Innovative Marine - Filter Sock or Media Basket?

Austin Lee · May 12, 2019

Hey all,

What are you using as filtration for your Innovative Marine tanks? Is there any benefit to the filter baskets?

Right now I am just running two filter socks, but I get the feeling they might be raising my nitrates since I keep testing high. Anyone run the media baskets? If so, what's your experience and what do you have in the basket?

cojo8888 · May 12, 2019

I have 30l with live sand live rock also doing biopellet on innovative marine media reactor + dc skim skimmer on left. On right side I have in tank filter floss with rowa gfo and redsea carbon bags. On the bottom I have bag of marine pure ball and next chamber is in tank refugium basket with cheato with innovative marine refugium light. I'm happy because I can over stock and over feed and still never exceed 10+ nitrates.

ironlungzzz · May 13, 2019

I have been using a filter sock with chemi-pure running inside of it. i keep it simple

Icylder · May 13, 2019

I've ended up going with the In-tank filter floss holder + 50 micron filter floss. Paired it with an IM media reactor and media from BRS. Much more effective use of media and way more convenient to swap things out this way.

Icylder · May 13, 2019

[repost]

flchamp89 · May 13, 2019

I planned on running one sock and one media basket but that got old real quick. A pair of baskets give you more than enough options. I vote baskets.

Austin Lee · May 13, 2019

flchamp89 said:
I planned on running one sock and one media basket but that got old real quick. A pair of baskets give you more than enough options. I vote baskets.

What do you have in your baskets?

Calpoly2103 · May 13, 2019

Right now I only have seachem matrix, chemipure elite and purigen. Got baskets both sides. I plan to have chaeto in one of them soon as well.

coreyisag · May 16, 2019

Filter basket with little filter floss on top and a bag of carbon below or a bag of chemi pure

LetItReef · May 16, 2019

I have the IM baskets with Chemi-Pure Blue on top and just filter pads and I think it doesn't catch much detritus compare to filter socks.
I might switch back to filter socks with Chemi-Pure Blue.

SliceGolfer · May 16, 2019

I have InTank media baskets. Excellent for housing bio media and swapping filter floss is a breeze.

TJ Merrells · May 17, 2019

You don't need to waste your money on a media basket but I wouldn't use the filter socks. My setup I have a bag of chemi pure elite on the bottom, then marine pure in mesh bags, some poly filter then filter floss and on top a coarse sponge cut to size to hold everything together.

Ross Petersen · Aug 4, 2020

Old thread here... how are people finding media baskets in the long run? I'm just setting up an IM 40 and leaning towards IM media baskets with filter floss on top and carbon, biomedia balls, etc. below. Any advice?

Tristan · Aug 11, 2020

Ross Petersen said:
Old thread here... how are people finding media baskets in the long run? I'm just setting up an IM 40 and leaning towards IM media baskets with filter floss on top and carbon, biomedia balls, etc. below. Any advice?

The media baskets are nice. Easy to replace the filter floss, but because the top part of the media basket isn’t flush with the overflow, water easily overflows instead of going through the media basket itself.