Will socks remove phyto or bacteria?

[TWYOUNG]

I always shut off my UV and skimmer for one hour after dosing phyto.,(tetraselmus), and four hours after bottled bacteria. Would removing filter socks during this time provide any additional benefit or are they too small to be filtered out? I usually use 100 and 200 micron socks but occasionally use 10 micron.

 

[Spare time]

I wouldnt worry.

 

[EgotisticObeseChihuahua]

I always shut off my UV and skimmer for one hour after dosing phyto.,(tetraselmus), and four hours after bottled bacteria. Would removing filter socks during this time provide any additional benefit or are they too small to be filtered out? I usually use 100 and 200 micron socks but occasionally use 10 micron.

Where do you get 10 micron filter socks?? I need some as my bigger 200 micron socks still leave floating debris in the water.

 

[ISpeakForTheSeas]

Would removing filter socks during this time provide any additional benefit or are they too small to be filtered out? I usually use 100 and 200 micron socks but occasionally use 10 micron.

Phyto and bacteria are typically going to be too small even for the 10 micron filters to catch - so the filters shouldn't catch much at all.

 

[Shon]

Mesh sock or felt sock?

Where do you get 10 micron filter socks?? I need some as my bigger 200 micron socks still leave floating debris in the water.

 

[EgotisticObeseChihuahua]

Mesh sock or felt sock?

I usually use felt, is there a big difference as to removing capabilities?

 

[TWYOUNG]

Where do you get 10 micron filter socks?? I need some as my bigger 200 micron socks still leave floating debris in the water.

I believe I found them on Amazon. I also have some 5 micron. They were primarily for use when I was fighting dinoflagellates.

 

[Jmp998]

I don't have a specific answer for the filtration question-but I would suspect most of the filter socks we use have quite a bit of variation in effective pore size, especially as they get dirty, and so might filter out even some very small particles.

My approach is that my 'feed mode' decreases the return pump flow for about 45 minutes, which is long enough for the most of the fine particulates like phytoplankton to bump into something before going down the overflow into the socks.

 

[EgotisticObeseChihuahua]

I believe I found them on Amazon. I also have some 5 micron. They were primarily for use when I was fighting dinoflagellates.

Alright, I saw that the amazon link you sent me had a 1-micron choice. Do you think that would be better or would it clog too fast? I'm planning to change them out once a day, until my water is clear.

 

[BaliReefBox]

I dont remember the exact micron rating on mine but its kinda fine in the 5 micron range, I have to change them morning and night or they overflow. I expect 1 micron will clog quickly, but if your up to changing them often it will be ok

 

[Shon]

I usually use felt, is there a big difference as to removing capabilities?

From my observations with 200 micron socks, mesh allowed more flow through while the fibers in felt grab and held debris better.

 

[ISpeakForTheSeas]

Just to add, the 1 and 5 micron filters are small enough that they would catch phyto (not bacteria though).

 

[TWYOUNG]

Just to add, the 1 and 5 micron filters are small enough that they would catch phyto (not bacteria though).

So would you say 100 micron socks are not an issue?

 

[ISpeakForTheSeas]

So would you say 100 micron socks are not an issue?

Yeah, 100 shouldn't catch much at all. The phyto in the hobby is typically like 4-6 microns, and bacteria is typically well below 1 micron in size.

 

[TWYOUNG]

Yeah, 100 shouldn't catch much at all. The phyto in the hobby is typically like 4-6 microns, and bacteria is typically well below 1 micron in size.

Thanks. I feed tetraselmus which I believe is on the smaller side.

 

[jdmquip]

Should be okay without.

 

[SteveMM62Reef]

I did this, to keep from straining the Pods out. The Filter Socks, still work based on how often they need to be changed.

 

[fryman]

Filter socks do not filter out phyto or bacteria.

I tried to seperate nannochloropsis and tetraselmis using 5micron filters and found most tetraselmis went right through, even though tetraselmis is 10-15 microns (Nanno is ~4 microns, which is why I attempted in the first place).

I'm guessing because cells are soft-bodied and just "squish" through. Most other types of phyto and bacteria are smaller than tetraselmis, so I don't think you need bother removing your filter socks.