The heck with it, im going sockless!!

[N4sty T4te]

I change mine when they become fully clogged. Usually 5-7 days.

I don't worry about them leaching NO3 or PO4 into the system at all. I have my refugium light setup to also illuminate the filter sock.

Presto chango it becomes a miniature algae scrubber and consumes the nutrients breaking down. I only really need too change it when the algae becomes thick enough to fully clog it.

Anyways it's been working for me running it like that

On my sock regimen I keep a bucket for old socks with a lid, and an open bucket of new ones.

I don't rinse them or anything. I wait till I'm on my last one then throw them all in the washing machine on soak and double rinse with bleach. Pull them inside out and repeat without the bleach. Then I do one more rinse cycle for good measure and air dry.

 

[atoll]

I am far from convinced detritus is the bad boy so many think it is. I have yet to see any real scientific evidence that running without mechanical filtration is in any way detrimental. Most people seem to clean their socks weekly (OK some more often I know) if detritus is going to breakdown into anything nasty isn't going to start doing so from the moment it is created? I have suggested to BRS they do a few test on detritus and as to just what goes on with and without mechanical filtration after all this is quite a big issue and I am surprised something like I suggest, seems not to have been carried out before. 13 months on with my new 100 gallon with no mechanical filtration and aIl seems fine. I have a little detritus in my sump but not so much.

 

[Mike O.]

Many of you have given me hope to ditch my filter socks in my Reefer 250. I may have to give it a shot. On that note, while I truly enjoy BRS videos, I don't think you'll ever hear them say a product they probably sell so much of say they're not necessary.

 

[Reefltx]

I can't get past the fact that every time I change my filter socks, every two days, all the different crap the socks catches and removes. No water changes and no filter socks seems to work for some. I enjoy doing both.

Same here, I don't see where everyone's getting this nutrients build up from. I clean or change mines every 2-3days. Last time I checked, my nutrients were in fact too low 0 for both no3/po4.

 

[Scurvy]

I only use the mesh ones which are bery easy to rinse out. Swap twice a week, rinse quickly and toss them in a bucket with lid. Once i have just a couple of spares left i run them all through the washer with some bleach and then a 2nd plain rinse cycle. I think the nunber of bugs getting trapped is minimal. I see more baby snails in them than anything else.

 

[cnseekatz]

I don't use 'em... far too lazy. My tank is healthy and happy.

 

[ps2cho]

Dont bother with felt, they definitely are a serious PITA. Fully clogged in a few days. I switched to a higher micron mesh filter and it lasts about a week. So much better. Plus easier to see when it's getting dirty.

All you have to do with mesh is turn it inside out and rub it between your hands under the bath tub faucet and it's clean to throw back in. I only put them in the washing machine every few months

 

[splix]

I've been experimenting with filter socks a little lately. Basically the felt ones suck and are horrible, no matter the micron. Nylon ones are definitely the way to go. I tried 100 micron ones but they clog within 2 days max since most detritus isnt small enough to pass through. I'm running the 200 micron nylon socks now and they're the perfect sweet spot. They'll run for almost a full week and take around 5-10 minutes to clean out. I just rinse them in the sink with the little spray thing until they look white again. Dry them with a few paper towels and they're mostly dry. I then rinse them in a bucket with a gallon of RO water, and back on the tank they go.

 

[bh750]

I'm leaning towards getting rid of my socks for good soon, reason: Pods. My socks capture a great deal of pods. Cleaning the sump isn't a big deal to me, but my socks eliminate the bubbles in my skimmer chamber.

I have to make a bubble box to reduce them. I have a bubble trap in the sump and with a 6' sump there are not any bubbles at the return. Just need to control the salt creep.

Yep, this is what I'm thinking too.

 

[Midrats]

It cracks me up that people rinse their mesh socks in RO after rinsing with tap water

 

[Reefltx]

It cracks me up that people rinse their mesh socks in RO after rinsing with tap water

I know, like that little bit of tap is going to hurt...

 

[happyhourhero]

I have a sand flea basket with a wad of pillow stuffing that I use to polish the water. Throw it out 2 times a week. $20 for years and years worth of it.

 

[Midrats]

I have a sand flea basket with a wad of pillow stuffing that I use to polish the water. Throw it out 2 times a week. $20 for years and years worth of it.

Sand flea basket?

 

[happyhourhero]

Sand flea basket?

The black basket there.

 

[lou dog420]

Thanks for everyone's input, I have not been on for a while so sorry for the lack of replies.but, I am happy to report that I have been running with no socks for a month now with no noticeable difference. Except not having to clean them, I have noticed that!! Lol

 

[snappa1953]

Lou dog420 - are you testing for NO3 and PO4? It would be interesting to see any changes over a few months.

 

[DH-Reef]

I use them...Just find better ways to clean them and change them more frequently. Keeps my water clearer...But that's just me.

 

[jamiec266]

I brought 10 socks or ebay for 15 dollars. Like a cotton fibre cheap brand. Going to see how they go. Change them out twice a week and throw them rather then washing.

 

[lawise]

I use the nylon mesh shove some filter media in them when they become dirty pull the media out throw it away and put new in simple lot easier than the felt which after awhile become impossible to clean

 

[CodyRVA]

I use the nylon mesh shove some filter media in them when they become dirty pull the media out throw it away and put new in simple lot easier than the felt which after awhile become impossible to clean

Bleach, hot water, washing machine... Clean.