Filter Floss vs Socks?

[TaylorPilot]

For those of you who use mechanical filtration, do you prefer filter socks or some sort of filter floss. Why do you prefer the one that you do use?

 

[twilliard]

Micron filtration.
Socks hands down

 

[TaylorPilot]

That is what I have always used, but I was drawing out a sump to build and can't decide what I want to use. My thinking is that with floss, I can decide to run it or not. With socks, if you don't run them, they make allot of noise when the water falls without a sock. The only negative I see to floss is the fact that when you go to remove the dirty floss, allot of the detritus will probably get back into the water, since the floss would be below the water level.

 

[Harold Green]

Try the mesh socks. They go longer before stopping up and a quick rinse under the tap gets them pretty clean.

 

[Akida17th]

filter socks is the best. I've use both and prefer the socks usually 200 micron and I change mine out and dispose every 2 days. I'm not a fan of bleaching them and washing but my LFS has the innovative marine socks for $4 so it's not too bad.

 

[TaylorPilot]

@Akida17th I wish I could afford to do that. I have always had to bleach them. That is over $100 a month just in filter socks (I'll be running 2-3). I should look into the mesh socks. I bought one once, but it was around 600 micron I think, so allot of stuff went right through it. I'll have to try a smaller micron rating one.

 

[TaylorPilot]

I was also thinking, that during times when I don't want to run socks, I could cut the bottom out of an old sock so that it doesn't trap anything, but the water will ride down the sock and still not make much noise.

 

[Akida17th]

if you do not intend use socks I'd design the sump sockless (which gives you a ton of room too) with no media and let your skimmer and other mechanical/biological filtration do the job. I wouldn't use mesh socks but that's just me. I tried them once and seriously didn't trap anything.

 

[balkin]

100 micron socks... pulls a ton of crap... I throw back the bigger pods and worms I find stuck in the socks!

 

[BluePuffer]

I don't use anything like said above and no problems- I have a 35 gal sump with rock in it that flows into a 55 gallon refugium where my skimmer also resides. All filtration in basement and tank on first floor so the water has a ways to cycle before hitting the tank again so that might have something to do with it ;-) .. Not 1 single "unnatural " filtration media used- working well for 4 years and have both SPS and LPS growing rapidly... Now if I could just get ride of all the annoying aptasia ;-)

 

[Bruce Burnett]

filter socks is the best. I've use both and prefer the socks usually 200 micron and I change mine out and dispose every 2 days. I'm not a fan of bleaching them and washing but my LFS has the innovative marine socks for $4 so it's not too bad.

$4 a sock using 2 ea replacing every 2 days and trashing would be $120 a month. I went a long time without and went back to using. change out when they get clogged, flip inside out rinse well then put into washing machine. run the washer through a full cycle no soap first then clean the socks with a wash and double rinse. you can get away with 6 socks a year maybe longer.

 

[Bruce Burnett]

I don't use anything like said above and no problems- I have a 35 gal sump with rock in it that flows into a 55 gallon refugium where my skimmer also resides. All filtration in basement and tank on first floor so the water has a ways to cycle before hitting the tank again so that might have something to do with it ;-) .. Not 1 single "unnatural " filtration media used- working well for 4 years and have both SPS and LPS growing rapidly... Now if I could just get ride of all the annoying aptasia ;-)

I have always done well with true peppermint shrimp, buy at least 3 in case any do not go after them.

 

[TaylorPilot]

@BluePuffer nice looking display. I think I have settled on building it to use two drop in 4" filter socks. I ordered a few from BRS to get good dimensions to program into my CNC. My question now is about flow. How much water can you put through 2 of their 4" x 8" 200 micron socks before the socks can't handle the water flow, or clog up in minutes (I have done that before when blowing off detritus and stirring substrate). If the flow rate capacity of two socks isn't that great, I can make the sump a little wider to handle 3 socks (although I don't really want to if I can get away with it). It seems like 2 socks in a 35X16X16 sump (mostly because of nominal sheet yield I think) is what most people are doing on 4' tanks.

 

[Bruce Burnett]

@BluePuffer nice looking display. I think I have settled on building it to use two drop in 4" filter socks. I ordered a few from BRS to get good dimensions to program into my CNC. My question now is about flow. How much water can you put through 2 of their 4" x 8" 200 micron socks before the socks can't handle the water flow, or clog up in minutes (I have done that before when blowing off detritus and stirring substrate). If the flow rate capacity of two socks isn't that great, I can make the sump a little wider to handle 3 socks (although I don't really want to if I can get away with it). It seems like 2 socks in a 35X16X16 sump (mostly because of nominal sheet yield I think) is what most people are doing on 4' tanks.

I have each overflow going directly into filter socks and have probably close to 800 gph in each.

 

[the3rd]

filter socks is the best. I've use both and prefer the socks usually 200 micron and I change mine out and dispose every 2 days. I'm not a fan of bleaching them and washing but my LFS has the innovative marine socks for $4 so it's not too bad.

Could I put floss in a sock ? Will that help filter better or let just be more of a mess

 

[RobZilla04]

Could I put floss in a sock ? Will that help filter better or let just be more of a mess

Likely to make more of a mess than anything. The floss will capture the larger particles but will slow the flow through the sock. As the floss gets clogged the sock will begin to overflow sooner.

 

[Gregg @ ADP]

I would rather use paper towels than filter socks

 

[the3rd]

Ok that's what I figured

 

[Gregg @ ADP]

Likely to make more of a mess than anything. The floss will capture the larger particles but will slow the flow through the sock. As the floss gets clogged the sock will begin to overflow sooner.

I think the opposite would happen

 

[RobZilla04]

I think the opposite would happen

Try it out.