Filter sock... Yes or no?
 

With my crash comes mods to my system. Time to change the "wrongs".

I have never used filter socks. I always felt it was a build up of crap. And honestly after doing maintenance for AI in the past, I always hated cleaning them. Half the crud spills back when you take the sock out. Having to launder them and so on.

So now I wonder, should I or not? I was also considering just adding a foam block in the 1st chamber of my sump to trap everything at least there instead of anywhere. But then detritus builds in that chamber that is hard to remove.

Please tell me why you chose to or not. It will help me decide.

Thanks

I would go without. Less crap for the skimmer to pic up

My answer is Yes and No. I put a sock on only after i've done some more aggressive cleaning of the tank, like blowing/scrubbing off rocks or stirring the sand bed. I use the sock to help catch the debris but after that (24 hours or so) I'll take the sock off and won't use one again until I do another one of those cleanings.

I hate cleaning the socks too.

I don't follow your logic.

I would say with a sock or sponge Would reduce crud to the skimmer. in my case anyhow.

Wouldn't not using a sock mean there is more crap for the skimmer to pick up?

Anyways,

I like the look of a clean sump and as I don't want to siphon out my sump on a regular basis I use a sock. I don't find anything spilling back into the sump when I change them. Once a week I pull out the old one and pop in the new one. Once every 2 months I do a load of laundry for all the old ones.

I'd go with a sock over a sponge, any day.

I'm sort of on the fence otherwise though. I've been using 4" socks after having used the larger ones for years. I was hoping the smaller ones would be easier to clean and thus I would do it more, but it hasn't really worked out that way.

My take on this is if you want to go with socks, make it so that it's ridiculously easy to replace them. What I wish I had done with my sump was rather than having the pipe exit into the sock, have the pipe enter a chamber with a tall dam/baffle and have the sock on a horizontal baffle so that water has to pass over the sock. Then when this part overflows (into the next chamber in the sump) then 1) you'd know it was time to take the sock out and clean it, and 2) no need to undo pipes to get the sock(s) in our out.

I'm moving towards this practice myself on my tanks. I'm going to have them onhand and use them for maybe 1 day after a water change or otherwise needed like stirring up detritus or something. Otherwise though, no socks.

(And just recognize that I have to vacuum out detritus buildup in the sump more often...)

I don't think whether you need them or not is the question as you really don't need them. I've never used them and my tanks have always done well. The question is do YOU want them, not sure a poll will answer that for you.

^agreed. I don't think it is "wrong" to use them or not use them. It's just a choice.

It must let more nutrients back into the tank, I have started not using one and my LPS/anems are really full/ not sure how itll be on the SPS. I like the idea of using one for a short while after stirring up the nutrients. My Brains/acans etc always recede while my SPS flourished using socks i just thought that its very low nutrient system that way if changed regularly. So hoping to see better results . Probably get some differences in the SPS though.

I used quotations around "wrongs" and did not intend to say whether or not socks are wrong.

I have several things I am upgrading and redoing with the rebuild. This is one thing I considered.

Just calling them "wrongs" to shorten things up.


Thanks.

It was to say "would not go without"

Damn auto correct

ah, gotcha :-)

I use 2 4" socks in a setup like Delphinus described and they work fine for me. I change them after they begin to overflow, but I don't rush to do it. They catch the big crud and are easy to launder once a month or so. I keep about 20 in rotation.

I use the 4" sock and find it keeps the DT pristine, yes it's a PITA to turn them inside out for washing but totally worth the effort in my opinion. I rotate 8- 200 micron. I tried not using them but could see the difference in the DT after only 1-2 days. Yes! I would say use them.

We use 150micron mesh socks, not the felt type.

Any advantage to the mesh ones

Also wonder if any advantage. I assume better flow through as thinner?

I think mesh ones are just basically higher micron, they don't clog as quick but also won't filter things quite as fine. I imagine they clean easier as well.

