Well, I did it. Socks are out.

[MichaelReefer]

So after months of thought, I finally decided to try running no Mechanical Filtration (besides a skimmer). I removed the socks, placed two media cups in, full of Matrix. I then adjusted my refugium a bit and filled my entire refugium area with rubble and Matrix as well. (Will have to take a picture when I get home.) My plan is to maybe run a 100 micron once a week just to polish the water a bit. I am assuming that it will take a month or so for the bacteria and copepods to build up in the new environment since they will have food now?

My main question however is, should I continue to run my GFO/Carbon reactor to help control my phosphate at this time, since there will be so much in the water?

Appreciate any advice!

 

[MichaelReefer]

Bump

 

[Jase4224]

You could run without socks for a few weeks to build the pod population then put socks back in. Pods will be self sufficient after that.

Given that removing the socks will allow much more food to to rot away in your sump I’d definitely be keeping gfo and carbon running..

 

[MichaelReefer]

You could run without socks for a few weeks to build the pod population then put socks back in. Pods will be self sufficient after that.

Given that removing the socks will allow much more food to to rot away in your sump I’d definitely be keeping gfo and carbon running..

Well I have always had good pods, but I know a lot of people have been saying this whole no socks thing is great so I figured I would try.

10-4, that's what I figured.

 

[cloak]

I wouldn't worry too much about food rotting away in your sump. If your DT has any micro fauna whatsoever in it your bound to have it in your sump as well. They'll be all over it and it won't take them 3 days, 4 days etc to consume. (the time it might take for one to clean a sock)

 

[MtlReef25]

I've never run with socks ever. Sump is just fine, there's a powerhead inside to keep things moving. Lots of pods to keep the mandarin and 6 lines happy and fat! ;Bucktooth But I'm lazy on chores so socks always looked to me like a pain in the butt.

 

[GaryE]

I've never run with socks ever. Sump is just fine, there's a powerhead inside to keep things moving. Lots of pods to keep the mandarin and 6 lines happy and fat! ;Bucktooth But I'm lazy on chores so socks always looked to me like a pain in the butt.

They are...

I'm thinking about leaving mine out and replacing with more ceramic..

 

[Mikeltee]

A skimmer is all you need my friend. You can throw the rest of that stuff away as long as you got a good, large one. Carbon will allow your lights to be as efficient as possible though as long as you stay up with changing it out. If not you will make your coral mad by dimming them at the end of the carbobs cycle. I am not sure what you have against socks, but I find a 200micron nylon one super helpful to grab the big chunks coming out the overflow. I rinse it every 2 weeks. It has no I'll effects on the tank like the 50mic non nylon ones.

 

[MichaelReefer]

A skimmer is all you need my friend. You can throw the rest of that stuff away as long as you got a good, large one. Carbon will allow your lights to be as efficient as possible though as long as you stay up with changing it out. If not you will make your coral mad by dimming them at the end of the carbobs cycle. I am not sure what you have against socks, but I find a 200micron nylon one super helpful to grab the big chunks coming out the overflow. I rinse it every 2 weeks. It has no I'll effects on the tank like the 50mic non nylon ones.

I generally would run 100 micron and would need to replace them in 2-3 days. I'm not against socks, I just have heard great things about running sockless. Like coral health and etc.

 

[jordan9095]

filter floss ftw

 

[Jase4224]

Well I have always had good pods, but I know a lot of people have been saying this whole no socks thing is great so I figured I would try.

10-4, that's what I figured.

It just seems odd to me. Socks came about as we have progressed in this hobby and learned about managing the waste in our systems. The same reason people go bare bottom, or vac sand and avoid DSB. Adding a bunch of ceramic/rubble or whatever and is just going back to having another DSB situation where all can be good for many years.. until something disturbs the system.

Is it just me or is avoiding unnecessary detritus build up one of the progressions we have made and made sense of over the last few years??

Does it really make sense to keep putting food into the tank and removing less than the equivalent amount? Especially given that no single filtration method removes everything. You can get away with it for a while but just seems negligent in the long term. It’s not hard to clean socks.

 

[Scorpius]

I'm an avid sock user. The amount of gunk after 2-3 days makes me glad I have this chore. I'd rather change socks routinely than have to deal with nutrient issues.

 

[Bob Escher]

I run 200 micron mesh socks, I was told not to worry about copepods as they will go right through the mesh. I may even go down to 100

 

[MichaelReefer]

It just seems odd to me. Socks came about as we have progressed in this hobby and learned about managing the waste in our systems. The same reason people go bare bottom, or vac sand and avoid DSB. Adding a bunch of ceramic/rubble or whatever and is just going back to having another DSB situation where all can be good for many years.. until something disturbs the system.

Is it just me or is avoiding unnecessary detritus build up one of the progressions we have made and made sense of over the last few years??

Does it really make sense to keep putting food into the tank and removing less than the equivalent amount? Especially given that no single filtration method removes everything. You can get away with it for a while but just seems negligent in the long term. It’s not hard to clean socks.

A lot of people swear by no socks or immediate mechanical filtration. From what some have said their coral do much better than with socks.

 

[MichaelReefer]

Anyone have personal experience of removing socks and seeing your tank do better? #reefsquad

 

[t5Nitro]

Following. It's easy to change out socks a few times a week, but agreed that it's an added task you likely don't need to be doing. I run them on my primary drain for now.

 

[saltyhog]

My tank actually did worse. I wonder if those that see improvement are not changing them very often? When my experiment went the wrong direction I went back with filter cups full of polyfil and have been very pleased. Takes just a minute (unless you count the time I take picking out pods and putting them back in the fuge). I do have to set myself reminders to change them.....

 

[MichaelReefer]

My tank actually did worse. I wonder if those that see improvement are not changing them very often? When my experiment went the wrong direction I went back with filter cups full of polyfil and have been very pleased. Takes just a minute (unless you count the time I take picking out pods and putting them back in the fuge). I do have to set myself reminders to change them.....

I am/was pretty diligent on replacing the socks.

 

[Waters]

It really isn't a matter of them doing better without socks....it has to do with them doing better with increased nutrients I run a low nutrient system and run socks......but I control nutrient levels by heavy feeding and livestock in addition to the skimmer and socks.

 

[Dipan Desai]

Im curious on this as well. I hate dealing with socks but is something that I always thought I needed. I have a mixed reef but mostly SPS tank and I dont do any water changes and clean the socks out about every 2 weeks or at least try for every two weeks sometimes longer. They do catch a bunch of gunk but I wonder if it would be better to just siphon out build up every 6 months or so? Nutrients stay low and I have actually been dosing KNo3 to get nitrates up. I also run GFO to keep PO3 on check.