Filter sock or no filter sock?

[Delphinus]

I use them in one tank but primarily for microbubble control.

I find it a huge pain to remove them and wash them. They are pretty disgusting after a week. And I hate that everytime I take it out, I'm killing about a billion copepods, brittle stars, bristleworms, etc. etc. etc. so I spend a ridiculous amount of time picking those off and tossing them back into tank, all the while cursing myself for caring too dang much.

Not sure whether to vote "yes" or "no" since it's only 1 tank I use them on. I don't really notice a difference in overall water quality. However the tanks I don't use them on, one of them I hose out every few months (it's a 20g tank so easy enough to empty and clean), and the other is a huge brown goo accumulation device and probably *should* be hosed out every few months - been a more yearly occurence in that one - and it's gruesome when it comes time to do it.

So pros and cons for sure.