Another filter sock question

[Bob Escher]

ok so I'm finally set up the sump on my 45 gallon on Tuesday. This morning as I always do I checked the skimmer. It was half full but the filter sock was completely full and although not quite full of water looked bad. I pulled it out and noticed that it had slime all over it. What is the slime from and what is it?

I did wash the sock before I installed it in a washing machine with a little bleach and rinsed it ( full load) twice. I should have though of prime but didn't
But why did it get so full so fast and block water ( it wasn't very dark in color)

 

[NeptuneGarden]

coral feeding mucus ?

 

[Browner20]

Sounds like you have a bacterial bloom that will clog your socks. If you just added the sump you also added a significant amount of water volume and probably messed with the bacterial balance. My tank sometimes goes through cycles of bacterial blooms and it is very annoying as I will have to change out the socks everyday - hopefully you have several sets of socks. The washing with bleach should not hurt it as long as you rinse and let the sock completely dry before putting in the sump. I wash mine with bleach in the washing machine, hang dry and no issues.

 

[Bob Escher]

I only have one right now didn't think it would clog this fast
I added 10 lbs of live rock and 10 lbs of live sand to the refugium
I'm going to wash the sock this morning and order more
The tank is absolutely clean as is the refugium so I'm not sure of a bacterial bloom ( I always thought it would get cloudy with a bloom

What I find amazing is that this is a 45 gallon JBJ AIO tank the water flows into the back where I still have a media basket that the water first hits filter floss and then poly filter, then bio media ( matrix and ring) and last purigen. One would think that the floss and the poly filter would capture the majority of it all.
Thanks

 

[NeptuneGarden]

What micron rating filter sock ? maybe too small ?

 

[Bob Escher]

Good question it came with my trigger systems crystal cube sump, it's a 100 micron sock. Now I just learned something else. Here I thought a 200 micron sock would be better than a 100 ( or vice versa) but now your saying it could clog easier or it may be too small?

 

[NeptuneGarden]

It could. 100-200 micron is what most people run though. I would wash it out a couple of times and be a little patient and see what happens.

 

[Bob Escher]

Thanks doing that now and added some prime to the second wash if I add prime do I still need to dry it out

 

[jsker]

Make your own socks and toss them
91 at 14.00 cost and time, went with powder blue this time.

 

[gbrumfield2013]

Make your own socks and toss them
91 at 14.00 cost and time, went with powder blue this time.

How do u make your own what is the material called??? [emoji1]

 

[jsker]

Craft felt from Joann's with a coupon, I used a 12 x 12 square and sewed a 3/4 inch collar on one end and folded the 12 x 12 in half and sew the bottom and one side. Not a good video but you will get the idea

 

[Lonny]

I run 200 micron socks and they clog usually in 2 days. I buy them on amazon. You can get them in ten packs.

 

[Browner20]

Adding that rock and sand is most likely your cause - the tank needs to come back to a bacterial balance. I would still recommend several pairs of socks as it is a real PITA to only have one pair.