To Filter sock or not to Filter sock?

[seastar]

I am currently using a 7" filter sock in my sump during the return and I can go 2-3 days between taking it our and removing it/cleaning it. I'm on the fence on weather to buy more and continue having this be part of my overall husbandry routine, but I want to make sure the effort/expense is considered worth it by the community as a whole. It's definitely not one of my favorite things to do.

I've read some cons, they're nitrate factories, they need replaced (expense), if not cleaned are a great source of overflows. Pros might be they are part of the effort to maintain pristine water?

Would love to know your thoughts.

 

[rickybrooks05]

I have 4 and I switch them out every week. Just was them with bleach and water and dry out. I've had no issues that I can tell...

 

[NicksMixedReef]

I recently started using them finally. I will never look back

 

[TreyC2010]

I hated the task so I took them out. My LPS love it. It's not as clean of water but it's fine to me. An occasional sump cleaning is all I have to do about it.

 

[Sabellafella]

I hate how people refer to them as a nitrate factory the same amount dissolved nutrients are going to break withen or without the sock anyway just another example of people agree n dissagree on everything

 

[seastar]

I hate how people refer to them as a nitrate factory the same amount dissolved nutrients are going to break withen or without the sock anyway just another example of people agree n dissagree on everything

I hear that... I think they're a nice first stop in the line of defense for keeping the tank clean, but that's why I'm asking here as well.

 

[Sabellafella]

Its just another way to polish water and take large chunks of gunk out , i juss use the non felt one now so i dont have to keep chaning it out every 3 4 days nd let my bubble king do its job

 

[Sabellafella]

Lolol it really does get annoying after a couple years every 3 4 days having to wash themmm but imo i would get the media bag type juss for any large ... or excess pieces of food

 

[kv69]

no sock, drain into live rock and chaeto. use two power heads to keep detritus moving so skimmer can clean it up.

 

[cloak]

I don't know about them being a nitrate factory, but I do know that if any leftover food happens to hit the bottom of my tank it will quickly be disposed of by the micro fauna, as opposed to rotting in a filter sock for days on end. Here might lay the problem.

Other than using one for a few hours during a water change, I've never found the need to run them 24/7.

 

[steve&mari]

I run one when doing water change and cleaning sand/rock. Let it run few days n remove it till next wc done weekly. Catches the gunk from maintenance ect I also dump the pods out of it n return them to fuge.

 

[seastar]

I run one when doing water change and cleaning sand/rock. Let it run few days n remove it till next wc done weekly. Catches the gunk from maintenance ect I also dump the pods out of it n return them to fuge.

That's interesting... I might just start doing that as well, thanks for the tip!

 

[GoGo98102]

No filter socks here. I have like 30 of those so I am not worried about cleaning them. My problem is picking out pods is a pita. I just can't let myself flush them down the drain. Sure, some of my fish end up eating them but I couldn't knowingly kill them. LOL

I haven't had a sock in 6 months and I over feed my fish. However, my sump is 4.5' long and by the time water travel to the return pump, the water is already filtered by rocks, chaeto and skimmer.

 

[steve&mari]

I just let sock sit in a small bucket ring down of course and almost all pods are in bucket n outta sock a hour later n dump em into fuge. Sure few are lost yet but get tons in bucket to put back.

 

[NanaReefer]

I won't run my tank without one.

 

[Bbaz123456]

People still use filter socks??!!
I gave them up years ago...but I prefer low maintenance

 

[filek]

I DIY my socks, very easy https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/diy-filter-socks.162584/ Just think about this, takes 1 snail to travel to your overflow, down to the sump and into your skimmer pump, return pump, reactor pump. They can make some costly damage. 1 filter sock can save you from all that. I make 100's of them when I have a day off, then I just toss it out every 3 days. They come up like 3 cents, not even worth washing

 

[Vpham]

I changed out 2 every 6 days...I don't wanna take chances to wash in washer, I hand wash em...just abit of elbow grease is better than headache...

 

[Eel Steve]

I like having the option, which is why I got a Hang-on-Tank Sock holder. My tank (first one! yay!) has been up almsot a month now, and the sock proves extremely useful for polishing the water, since I don't have any other filtration yet. In general, all else I have is the protein skimmer, and some activated carbon in a media bag. I have some filter pad I was thinking of incorporating as well.

But yeah, I feel like my water would be a total mess with the diatoms I have right now, and I scrub them off every night and stuff, and I feel like hte sock grabs some of that crap.

I try to wash mine out every other day. Replace it every week or so. I'm gonna start bleaching them like someone mentioned above from now on to save my supply.

 

[Eel Steve]

I DIY my socks, very easy https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/diy-filter-socks.162584/ Just think about this, takes 1 snail to travel to your overflow, down to the sump and into your skimmer pump, return pump, reactor pump. They can make some costly damage. 1 filter sock can save you from all that. I make 100's of them when I have a day off, then I just toss it out every 3 days. They come up like 3 cents, not even worth washing

Or you can put some plastic gutter guard on top of the overflow box to keep critters out....