Why are my filter socks clogging more frequently?

[mike550]

I used to replace my filter sock once a week and it never clogged up. But over the last 8 weeks or so it seems like they are clogging every few days. I‘ve made two changes that I can think of so I’m wondering if either of these could the reason. First, I switched to only feeding frozen food (brine shrimp, Rods food) once a day from feeding pellets. Second, I started dosing NoPox to help manage nitrates.

Would appreciate everyone’s thoughts and thanks in advance.

 

[Rijodan]

NoPox is bacterial, so if its really bad and your socks are fine enough you could be grabbing that, as well as frozen food has more particulates than pellet so theres your culprit. Most likely the food.

 

[mike550]

NoPox is bacterial, so if its really bad and your socks are fine enough you could be grabbing that, as well as frozen food has more particulates than pellet so theres your culprit. Most likely the food.

@Rijodan thanks for your reply! My socks are 200 micron if that helps. Ill try mixing between pellets and frozen to see if that extends anything.

 

[derek.gray.988]

I have this issue when dosing nopox as well. Bacterial colonies growing on the filter sock. That would be my guess.

 

[Rijodan]

try rotating through a few food throughout the week so the fish get a varied diet. you can also drop down to a mesh sock instead

 

[andrewkw]

Carbon dosing will cause this. I started dosing more then 5 years ago and my socks are still clogging fast.

 

[Reef.]

@Rijodan thanks for your reply! My socks are 200 micron if that helps. Ill try mixing between pellets and frozen to see if that extends anything.

feeding just pellets could be the reason you have high nitrates, frozen has less nutrients so less nitrates, I would prefer to change the socks more often than try and solve a nitrates problem.

 

[Charles4400]

Nopox will cause a slime/film to cover things as thats the bacteria that it is supposed to grow. This is clogging your filters faster. You should also notice a white film growing on your glass more often as well. Its the same stuff clogging your socks.

 

[Rick.45cal]

I used to replace my filter sock once a week and it never clogged up. But over the last 8 weeks or so it seems like they are clogging every few days. I‘ve made two changes that I can think of so I’m wondering if either of these could the reason. First, I switched to only feeding frozen food (brine shrimp, Rods food) once a day from feeding pellets. Second, I started dosing NoPox to help manage nitrates.

Would appreciate everyone’s thoughts and thanks in advance.

It’s the bacteria colonizing your socks from NoPOx dosing it used to happen to me when I dosed it. It’s ok, you are exporting the bacteria when you clean your socks, which is in turn exporting the nutrients they consumed to build their population. (It’s a good thing)

 

[mike550]

It’s the bacteria colonizing your socks from NoPOx dosing it used to happen to me when I dosed it. It’s ok, you are exporting the bacteria when you clean your socks, which is in turn exporting the nutrients they consumed to build their population. (It’s a good thing)

@Rick.45cal does this mean that as long as I’m dosing NoPox I’ll be replacing my filter socks more frequently like this?

 

[Rick.45cal]

@Rick.45cal does this mean that as long as I’m dosing NoPox I’ll be replacing my filter socks more frequently like this?

Yes you will be cleaning them more frequently. If you are using felt socks, switching to 200 micron mesh socks will make your life much easier. (Plus they last WAY longer). You’ll still have to spray them out every 4 days or so, but it’s much less of a hassle than dealing with felt socks.