Filter sock... Yes or no?

[kien]

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.

[Delphinus]

Originally Posted by kien

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'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...)

[sphelps]

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.

[kien]

Originally Posted by paddyob

Time to change the "wrongs".

Originally Posted by sphelps

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.

[bkelly]

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.

[xenon]

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

[Proteus]

Originally Posted by xenon

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

Any advantage to the mesh ones

[JTang]

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.

[chef]

I tried going sockless for 2 weeks. Immediately my water became murky and less pristine,but my lps loved it. I thought I would get used to it and rid myself of the hassle. Put 'em back on today and what a difference. Way worth the effort. Looks like I am back to socks and spot feeding lps occasionally.

[Myka]

I use a filter sock for 12-ish hours after waterchanges, that's it.