Filter sock or no filter sock

[Bearded Fish Man]

I use filter socks for past 7 years, they are the easy way to go you just need a few always handy and clean. I run my sock through the washer on hot water no soap. You can even throw in a couple of chemipure blue bags for extra clear water and toss them out once a month. I vote yes at filter socks!

 

[Kungpaoshizi]

I fully agree with the debris floating in the water column comment, but I have to say, I love the growth and health I see.

And the reason they can be 'nitrate factories' is because someone mentions 'after 4 or 5 days etc, etc'.
Well all that gunk, food, etc, that's been sitting there for 4 or 5 days, has been decaying. And during that whole time, nothing has been able to get in the sock, at the food, to eat it. So yes, it will just decay.

I'm fairly positive these would not survive if I had filter socks.. I also don't have any surface skimming heh.. (lookup Tunze 9001 modes, the recirculating one to preserve plankton)
Tunicates, sponges, crinoids.. The sexy shrimp was actually eating debris that was floating on the top of the water that day. And I've never seen as many, and as big of pods that I'm seeing about a year and a half after removal of mechanical filtration. The sps aren't the only exciting thing in my tank anymore...

 

[reef_junkie]

I used filter socks for the first 2 years of reefing then one day I just stopped. I started thinking about all the mature pods that I found dead, trapped in the socks and how much good they could have done if that didn't happen. The first month without them I expected to find more detritus in the sump, I didn't. I expected to see more particulate floating in the tank, I didn't. All that said, my maintenance and husbandry are probably an 8 out of 10 but at this point I'm not seeing the necessity for mechanical filtration.

 

[Naiad]

I fully agree with the debris floating in the water column comment, but I have to say, I love the growth and health I see.

And the reason they can be 'nitrate factories' is because someone mentions 'after 4 or 5 days etc, etc'.
Well all that gunk, food, etc, that's been sitting there for 4 or 5 days, has been decaying. And during that whole time, nothing has been able to get in the sock, at the food, to eat it. So yes, it will just decay.

I'm fairly positive these would not survive if I had filter socks.. I also don't have any surface skimming heh.. (lookup Tunze 9001 modes, the recirculating one to preserve plankton)
Tunicates, sponges, crinoids.. The sexy shrimp was actually eating debris that was floating on the top of the water that day. And I've never seen as many, and as big of pods that I'm seeing about a year and a half after removal of mechanical filtration. The sps aren't the only exciting thing in my tank anymore...

Did the sea lily come as a hitchicker? That is so cool. I would love something like that!

 

[Waxhaw reefer]

I have a 7" sock on my 55, I have one of those eshopps sump, too expensive to keep buying new ones so now I make my own, buy fabric from joanns fabrics and for $4.99 make 12 socks, I change every 4-5 days, I just throw away, because the water in them starts to rise from buildup inside, might start a refuguim then might go sockless, I think store bought socks work great but way too much money and every time u wash them they last fewer days!!

 

[Berlin]

What is he best way to lean the socks, and how often should you clean and get new ones?

Thanks.

 

[reef_junkie]

What is he best way to lean the socks, and how often should you clean and get new ones?

Thanks.

When I ran socks I would change themost every 3-4 days. Dirty socks went into a bucket to dry out after I flipped them inside out. After they were dry and there was enough to do laundry I would first shake them out then right into the washer with a cup of bleach. I would run one extra rinse cycle and then let them air dry completely before returning to use. Did this for 2 straight years.

 

[Naiad]

When I ran socks I would change themost every 3-4 days. Dirty socks went into a bucket to dry out after I flipped them inside out. After they were dry and there was enough to do laundry I would first shake them out then right into the washer with a cup of bleach. I would run one extra rinse cycle and then let them air dry completely before returning to use. Did this for 2 straight years.

+1 this is how I clean socks. I also clean the washer before and after

 

[AMPM]

I use socks and switch them out every other day. The amount of crap I pull out is crazy, I would rather take the extra five minutes every other day to swap and rise te socks.

 

[Philip Chin]

Definitely after using socks, my clarity got a lot better. I change them out once a week

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

like all things reef, I think its more species specific. Not a cant don't or wont, should or shouldn't. Its just another way to balance a system to the livestock you have, and the tank you want to have.

 

[beadlocked450r]

I clean my socks by flipping them inside out and spraying them with a hose in my slop sink and then toss them in a small bucket with about a 1/8cup bleach to soak for a few hrs and then rinse them and let them dry. The bleach will evaporate as it drys of you dont rinse it well enough. I have been doing this for 4yrs now with no issues.

 

[adestafi]

No socks- and my sump is probably one of the most "Dirty" sumps you'll find

 

[MJC]

like all things reef, I think its more species specific. Not a cant don't or wont, should or shouldn't. Its just another way to balance a system to the livestock you have, and the tank you want to have.

+1 MY FEELINGS EXACTLY

 

[cracker]

I run a lot of flow thru my sump.The socks cut down on salt spray and noise. Also just looking at all the junk they collect,, I use them changing often.

 

[twreefer]

They are a hassle, but I have found that they are mostly beneficial in quieting my sump. Why is it an either/or scenario? I went with the best of both and cut a few nickel-sized holes towards the bottom of my socks, and continue to run them and only change every 4-6 weeks. Pods and such should move on through, and you still get some of the benefits of filtration and sound muffling, and they don't just overflow when they are unable to filter any longer. And with the holes they match the socks on my feet.

 

[ReeferMaddness843]

So this thread intrigued me. I had an old gravel vacuum head lying around. I decided to stuff halfway with floss and add a little sponge to the end to hold it from sliding out. Put it on my overflow line overnight into the sump just to see what it would do. Well, this am I have no "trash" floating around my display. I won't be using it 24/7, however I do think I will be putting in place overnight when doing tank maintenance and the like. Will also use when vac sand and return clean filtered water to sump. Will post pics of my concoction when I remove today. Will say there are far less pods caught up than I had expected. However the floss has already managed to pick up a slightly yellow/brown tint and a decent amount of junk is going to be exported from the system. Thanks for sparking the curiosity to see the difference.

 

[ReeferMaddness843]