Making the step to no Socks

[MichaelReefer]

Is there a process to "slowly" step into no socks? Like, should I remove one and keep one for a few weeks THEN go to none? Should I remove the skimmer too and just turn my entire sump into a giant refugium? Are there benefits to removing the socks? I am very interested in doing this but I guess I'm a little "nervous" about having a spike of some sort and hurting my fish and coral. I appreciate any guides or advice any of you have. I have heard that some people have been very successful with no socks and skimmer and am very interested in seeing if it works for me.

 

[RCS82]

You don't need to over think this. Just take the sock or socks off. If your tank is even somewhat established it will be fine. Socks are simply mechanical filtration and not biological filtration like your rock and sand or bio bricks. Just keep in mind where detritus that won't go thru your socks anymore is going to end up and settle, that's all.
I go sockless yet still throw one on for a couple days a month if I'm stirring things up or doing some good tank maintenance.

 

[MichaelReefer]

You don't need to over think this. Just take the sock or socks off. If your tank is even somewhat established it will be fine. Socks are simply mechanical filtration and not biological filtration like your rock and sand or bio bricks. Just keep in mind where detritus that won't go thru your socks anymore is going to end up and settle, that's all.
I go sockless yet still throw one on for a couple days a month if I'm stirring things up or doing some good tank maintenance.

Do you run a Skimmer? I heard of people just getting rid of all that and running straight refugium?

 

[RCS82]

I have a large refugium with just rubble and a lots of rock, no macro algae cause my nitrates and phosphates are where I want them already. Plus a skimmer and a bag of carbon every so often just place between the baffles.

 

[Hemmdog]

Just pull the socks. Skimmers are important for more reasons than strictly removing nutrients.

 

[homer1475]

Just pull the socks. As @Hemmdog pointed out, skimmers do more then just remove nutrients.

 

[Bryknicks]

+1 on pulling the socks and leaving the skimmer.

 

[BigHildy53]

Agree with the above, pull the socks. When switching to filter floss, don't put too much in a single sock holder. It won't hurt anything, but once the top portion gets clogged, the bottom portion won't get used. Learned this the hard way when I switched. I'd remove the filter floss and the top portion would be dark and the bottom still white.

 

[MichaelReefer]

Agree with the above, pull the socks. When switching to filter floss, don't put too much in a single sock holder. It won't hurt anything, but once the top portion gets clogged, the bottom portion won't get used. Learned this the hard way when I switched. I'd remove the filter floss and the top portion would be dark and the bottom still white.

Well I am more talking about removing Mechanical Filtration like some here do. Running with No socks or filter floss.

 

[atoll]

Well I am more talking about removing Mechanical Filtration like some here do. Running with No socks or filter floss.

Haven't run any mechanical filtration apart from a skimmer for years. Those who have problems getting nutrients to rise to where they want them should consider doing the same.

 

[dwest]

Well I am more talking about removing Mechanical Filtration like some here do. Running with No socks or filter floss.

I’ve been filter sock free for about 25 years. It will be fine.

 

[MichaelReefer]

I’ve been filter sock free for about 25 years. It will be fine.

Still run a skimmer?

 

[dwest]

Still run a skimmer?

Yes. I’ve always ran a skimmer.

 

[Nasir]

Its up to you. If you leave it on your fine and if you take it off your fine. I took my sock off for about two years but just recently went back to a sock. Nothing changed with or without the sock except for the clarity of the water. With out the sock I had a lot of stuff floating around.

 

[BigHildy53]

Well I am more talking about removing Mechanical Filtration like some here do. Running with No socks or filter floss.

Sorry my missunderstanding.

 

[Nasir]

I understand but it’s up to you. It’s what you like. It want hurt either way. Like I said the only difference I saw was the water clarity.

 

[Doctorgori]

I've never made any absolutions about socks or not but I usually go w/o socks for a long while....
when going w/o socks my sump inflow terminates underwater with "floating" baffles made out of 4" PVC (and long enough to be deeper than the sump water level);
...this easy fix somehow both agitates and"de-bubbles" the water and sometimes even foams like a skimmer...
...then every week or so I'd clean out the detritus in the sump and "de-chaeto" ....

 

[Nasir]

That’s the reason I went back to the sock so I don’t have to clean out the sump. Washing socks are alot easier to me but like I said it’s up to who ever is make that decision.

 

[Xero]

i think it depends if there's some sort of reason you're doing this for?

i have some tanks i run with socks, and some without, and i wouldn't change it just for the fashion of it.

the tank with no socks literally uses chaeto like a living filter pad, the tank with socks has no refugium.

 

[MichaelReefer]

i think it depends if there's some sort of reason you're doing this for?

i have some tanks i run with socks, and some without, and i wouldn't change it just for the fashion of it.

the tank with no socks literally uses chaeto like a living filter pad, the tank with socks has no refugium.

Well, I just thought about removing the socks and turning half the sump into a refugium instead of doing an external refugium like I did (see picture). The only thing I hate about how it's set up is I have zero room under it. My idea was to make the entire front facing part of the sump into a refugium (Where my block, heater and sock are). The downside is I lose some water volume from the external.