Filter Sock Question

[Cliff]

Just wondering if anyone here uses filter socks in their sump. I had started using them, changing it every 3 to 4 days with a clean one, but know I’m wondering if I really need one. I’ve read some info about the sock adding nitrate to the water if your not careful and replace the sock often with a clean.

Do you use a filter sock ?

[Cubeman]

I tried them on my outflow from the tank to the sump for about 3 months. What I experienced was less skimmate from the skimmer and more weekly work for me in replacing the socks and cleaning them out. Went back to no socks and only put one on now if I know I'm going to be really mucking up the tank (moving rock etc.). Yes there is a little bit more detritus on the floor of the sump with no sock but I can live with that.

[Delphinus]

I do, and I get about a week out of a 100 micron bag then wash it in the washing machine with some bleach. This is with the 6" diameter bags. It keeps the microbubbles down and helps to scrub some of particulate out of the water but I've run plenty of tanks without socks too.

[lastlight]

I rinse mine by hand as well as I can in the sink but they are certainly never white or new looking after I'm done. I rotate two socks. Is there any difference in washing them with bleach in the washer besides how clean/how much longer they'll last? Do I have nitrates jammed in the sock if I don't bleach it?

I love a cleaner water column and hate cleaning my socks. I wonder how much of what gets stuck in the sock could instead be skimmed out? I imagine that'd be better since it can't rot away in the water and release nutrients. Trouble is the clear water is nice to have.

[don.ald]

i use socks and change them every three to four days. wash them in the machine with water only, no soaps bleach etc. they come clean. i have an old washer in my fish room that i use solely for the socks. i can only go three or four days before they clogg and overflow.

[Delphinus]

With the bleach they come out of the washing machine looking as new. I should maybe try it on the whitest-white cycle without the bleach just to see how different they'd be. I've heard some people use vinegar as an alternative too.

Cleaning them is hardly my favourite chore although I find I loathe it far less than say mixing up alkalinity dosing liquid. The most time consuming part of the whole task is I sit there and pick out every brittlestar, copepod and bristle worm and release them back into the wild. Of course half of them get eaten by the fish "RIGHT ON! HE'S FEEDING US LIVE FOOD!" so unfortunately what starts off as a guilt-reducing measure never works out as such. Can't win.

[Cliff]

Thanks for all the responses everyone. I never did realize this could be a matter of preference. I had tried using filter socks on my old sump to stop micro bubbles from being sucked up into the skimmer. When I up-graded my sump, I put in a bubble trap in between the skimmer and the drain line from the tank. It’s eliminated about 95% of the micro bubbles and what little bubbles get through don’t seem to effect the new skimmer I have. I think I’ll just use the filter socks when I’m doing any kind of re-scaping in the tank to be on the safe side.