Filter sock or no filter sock

[walkerbrody]

I have a 110 gal with 20 gal fuge, 10 gal sump, octo nw-200 skimmer, and 15 gal water change container.

I have alot of small particles in my tank. I belive the majority of them are caused from my sand sifting gobys. I was wondering if a filter sock on the return, well half of the split return that I can access would help with the particle issue. If so, how often should I clean them?

[plyle02]

I use them, helps to keep the detritus out of your sump, for the most part. It also helps reduce micro-bubbles which is nice. I feel the water is more polished, btw I change mine out every 2-3 days, and rotate with one that was washed in the machine with a bit of bleach.

[MichaelRyanSd]

yeha I use them...but rotate every week or so...

[Macimage]

I use them too. I try to rotate weekly, but sometimes it's two weeks before I change them.

Joyce

[snorvich]

I too use them, rotating every week.

[david pinder]

My water turned sparkling clean after I started using them. I usually change mine after they overflo to give all the little critters a chance to escape. just wash with a little bleach in the washer there usually good for 5 or six cycles then replace new.

[av8]

I've been using a filter sock. Change it before or when it overflows.

I used to put them in the washing machine. I no longer do this, for fear of soap contamination. No way is your washing machine 100% free of soap.

I used to bleach them, but I have cut back to only bleaching them when they are really brown. Again, fear of NOT removing all the bleach.

I AM rinsing them thoroughly, then soaking in 30 to 50 % vinegar for a couple of days. The vinegar does a good job. Rinse in fresh water, then baking soda water, then fresh water, then RO water. Let dry in sun if possible.

A trick for rinsing them: cut the top curved part off of a liter soda bottle. The sock will fit perfectly, allowing you to "pump" the water through the sock, doing a really good job of getting the filter clean. I prefer Barq's root beer, but most would work.

Yet I still feel that my sump might be better off without the filter sock : (

My clown is 21 years old so the water quality must be OK : )

John C.

[preef]

I'll be the dissenter. I don't use them. Instead I have a big wad of Chaeto in my fuge which captures everything in there. The chaeto ball is full of pods and bristle worms that consume everything. This way I don't have to worry about trapped detritus in the sock turning into nitrate.

I did use them for a while and saw no difference in water clarity from what I have now. Stopped using them after one overflowed over the side of my sump. Not worth the hassle IMO and I'm not sure if there is a benefit.

[Pallobi]

i dont use one, but my system upkeep is quite diligent...

[UnusualSuspect]

Okay, here's a question - mesh or felt for the filter sock?

Due to the small size of my sump (built with a 10gal tank) I can't fit in a "real" filter sock, so I made some felt "condoms" for my drain pipe. I know I used the "right" density of felt, because I cut up a 7" filter sock to make them.

I was hoping to get a really polished look to my water, but so far I really don't see a lot of difference in my water clarity.

[pimp4cheddar]

Okay, here's a question - mesh or felt for the filter sock?

Due to the small size of my sump (built with a 10gal tank) I can't fit in a "real" filter sock, so I made some felt "condoms" for my drain pipe. I know I used the "right" density of felt, because I cut up a 7" filter sock to make them.

I was hoping to get a really polished look to my water, but so far I really don't see a lot of difference in my water clarity.


Mesh is usually used for running carbon. Ideally for a filter sock...you'll want to go with felt.

100 or 200 micron is what is typically used in this hobby.

The "condom" sock you made may not be working correctly...how much room do you have for a filter sock? They make smaller socks...like a 4'' sock and I've seen even smaller on filterbag.com.


Good luck.

[solitude127]

Felt for me. It catches more crud. I don't mind changing it out every 5 - 7 days.

[d2mini]

I switch on and off. When the sock is off, I know my filter feeders are getting more to eat.
Running the sock is more for me than it is for the tank.

[LaOtIn]

im a user, i change mine every 3-4 days or when it starts to overflow.

my wife made mine, $.25 for a sheet of felt, she double stacked it, folded it over, sewed it up and put elastic in the top and a hanger. my sump return is just a pvc pipe coming down that i put a screw in, so i hang the sock on that screw

[mess7777]

I'll be the dissenter. I don't use them. Instead I have a big wad of Chaeto in my fuge which captures everything in there. The chaeto ball is full of pods and bristle worms that consume everything. This way I don't have to worry about trapped detritus in the sock turning into nitrate.

I did use them for a while and saw no difference in water clarity from what I have now. Stopped using them after one overflowed over the side of my sump. Not worth the hassle IMO and I'm not sure if there is a benefit.

Don't you get any crud build up on the bottom of your sump? I find that just a few days and I have a fine layer of crap on the sump bottom. For this reason I am strongly considering the filter sock...although I hesitate as I don't want to catch and remove beneficial life forms(would like a mandarin some day).

