Skim heavy no filter socks

Acrononomus · Jun 16, 2015

That's how I run mine currently, I run socks once in a while when I have guests coming by, but it stays pretty clear with out them, there expensive and u have to change them a lot!

Big Larr · Jun 16, 2015

Yeah the worst part is changing and cleaning them

Big Larr · Jun 16, 2015

Do yall keep any kind of clean up crew in the sump to get and excess food making its way down there

heathd.hd · Jun 16, 2015

I have some blue legs scattered down there. In my refugium and in my return section. Few pieces of rubble in the return area. I had a few turbos down there but they would get into my overflows. So no more snails in the sump.

hart24601 · Jun 17, 2015

I have tried going sockless, but my sump gets a lot of detritus in it and it's a pain for me to vacuum out the sump due to the size of my stand, my sump and myself. Much easier for me to change filter socks. I think "nitrate factory" is one of those terms that is overused in the hobby - for my tank I found that what wasn't in the sock just ended up in the sump bottom where I sure couldn't clean it as often as I swap out socks. I did not notice nitrate changes one way or the other with socks vs sockless.

Big Larr · Jun 17, 2015

Cool thanks hart thus is the kind of info I'm looking for I really want the different opinions of a lot of different people who have tried either

miller175 · Jun 17, 2015

I do not use filter socks either.

Mel · Jun 18, 2015

I have just started to use filter socks again, after 3 months of not using them. My sump was disgusting when i didnt use them, and noticed my water wasnt as clear as it was when i was using them. I usually use 4 or 5 per week. 2 of these are the really fine socks i use for polishing, the others are the regular felt socks for larger particles. Each weekend i do a hot wash in the washing machine with vinegar. Easy enough to keep them clean. I wont go sockless again.

YHSublime · Jun 18, 2015

I went filter socks after being "sockless" for 3 years. FWIW, I enjoy them, and seeing what they take out has really made a difference. I can see my water quality improve, and I can see the burden they present having to be changed out frequently. I have 3 holders built into my sump, and I have to change them out probably every 4-5 days. That being said, if you buy 21 of them, you only have to do a load once a month, or you know, get 42, and only do a load every 2 months!

IMO, I like the manual removal vs. adding bio-pellets, GFO, Carbon, etc. keep it simple.

heathd.hd · Jun 19, 2015

I make mine and just throw them away when I do use em.

Big Larr · Jun 19, 2015

Cool thanks guys

ElGuapo · Jun 19, 2015

I've just been sticking the end of the overflow hose straight into some kind of filter floss pad cut to about a 4" x 4" square (not polyfilter since that makes my skimmer go nuts). A huge pack goes for under $10 and I get a bunch of these little squares out of it. Whenever one gets dirty I just toss it and throw in a new piece. Quick, easy, and cheap.

Big Larr · Jun 19, 2015

ElGuapo said:
I've just been sticking the end of the overflow hose straight into some kind of filter floss pad cut to about a 4" x 4" square (not polyfilter since that makes my skimmer go nuts). A huge pack goes for under $10 and I get a bunch of these little squares out of it. Whenever one gets dirty I just toss it and throw in a new piece. Quick, easy, and cheap.

El guacamole that's a pretty sweet idea I really like that and just might give that a whirl

shred5 · Jun 19, 2015

I hate them and never used filter socks till recently, you need to rinse them daily it seems. My new sump has spots for them so I use them now I am thinking of getting silence covers for them and going sock-less, I vacuum my sump all the time anyway. Basically I just use the socks to stop the waterfall noise.

scardall · Jun 19, 2015

I guess socks can be a nitrate contributor but Sand bottoms are Much much worse.

bpauley · Jun 19, 2015

I have my overflow pipe flow right into a pile of rocks which will trap all the food. this then feeds my mithrax crab, brittle stars and my massive pod population in my refugium. No need to worry about filter socks when everything gets eaten by something! I also hate the idea of filtering out all the floating particles, as that is your coral food!
That being said, I believe that whatever way you choose to go will work in the end, just depends on your preferences and your particular setup.

james77515 · Jun 19, 2015

shred5 said:
I hate them and never used filter socks till recently, you need to rinse them daily it seems. My new sump has spots for them so I use them now I am thinking of getting silence covers for them and going sock-less, I vacuum my sump all the time anyway. Basically I just use the socks to stop the waterfall noise.

I ordered silencers 3 months ago and they still have not arrived.

Big Larr · Jun 20, 2015

I am currently doing a trial run with no socks and I do have my drain in a pile of live rock and just added some blue legs down there to catch some food and looking for some kind of a better clean up crew to put in with the blue legs to make sure they clean it all up