Do you use filter socks or filter floss?

[joethenathan]

I’ve read that folks either use socks and love them or don’t use them and find their tanks benefit from not having them. I’m curious what everyone’s thoughts are.

 

[Ashlerbam]

I make my own socks. Change them out every 2 days.

 

[lapin]

I use filter socks. I dont vacuum my sump. I change them every 2 days or after a sand cleaning session. I wash them in the washing machine. I have things in my overflow box that require filtering out so they do not get to my sump cryptic sponges or clog my pumps. On my last tank I did not have them. I had a fuge in my sump that sucked up all the crud. I could clean that section out. This tank has a separate fuge tank that not all the water from the overflow box goes thru.

 

[Dimmy007]

I started with filter socks. Now I turned that part of the sump into a fuge. I find a fuge to be more beneficial and easier to maintain than socks.

 

[Duffer]

Filter socks on a rotation every 2-3 days

 

[tgp4274]

i use socks but the mesh type
found the other ones cloged up to fast

 

[SPR1968]

I use 2 mesh 220 micron Filter socks, but I also place chunks of filter floss in 3 different parts of my sump to collect any additional waste and this keeps the water crystal clear.

I change the socks every 3 days and leave the filter floss in until it goes brown so around 7-10 days or so. I then just replace it and throw the old floss away

The combination is extremely effective

 

[joethenathan]

I started with filter socks. Now I turned that part of the sump into a fuge. I find a fuge to be more beneficial and easier to maintain than socks.

In what way is it more beneficial? Trying to figure out if I should continue with using socks.

 

[madweazl]

Haven't used them in at least two years and I make no effort to remove detritus from the sump.

 

[Richards_reef]

I use both. I have 2 7"filter socks holders (one down steam from the first). In the 1st one I use a course mesh filter socks, the 2nd I use a filter cup with poly fil. I don't care for fleese filter socks and I only use mechanical filtration about half the time as I currently don't use any export filtration (refugium, carbon dosing or gfo) once the refugium is set I will be using mechanical filtration even less.

 

[thehammer1985]

My wife makes my socks and it really helps polish the water. it may lead to higher nitrates if you dont change em out often but this hobby rewards those who work hard

 

[Mr James]

I started with filter socks. Now I turned that part of the sump into a fuge. I find a fuge to be more beneficial and easier to maintain than socks.

I'm thinking that's what I'm going to do. Remove the filter sock and make it a small refugium. I don't like the filter sock dangling in the water, it doesn't feel like I'm removing the bad particles. Feels like I'm just letting them soak in the tank water, in the sub of course.

 

[thehammer1985]

hey I wanna play devils advocate... I've never done this so I'm unsure. So if you dont use a filter sock the particulates and large waste makes it's way all over your tank and decays through the nitrogen cycle. So if you have a filter sock and dont change it doesnt that essentially doing the same thing just inside of a sock. why have we all been taught that it causes nitrate spikes when the food is still in your tank decaying. wouldnt it be more beneficial as long as you are replacing the filter sock before water change schedule. I understand it may seem as if organic matter can make it to the skimmer better but once it decays wont it release the organic mater through the 400 micron filter

 

[Geebs19]

I use a filter sock and then a sponge inbetween the baffles.

 

[MSB123]

I use 2 100 micron 7”x12” filter socks I also se marinepure, a fuge, and a skimmer. My tank, having 28 clownfish, needs it!

 

[Guttersnipe]

I make my own socks. Change them out every 2 days.

That sounds like a lot of work

 

[Ron Reefman]

I have an 80g system, 40g cube DT and a 40g sump/fuge. My tank is full of zoas and RFA's and I feed a bit on the heavy side. My water goes to a sock, thru the fuge with chaeto and a few inverts and then to a chamber with the skimmer and the return pump. I run my filter sock until it almost overflows which takes 5 to 7 days. Some people 'whine' about what a pain it is to change socks. But I think it's pretty easy and I don't have to do it as often as many here say they do. When I had a 200+g system I used 2 socks so changing was still basically a once a week operation.

 

[Dimmy007]

hey I wanna play devils advocate... I've never done this so I'm unsure. So if you dont use a filter sock the particulates and large waste makes it's way all over your tank and decays through the nitrogen cycle. So if you have a filter sock and dont change it doesnt that essentially doing the same thing just inside of a sock. why have we all been taught that it causes nitrate spikes when the food is still in your tank decaying. wouldnt it be more beneficial as long as you are replacing the filter sock before water change schedule. I understand it may seem as if organic matter can make it to the skimmer better but once it decays wont it release the organic mater through the 400 micron filter

I feel like any food that is not consumed right away has the chance to continue through the tank until it is either eaten or the skimmer gets it. I guess I rather have that one because the fish like a little snack here and there and secondly it isn't sitting in the socking rotting. I was changing socks every 2-3 days. Now I sit back and enjoy the tank at those times I was changing them. Also my tank has actually never been cleaner. I actually had to shut off my skimmer for a bit because it was to clean. I need to get my NO3 and PO4 up. But Im still a newbie and still learning whats best for my tank. Right now no socks and a adding a fuge have been more beneficial.

 

[Dimmy007]

I have an 80g system, 40g cube DT and a 40g sump/fuge. My tank is full of zoas and RFA's and I feed a bit on the heavy side. My water goes to a sock, thru the fuge with chaeto and a few inverts and then to a chamber with the skimmer and the return pump. I run my filter sock until it almost overflows which takes 5 to 7 days. Some people 'whine' about what a pain it is to change socks. But I think it's pretty easy and I don't have to do it as often as many here say they do. When I had a 200+g system I used 2 socks so changing was still basically a once a week operation.

Gorgeous Tank.

 

[fish farmer]

I have a question. This debate seems to come up every once in a while.

When did socks become come part of the reefkeeping world? When I started in 2000, there was never any mention of using socks and actually any type of sponge media that would collect things was labelled "nitrate factories" at the time, obviously if they aren't cleaned regularly that would make sense.