If you are going to use a filter sock, I would recommend going with the 7" size vs 4" to last longer before changes. I use a 7" 200 micron felt sock with my 130 g, and it lasts about a week before it needs to be changed.

If you do a search there have been a few threads on filter socks recently, and how to clean them, etc.

I only started using filters socks recently. My sump is definitely cleaner, and my skimmer neck doesn't accumulate gunk on it as quickly, so it requires less cleaning, too. And for sure my water in the display tank is clearer, with less fine particulate noticeable in the flow stream.

So would you say a 150 micron mesh is not as efficient as a 150 micron felt

Technically they should be the same but the felt socks wear out much faster. Not always a bad thing but they let more through with each wash. The mesh socks seem to stay pretty tight.

How are they priced comparatively? Buying 5-6 socks of felt seem pricey.

sockless and liberated
 

Coincidental post. I am 3 days in of going sockless. With a new skimmer and ATO i thought it would be a great time to keep water levels consistent. First day was painful, but just like everything in this hobby, my patience has paid off. Water is getting clearer but I hope I don't **** off my sps. I have a simple open concept rubbermaid sump with no baffles or live rock etc. so it will be easy to clean. Time will tell but i'm excited about the reduction in maintenance i've achieved lately.

Biggest advantage is they are clean after washing them.

The felt socks never got perfectly clean.

I use the 7" felt and change them every couple days.
On our fish system we change them every day due to the heavy feedings.

My feeling is that they catch large particulate matter and allow me to remove it before it breaks down or accumulates in the sump.

I feel felt catches more that mesh, but it is definitely hard to get them clean.
We run ours threw the wash 3-4 times in a row and they never go back to 100 % clean but close enough as far as I am concerned. I used to wash them once, then turn them inside out and wash them again. I did find they got cleaner but they also seemed to wear out faster. Now I just wash them a few times in a row without inverting them.

Felt or mesh thats up to you but I would never run a system now without them.

Thanks

Same here not only it eliminates cloudy water, it helps get rid of water splashes and micro bubbles that goes into your display.

Where can you get mesh socks?

How about using a knee high nylon stocking? They are very inexpensive so you can throw them out when they are dirty. I use them in my canister filter, fill them with carbon.

Sorry about the second post. I just rinse the new nylon in the old water from the tank. I'm assuming they would be just as safe in a marine tank.

So who sells the mesh socks? :lol:

J&L sells both types. But when you are there, you should really ask them which ones do they think are better and why.

I have 12 socks in rotation for my heavily stocked SPS LPS system with a large fish load. I believe it all depend on the system you are planning to run, a lot of variable comes into play. The key for me is to be able to feed the system heavy for all the LPS and at the same time keep the water in pristine condition for the SPS so its a no brainer to run filter socks.

Now the question is what kind of tank are you planning to do? If you are running a sps tank without much fish load then I would say no sock, if you are planning to do a mixed reef with a good fish load then I would suggest yes sock. But do remember to change out your sock every few days to keep it clean, no point of running socks when you are just going to leave them in and turn them into a nitrate factory.

BRS

I voted for sponge but actually use polly wool (pillow stuffing stuff). I put a handfull in my over flow and change out weekly. Cleans up water great and just throw away when dirty. Get it in big bags at local sewing store cheap. Just make sure it is not hypoalergetic and or mildew resistant as i imagine it has some sort of chemicals in it. LFS does sell it as well but it is more pricey

I'm lazy, I use filter floss after the skimmer. I change it when it stops passing enough water, usually about once every 10 days. After that i throw it out, costs maybe $5 every 2 months for the floss. Way easier than cleaning socks only to have them to clog up in 2 days again. It's been working great, my tank has never been better.

Filter floss....thats what i was meaning to say, couldnt remember the name so i called it polly wool....brain fart

No Sock. Only used it the first week I set up the tank (June, 2010). One thing I do is shutting off the Return Pump every time I feed. I give them several minutes to finish majority of the food before turning it back on.