often, especially lately, but I do do it.  Next month I will have had my tub one year.  I've done the overnight solution once.  I have done the spray stuff probably 3 or 4 times.... probably whenever I did water changes.  My understanding is that the filters can still get clogged microscopically and that hosing it off won't get it and that they need the occasional actual 'cleaning'.  But I've been known to be wrong.

[Tubaholic]

I also have the tri-X filters and in the last 2 years have cleaned them 2 times with the chemical cleaner soaking them in my utility sink overnight then hosing them off and  into the dishwasher they go.  Mostly I have rinsed with the garden hose and then into the dishwasher and that does a fine job. But my dealer has told me they can clog up so I do a chemical clean on ocassion. I also use a scum ball in the tub so there is never any oils in the tub and have found the filters and the tub stay much better in the long run...

[kervis]

Mine came out just fine.

I soaked each filter for at least 8 hours--some longer.  Then I hosed them off pretty well and was getting VERY nervous when foamy bubbles kept coming out, even though I was finished....tonyp had mentioned that.

I put them into the dishwasher for a full cycle with NO cascade and I have had no foaming in the tub, thank goodness!

I think I will continue to clean them more often than I have been, with Cascade in the dishwasher, and perhaps just soak them overnight once a year, in the filter cleaner.  

Brookenstein mentioned the filters clogging microscopically--The directions on the bottle say that the deep cleaner will remove dirt. grease, oil buildup and scale.

 The Cascade should be able to handle everything but any scale.

Now I have to decide if I really want to store a bucket of chems for another year.