To filter sock or not?

[blackstallion]

It seems whenever I change out my filter socks, I find GOOD things in there such as pods, snails, FISH and a Berghia Nudibranch!!

Question is, do the pros of running socks out weigh the bad of killing all those pods and possible other organisms?

I do attempt to take out as much good from the socks and put back into the tank whenever I swap out the socks, but not sure how effective this is.

 

[pdxmonkeyboy]

I think it does. whatever the socks don't take out gets stuck in all the nooks and corners everywhere.

 

[blackstallion]

Today as I was changing out my Filter socks, I looked in them while they were in the bucket to make sure no snails or other good stuff was in there. Lo and behold I found two Berghia Nudibranch's! I sucked them up with the syringe provided when I received them several weeks back! Good news is they have multiplied! Bad news is they're ending up in the overflow/filter. Along with pods, snails and who knows what else.

Guess you always need to LOOK closely in those socks and make sure you're not throwing out anything good!

 

[Pistondog]

It seems whenever I change out my filter socks, I find GOOD things in there such as pods, snails, FISH and a Berghia Nudibranch!!

Question is, do the pros of running socks out weigh the bad of killing all those pods and possible other organisms?

I do attempt to take out as much good from the socks and put back into the tank whenever I swap out the socks, but not sure how effective this is.

Stopped running the sox over a year ago. Like you said good stuff in there for coral and other things. Cuc will take care of what's left.

 

[WvAquatics]

I'm in same boat. I see what I pull out in the sock and it's gross. It def pulls out waste. But I haven't been able to get pods to take off in my tank. Thinking it's the socks. But with them out the water draining into sock compartment is loud. So that keeps me from removing them. I have seen a few threads about socks. It's kinda hit and miss depending on the reefer

 

[Ippyroy]

My sump had 2 7inch socks. Pulled them out and made it a fuge. Lots of chaeto acts as a mechanical filter. Live sand, snails, hermits, and bristle worms eat everything in the fuge that would normally sit in a sock. Plus I am getting rid of NO3 and PO4 and added biological filtration.

 

[blackstallion]

My sump had 2 7inch socks. Pulled them out and made it a fuge. Lots of chaeto acts as a mechanical filter. Live sand, snails, hermits, and bristle worms eat everything in the fuge that would normally sit in a sock. Plus I am getting rid of NO3 and PO4 and added biological filtration.

How long have you been running without socks? Have you noticed any extra debris in the DT that is not being trapped in the socks? Although, usually if anything ends up down in the socks, they would now be in the fuge, not sure how survivable it will be for them ie. I've had fish, snails, pods, Berghia Nudi's, etc. down there.

But I do like this idea, will definitely need to look into the option!

 

[Ippyroy]

I ran socks for only 2 weeks. BRS 160 uses same technique. That's where I go the idea from. I added the sand and CUC that specializes in eating detritus. The stuff in the DT would never wind up in a sock anyway. Have to vacuum it out. I use the socks still when I vacuum the sand bed or the sump. My PO4 is .07 and NO3 is falling at 3. I also use the socks if the rocks are really dirty when I blast them a turkey baster and the water gets really cloudy. I can post pics later if you'd like.

 

[blackstallion]

I ran socks for only 2 weeks. BRS 160 uses same technique. That's where I go the idea from. I added the sand and CUC that specializes in eating detritus. The stuff in the DT would never wind up in a sock anyway. Have to vacuum it out. I use the socks still when I vacuum the sand bed or the sump. My PO4 is .07 and NO3 is falling at 3. I also use the socks if the rocks are really dirty when I blast them a turkey baster and the water gets really cloudy. I can post pics later if you'd like.

Yea, apart from getting sick of replacing and cleaning the socks, seems like it's a better idea to use socks on an as needed basis. I would love to see the setup and get some ideas!

 

[Ippyroy]

Yea, apart from getting sick of replacing and cleaning the socks, seems like it's a better idea to use socks on an as needed basis. I would love to see the setup and get some ideas!

I am a LAR at time for sure. The secret for me is the big CUC in the fuge. A small spce for a lot of snails, hermits, and other things that I don't really want in my DT. It's working great so far.I still have to mod it a little though. I'll do it when I get home in about 2 hours.

 

[Ippyroy]

Yea, apart from getting sick of replacing and cleaning the socks, seems like it's a better idea to use socks on an as needed basis. I would love to see the setup and get some ideas!

Here you go.