POLL: What is your Favorite MECHANICAL filtration?

[Ocean’s Piece]

Mechanical Filtration is undoubtedly one of the most important parts to having pristine water clarity. It is pretty much essential for any aquarium. Some mechanical filters are much better than others and some are very similar to others. Yet, so many people use so many different kinds of mechanical filtration.

Please answer the following:

1. What is your favorite mechanical filtration?

2. Why is it your favorite?

Feel free to discuss amongst each other, but remember to keep it peaceful.

 

[Ocean’s Piece]

1. What is your favorite mechanical filtration?
Poly-Fil

2. Why is it your favorite?
1. It’s cheap
2. So much of it, last for years
3. I don’t have to worry about wasting it

When I discovered Poly-fil, I was overjoyed that there was an alternative to spending a lot of money on filters instead of the other things that make our tank beautiful. IMO it’s the most effective mechanical filter for the cost.

 

[Ocean’s Piece]

Tell me what y’all think!

 

[Ocean’s Piece]

Bump

 

[JosephM]

Definitely filter socks. A little more expensive upfront but they’ve lasted me a long time. Just check them every couple days and if they’re close to overflow switch it out. Once I’m out of clean ones, flip it inside out and throw it in the washer for a couple quick cycles then air dry

 

[Kris 2020]

So I’m kinda weird. I really like my mechanical filtration to get me thru a week without needing attention. I have filter cups with floss in them. I’ve taken filter socks with the plastic rings and slit the ring to make them wider. I put the cup filled with floss in the filter sock and hang them in filter sock holders in my sump. I have 3 drains, 2 I’ve split from a single herbie drain and 1 emergency drain that I keep a trickle in. One of the main drains gets more water than the other for some reason, so that one has a mesh filter sock, while the other has a felt filter sock, and the emergency drain just has a cup with floss. The mesh sock is because a felt sock will get too dirty and overflow before the week is up on that side of the drain. If u made it this far, thanks for reading!

 

[Ocean’s Piece]

So I’m kinda weird. I really like my mechanical filtration to get me thru a week without needing attention. I have filter cups with floss in them. I’ve taken filter socks with the plastic rings and slit the ring to make them wider. I put the cup filled with floss in the filter sock and hang them in filter sock holders in my sump. I have 3 drains, 2 I’ve split from a single herbie drain and 1 emergency drain that I keep a trickle in. One of the main drains gets more water than the other for some reason, so that one has a mesh filter sock, while the other has a felt filter sock, and the emergency drain just has a cup with floss. The mesh sock is because a felt sock will get too dirty and overflow before the week is up on that side of the drain. If u made it this far, thanks for reading!

Wow that’s pretty interesting. You know mechanical filtration is kinda like one of those things where “if it works, it works”. Seems like you have it running well!

 

[Water Dog]

As much as I hate felt filter socks, there is no question that they work very well. It’s shocking, the amount of detritus that builds up in my sump when I use mesh socks or go sockless.

 

[Jedi1199]

To me, filter socks seem the least wasteful. You buy a couple weeks supply of them and they last for years. I have a problem with things like cartridges that have a short lifespan and end up in landfills. My current sump uses a floss pad setup, similar to old style wet/dry filters. I think I will buy an acrylic plate and drill it out for a standard sock fitting. An extra hot wash cycle in my washer every couple weeks is no big deal, throwing away filter floss or cartridges...? Not my cup of tea.

 

[Ocean’s Piece]

To me, filter socks seem the least wasteful. You buy a couple weeks supply of them and they last for years. I have a problem with things like cartridges that have a short lifespan and end up in landfills. My current sump uses a floss pad setup, similar to old style wet/dry filters. I think I will buy an acrylic plate and drill it out for a standard sock fitting. An extra hot wash cycle in my washer every couple weeks is no big deal, throwing away filter floss or cartridges...? Not my cup of tea.

I would agree that throwing away my polyfil every few days/week gets to be a hassle and can sometimes be disgusting. But for me, you really can’t beat $10 mechanical filtration for years. I’m unsure if a filter sock would even fit in my Biocube but my mechanical filtration is doing great. “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” kind of deal.

 

[atlantean]

Poly-fil. Strangely, my PC Rainbow always withdraws its polyps for a while after I change it. No other corals seem to notice.

 

[Auquanut]

Still using filter socks. I have my skimmer dialed in to need the cup emptied every three days, so it reminds me to change the socks. I have enough of them that I only have to wash them about once a month. And yeah. They last a long time.

 

[tigre44]

Use filter socks unless I’m going be be gone for 5 days+ then I’ll switch to the mesh sock. Better something than nothing

 

[Eric Miller]

I use pool filter socks with a 8" cup double up on the socks they work great, plus there disposal (no washing)

 

[codycolina707]

Filter roller got tired of changing and cleaning socks every 3 days now I change a roll every 2 months and waters alot more clear

 

[Crashnt24]

Well it would have to be a skimmer for me. So I voted other.

 

[Salted]

I’ve only had my sump running for a few months. I quickly got tired of washing socks and went to mesh. That was a lot better but still needed cleaning every few days. The $20 price tag on filter cups keep me from jumping in. When they went on sale for $15, though still pricy for what it it I bought a pair. I will never look back. Best thing I’ve done to simplify my tank maintenance besides my ato.

 

[Ocean’s Piece]

Keep it coming y’all!

 

[ScottJ]

Poly-Fill. Used it for years in my FW tank with hob's. Now I have an Evo 13.5 and use it in the top section of chamber 1 inTank media basket. Can't beat it!

 

[ca1ore]

Mechanical Filtration is undoubtedly one of the most important parts to having pristine water clarity. It is pretty much essential for any aquarium.

In the most constructive language I can muster ..... poppycock LOL

Not only is mechanical filtration not important, let alone essential, I have found it actually to be counter productive. OK, maybe it's a somewhat different calculation for a FOWLR; but for a reef tank, particularly larger ones, the disadvantages outweigh the advantages. I do run a protein skimmer and chemical media canisters, both of which will perform some level of mechanical filtration, but that is not their primary purpose. Your poll responses imply your question is for purpose mechanical media, so I chose 'nothing'.

I simply don't have water clarity problems in my reef tank. Occasionally a coral colony spawns or I am forced to clean out the sump, but any attendant cloudiness soon clears - and the filter feeder inverts get a treat. I am sure things like filter socks do a wonderful job of removing particulates, also any zooplankters, but why is it necessary. When the lights go down at night, there are all sorts of little creatures that swim in the water column. Not sure why I'd want to filter these out. Natural reefs aren't cloudy, but they are also not lacking in small particulates in the water. I figure my UV kills enough of them.

Lastly, I really dislike rote maintenance tasks, so the idea of having to constantly clean filters socks is a big 'ol NO for me.