[UnusualSuspect]

Mesh is usually used for running carbon. Ideally for a filter sock...you'll want to go with felt.

100 or 200 micron is what is typically used in this hobby.


The reason I ask is that writeup at BRS suggests that you start with felt and go to mesh if it clogs too quickly.

The "condom" sock you made may not be working correctly...how much room do you have for a filter sock? They make smaller socks...like a 4'' sock and I've seen even smaller on filterbag.com.


Good luck.

I don't even have room for a 4" sock. My inlet/drain area is like 3", and I have an HOB skimmer haging off the side of the sump. My DIY bubble tower is a piece of 2" PVC with teeth cut in the bottom, so a 2" filter sock would be ideal.

im a user, i change mine every 3-4 days or when it starts to overflow.

my wife made mine, $.25 for a sheet of felt, she double stacked it, folded it over, sewed it up and put elastic in the top and a hanger. my sump return is just a pvc pipe coming down that i put a screw in, so i hang the sock on that screw

I made mine as well - hot-glued the edges of the felt together and turned them inside out. Good idea with the screw. I just started using filter socks, but I'm thinking I'll change them out at the weekly water change.

[greech]

I wish I didn't have to use them but I do and they do work well if you change them at least once a week.

[evoi19]

i use both mesh and felt. I change them out every week after my water change. Keeps the tank clear and free of floating detritus.

To clean, I soak them in hydrogen peroxide overnight, turn them inside out and then throw them in the wash with bleach only. Comes out perfectly clean.

[acrohead500ppm]

I recommend not using them unless you change/clean them every 3 days, other wise the majority of what it has captured will dissolve in the water raising DOC, or be broken down into nitrate. If you change them any less than 2x a week, would be better off 86ing them all together and let your skimmer catch and REMOVE the waste from the system.

[mess7777]

I recommend not using them unless you change/clean them every 3 days, other wise the majority of what it has captured will dissolve in the water raising DOC, or be broken down into nitrate. If you change them any less than 2x a week, would be better off 86ing them all together and let your skimmer catch and REMOVE the waste from the system.

If you don't use one, won't at least some of it settle to the bottom of the sump and do the same thing only more because it never gets removed? That is my worry.

[preef]

Don't you get any crud build up on the bottom of your sump? I find that just a few days and I have a fine layer of crap on the sump bottom. For this reason I am strongly considering the filter sock...although I hesitate as I don't want to catch and remove beneficial life forms(would like a mandarin some day).

There's a little bit of crud on the bottom. I've been running this way for 3 years with no issues. Nitrate < 5, Phosphate < .03. I think there is enough life in there to eat any scraps. There are also a bunch of sponges growing in there as well.

[eho72]

I use felt filtered socks. Hate cleaning them, so I went without for a month or two. It was more work to clean the sump from all the cruds that settled on the bottom than to clean the filter socks. So now, I use them all the time. Rotate 4 of them. Switching out every 5-7 days. Soak in bleach overnight once I have 3 dirty socks. Allow to air dry outdoor so get rid of the bleach. Clean water in the DT and clean sump.

[MelloW33]

A couple things I've learned about filter socks:

One should never hang the filter sock level with the side of the sump.

Change regularly, depending on how fast if overflows. Once a week for most.

Nitrate build-up isn't that much of an issue. Most socks are ran before skimmers and refugiums. Both could easily handle the nitrates.

I haven't had to clean up my pumps as often since using filter socks.

[MelloW33]

Don't you get any crud build up on the bottom of your sump? I find that just a few days and I have a fine layer of crap on the sump bottom. For this reason I am strongly considering the filter sock...although I hesitate as I don't want to catch and remove beneficial life forms(would like a mandarin some day).

You shouldn't be removing enough pods to make a difference. Healthy pods wouldn't be near an overflow to even get to the filter sock.

[james-lee]

I like using a sock but you need multiples as the socks becomes clogged in a few days.

[cloak]

I don't use a filter sock. Allthough I will put one on for a few hours after I've stirred things up right before a water change. I prefer everything to float freely throughout the system. If some leftover food happens to go over the falls and settles in the sump, like mentioned above there's plenty of life down there to deal with. It's just a barebottom sump with a few baseball sized pieces of live rock. Works like a charm :)

[acrohead500ppm]

If you don't use one, won't at least some of it settle to the bottom of the sump and do the same thing only more because it never gets removed? That is my worry.

this is why you have a powerhead in your sump, keeping everything in suspension so your skimmer can remove it before it breaks down, most organics can go through the cycle in less then 48hrs. hence change/ clean every 2 days

Also skimmers wont remove nitrate :hmm3:, it can only remove materials that contribute to nitrate. DSB/ refuge will break down/ absorb some nitrate though.

