Filter Socks...

[mark]

Wondering why you have to change them every day?

I try to get to mine weekly, but often wait until the water starts to spill out of them before swapping.

[Jason McK]

I use them mainly to elliminate bubbles. The bubble king and the returns produce so much that they would enter the display without the socks

J

[Myka]

This is why I prefer a tray with a small sheet of filter "floss" media, easier to change out everyday, and you don't have to wash it, just toss it. I use the stuff J&L sells by the roll...very cheap.

[GreenSpottedPuffer]

Originally Posted by mark

Wondering why you have to change them every day?

I try to get to mine weekly, but often wait until the water starts to spill out of them before swapping.

Well not everyday but I just do...figure since it should be done every two days or so, may as well just do it everyday.

Otherwise there is a lot of crap just sitting in a sock in my tank.

I don't need them for micro bubbles or anything, so may as well just stop using them I think.

[mark]

well it's ideal to get the crap out of the system, don't think you need to change the socks daily or every couple of days.

Also to argue this a bit, you're thinking about getting rid of the socks as you believe must change them every couple of days to get the crap out, but then if you got rid of the socks all together you won't be removing what they would collect.

[don.ald]

do the socks remove pods etc?

[GreenSpottedPuffer]

Originally Posted by mark

well it's ideal to get the crap out of the system, don't think you need to change the socks daily or every couple of days.

Also to argue this a bit, you're thinking about getting rid of the socks as you believe must change them every couple of days to get the crap out, but then if you got rid of the socks all together you won't be removing what they would collect.

Well no but then what they collect will be used in the system rather than wasting away in a filter sock.

IMO if you are using them, you do need to change them every few days. I personally saw a huge difference in my last tank when I started to change them daily. Nitrates went down.

Anyways, this wasn't suppose to be a debate about what they do...

I was just wondering if I was missing anything before I remove them but so far no reason to keep using them.

[BC Mosaic]

At first I didn't, then I did and now I don't.
The reason I don't is that I had live beneficial critters removed from the tank as well as "food". I changed once a week but seeing the "Dark Matter" I thought too that it was a nitrate factory.
I may be reconsidering my application of its' use. I worry that any crap coming out of the tank ,especially if you're harvesting an algae problem or such, it will eventually plug up the skimmers' pump and cleaning a skimmers' pump is more a PITA than a sock.
So now I'll be going back to the sock during maintenance duty only.

[hillegom]

I don't have a sock, but was considering one. So I have to ask, how big is the mesh?
Microns, or like 1/16 in? what?
Thanks

[GreenSpottedPuffer]

Originally Posted by hillegom

I don't have a sock, but was considering one. So I have to ask, how big is the mesh?
Microns, or like 1/16 in? what?
Thanks

There are a few sizes, I don't know what they are though. I use a very fine sock.