Filter Sock & Filter Trays: Which do you prefer and why?

[drblakjak55]

200 micron mesh socks. Using two at a time. Own four for three years. Three minute wash under running water than dry out until needed. Every five days or sooner after a rock or substrate blow out

 

[disdareef]

I like the socks. They are super easy to clean.

 

[anthonygf]

I started with socks when I had a 32 gallon sump on a 46 gallon bowfront, hated them. Then cups with bio-media and floss on top, much better but still a pain. Now that I have a bigger aquarium and a 10 gallon tank for a sump I made my own filter box out of cereal containers with a sealed lid makes it quiet, holes near top for overflow if filter clogs and I have my drain from protein skimmer draining into filter. I can pop open the cap and add my clean water into filter compartment. Most of the skimmer gunk gets caught on filter pad and good nutrients left in water. I think I run close to 600 gph with 2 one inch drain lines. My UV sterilizer next to skimmer.

 

[CMMorgan]

I hate the socks. I work way too much to change them more than every week ... ok... sometimes two.
I have kicked around the possibility of making a fleece roller but cutting the sump to make room for it is a risk that I'm not brave enough to embark on.

 

[Rollins]

I just trimmed up my new 26” sump to fit all my new goods, especially a roller mat filter. Can’t wait.

 

[DrLazyReef]

High Hopes for a fleece filter, but I kinda got 'fleeced' instead. But I managed to patch it up

 

[JohnnyBlowfish]

I use a filter tray, I hate cleaning filter socks. So much easier to toss filter pads and throw in a new one.

 

[Pat in Florida]

I just cut the bottoms off of a couple of mesh socks to stop any splashing. My skimmer does all the heavy lifting.

 

[Pat in Florida]

After you cut off the bottom, how often do you change the filter ?

 

[madweazl]

Waste of time and effort.

 

[Joe Rice]

Waste of time and effort.

Why do you say that?

 

[codycolina707]

Filter roller no contest change socks 3 times a week or change 1 roll every 2 months

 

[beginner_reefer]

The only "filtration" I run is chaeto & skimmers in both of my tanks. No socks, no filter floss, etc...

We are setting up our first tank and this is what we plan on doing. Hopefully it's a wise decision.

 

[CavalierReef]

My lovely assistant is holding a typical bag of polyfill. You can find this at any craft store, probably even Walmart. Stuff it in the cups and put them back in.

Good stuff. And, yes you can get get it at Walmart.

 

[joec]

OK, it ain't pretty but here is my goofy DIY filter tray/cup, whatever. 4" pvc, pvc toilet flange, disposable extra thick pillow batting cut in circles held in place by removable egg crate. Cost about $15. Just remove pillow batting and toss twice a week. Also an area underneath with flow for bagged pond matrix

 

[Dal-Reef]

I run a Clairsea and would love this thing. Tank is clear and don't need to worry about changing it all the time. Also you can open the bypass and let more nutrients flow back into the tank if you like. Attached pics show the junk being
pulled out and the how clear the tank is

 

[madweazl]

Why do you say that?

I ran socks on my tank for about six months before I ditched them. My 75g had about 3/4" of detritus at the bottom of the sump. Other than being unsightly, it had no measurable effect on nitrates or phosphates. That was an acropora dominant tank that was setup for about four and half years before I setup our 150g. The 75g setup had a skimmer and refugium.

Our 150g has been up for two years now and was setup in the same fashion the 75g was but I haven't started a refugium (intended to, just haven't done it). The detritus is accumulating in this one and again, looks unsightly but hasn't had any measurable effect on nitrates or phosphates. This tank was started as more of a mixed reef because I was planning on setting up another tank (in-wall behind where the 75g was positioned) and didn't want to potentially kill SPS by transferring them into another new tank. With that said, I'm slowly transitioning to an SPS favored setup again and still haven't finished the in-wall project LOL.

I feed the fish twice a day (fairly heavy) but add nothing else besides 2-part. No "coral foods" or other BS that is largely snake oil in my opinion. I've never once fed my bubble tip anemones or any other corals. Nitrates are ~10ppm and phosphates are .071. Nitrates are typically 10-25ppm and phosphates are typically .07-.14. Anyways, my stance on the subject; unless you just don't like the look of detritus, it's otherwise harmless to your tank's inhabitants.

Edit: I do make weekly, 15% water changes.

 

[John DelMonte]

removed the filter sock area of the sump on my 425XL and installed the Clarisea SK-300 filter roll. best move ever for low maintenance and clear water. after using this for over a year i would never use socks again.

 

[Rjramos]

Blue bonded filter pads since 1995. Buy a roll. Cut 2 pieces to fit, swap them once a week and hose off used one for reuse. When they get bad cut 2 more.

 

[Joe Rice]

My 75g had about 3/4" of detritus at the bottom of the sump. Other than being unsightly, it had no measurable effect on nitrates or phosphates.

I think the theory with filter socks is that they need to be changed fairly frequently - I do so every 3 days - before the particulates they catch decompose and release nitrates and phosphates into the water column. I too have a layer of detritus in my refugium and I agree, that that detritus is pretty much inert.

I also like that socks keep the amount of particulates floating in the water column down a bit. Just an aesthetic thing.