[campos]

I have several pairs of filter socks and was wondering how often do people replace their filter socks? I've been reusing the same socks for a couple of years now, washing once a week of course, but wondering if I should throw out and buy new ones.

[Bilk]

Filter sock or filter floss is a must IMO. Helps remove particulate waste from the water column which can then be exported by you :) And as others have mentioned, keeps detritus from building up in the sump.

I use filter floss. Cheap and I don't have any issue just throwing it away after a few uses. I pull mine out almost every day and rinse it. One of the easiest ways to help keep the nutrients low.

[d0ughb0y]

this is why you have a powerhead in your sump, keeping everything in suspension so your skimmer can remove it before it breaks down, most organics can go through the cycle in less then 48hrs. hence change/ clean every 2 days

Also skimmers wont remove nitrate :hmm3:, it can only remove materials that contribute to nitrate. DSB/ refuge will break down/ absorb some nitrate though.

adding a powerhead to keep detritus in suspension sounds good in theory but does not actually work. I know because I tried it. skimmers are meant to export dissolved organics, while filter socks will take care of the particulate organics, for which it will capture 100% of it guaranteed compared to hoping the skimmer will get it, which I can guarantee you it will not. so you need both. I think it is not right to rely on skimmer to export the particulate organics (detritus).

[Tater11]

i use them in all my tanks changed weekly.you'll be suprised at the crud they take out.

[purge43]

the felt ones are easier to turn inside out for cleaning.

[Greedo]

I only use filter socks during my weekly maintainance routine. After a good heavy feeding I agitate my DSB, take a soft brush to my LR while I blast it with a power head and let the filter sock pull out as much junk out as it can before a good 40% WC. Hit the rocks one or two more times, pull the sock off and the tank stays crispy all week.

[acrohead500ppm]

adding a powerhead to keep detritus in suspension sounds good in theory but does not actually work. I know because I tried it. skimmers are meant to export dissolved organics, while filter socks will take care of the particulate organics, for which it will capture 100% of it guaranteed compared to hoping the skimmer will get it, which I can guarantee you it will not. so you need both. I think it is not right to rely on skimmer to export the particulate organics (detritus).

completely untrue.... also filter socks catching 100%???? also untrue.

take any skimmer, put it in a bucket of SW, turn on skimmer, throw in a pinch of ground pepper and watch as it all ends up in the collection cup.

also after feeding cyclops (if you have a decent skimmer) you should see a red ring start to form in the riser neck.

my point proven.

you are right on the fact that it does pull out some dissolved organics. BUT not nitrate.

many experts/professionals have advised the use of powerheads in the sump to keep detritus in suspension in numerous writeups/ books.

If you don't change/ clean your filter socks every 48-72 hrs you may in fact be doing more harm than good.

I thought that was common knowledge in the reefing community, at least it should be.

:D

[mess7777]

adding a powerhead to keep detritus in suspension sounds good in theory but does not actually work. I know because I tried it. skimmers are meant to export dissolved organics, while filter socks will take care of the particulate organics, for which it will capture 100% of it guaranteed compared to hoping the skimmer will get it, which I can guarantee you it will not. so you need both. I think it is not right to rely on skimmer to export the particulate organics (detritus).

I originally set up with a powerhead in my sump with a skimmer. It helped to keep anything from settling on the floor of the sump, but it also sent a lot of it back up through the return. End result, more crap floating around, and less clean looking water. I guess that is not so bad for the animal life, but it isn't the best for viewing pleasure. The filter sock seems it would take that crud out and let the skimmer do what it does best. In fact, I actually believe my skimmate increased after removing the power head.

[Tater11]

i change mine once a week and my nitrates are zero with salifert kit and po4 is .03 with hanna checker.the thank has been up for 6years.

[acrohead500ppm]

i change mine once a week and my nitrates are zero with salifert kit and po4 is .03 with hanna checker.the thank has been up for 6years.

good for you, but once a week is not ideal

[Tater11]

good for you, but once a week is not idealwell it must be pretty ideal for me because its working who says its not ideal???i'm sure i'm not the only one

[lhope4000]

I change mine once a week as well, but my tank is new with few inhabitants. I find it keeps bubbles out of my tank and I hope it increases the life of my pump seal.

[stewartms]

One thing to keep in mind is that there are no right or wrong answers to many of the questions in this hobby. There are many different ways of setting up and running a succsessful reef aquarium. What works for one may not produce the best results for another.

IMHO, A filter sock will capture more particulates that may pass through the sump multiple times without making it to the skimmer. These particles that do not make it into the skimmer are going to break down and result in system contamination the same as some of the material caught in the filter sock. In the end, I feel that the benefits of the filter sock far outway not running one. I think once a week is adequate although every 2-3 days would be even better. Not everyone has the option of spending as much time on their tanks as they may like.