Filter Socks

[gthorpe2]

Anyone ever made their own filter socks? What find of material did you use? Where do you get the material?

[arctictwist]

this thread on it was started a couple weeks ago. theres a little info in it.

http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=1543319

[FrozenSurfer]

Actually I just did today!

I used polyester felt for mine. Joann's $10... about 16 socks

[arctictwist]

the one answer i didnt get on that other thread was, what do you use for a ring?

[FrozenSurfer]

I actually made mine out of acrylic and then sewed the felt around the acrylic... If that makes any sense.

Basically the felt comes up through the ring, and then overlaps over it and is attached back to the filterbag.

[arctictwist]

yea, i figured on that for putting the ring in, just had no clue what to make the ring out of!

[scottyd1119]

you could take some tubing, whether acrylic or pvc pipe of the diameter you want to use and cut it into rings that would work.

[coralfragger101]

My Joann's Fabric didn't know what micron rating their Polyester Fabric was. They told me that it doesn't say on it.

I do not believe that the makers of Aquarium Filter Socks use polyester for this purpose. I read somewhere that the product of choice for aquarium use would be POLYPROPYLENE felt rather than the POLYESTER felt.

I'm just wondering if their is a good reason for that.

I know some people have used the filter pads that you can get in specific micron ratings from your LFS to make socks out of. I don't know which of the materials that stuff is made out of. I haven't looked on a package of it to see. Maybe someone else has?

[RussM]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14222567#post14222567 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by coralfragger101
I do not believe that the makers of Aquarium Filter Socks use polyester for this purpose. I read somewhere that the product of choice for aquarium use would be POLYPROPYLENE felt rather than the POLYESTER felt.

Polypropylene does not stain as much over time as polyester; that is the only difference I've seen, having used both. Bottom line is that polyester material is more readily available, and works just fine. Who gives a hoot if it's exactly 100 micron or something close? There's no law written that says 100 micron is required... I know a guy that uses huge 200 micron socks... he's interested in getting only the bigger particulate. 100 micron is a good happy median bewteen effective mechanical filtrationn and getting clogged too quickly. The polyester felt from the fabric shops works great... period.

[coralfragger101]

I don't know what you posted earlier that you "edited" as I did not see it so there are no hurt feelings there.

No where in my post did I say whether 100 mic or 200 mic is better or worse than anything. No where did I mention anything about either ones ability to filter either.

In fact, filter socks "for aquarium use" come in both micron ratings and you are correct about some people using 200 mic socks.

I personally want and use 200 mic socks. If I use 100 mic socks it will clog within 24 hrs of me dosing vodka even if it is a freshly cleaned sock. Apparently it's a great media to harbor bacterial growth.

The ONLY 2 points I was making in my earlier post is:

1) I do not know what micron rating Joann's polyester felt is.
2) I do not know why makers of aquarium socks prefer polypropylene over polyester.

That's it ..... period.

[gthorpe2]

WOW thanks for the replies!! I'm going out to Joann's this weekend!!!

[seawandrr]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14222450#post14222450 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by scottyd1119
you could take some tubing, whether acrylic or pvc pipe of the diameter you want to use and cut it into rings that would work.

A 2ft length of 4" black ABS at Lowe's or HD is $5.60ish, and would make pretty good rings for this purpose.

[Paul_PSU]

Here is my DIY socks. I use the joanne fabric felt. I have been using these for almost a year. No issues and they work great. I just use the clips from some maxijets that I had lying around and hook the loops onto the side of the sump.

http://i263.photobucket.com/albums/ii141/novak_psu/reef/P1010009.jpg

[fishtk75]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14221563#post14221563 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by arctictwist
yea, i figured on that for putting the ring in, just had no clue what to make the ring out of!

I use polyethylene tubing. Measure the ring and buy the size it may be 3/8 and put a short piece of smaller size to fit inside tight in the bigger tubing cut it to size. Then make a ring push together and super glue it. You can buy it at big hardware stores. I made mine without rings and used nylon cord sewed a pocket seam and fish it thought and tie the ends together it to hang it on a hook screwed in the stand inside hang in the sump.

When you use them put the sewed seam inside when it time to clean them turn it inside out and the seam is it better to clean.

[Vincerama2]

How about plastic shower curtain rings?

V

[arctictwist]

wow, didnt think of cutting pipe! great idea!

[arctictwist]

wow, didnt think of cutting pipe! great idea! I will be using a WYE to send my drain into, ill probably be extending it with pipe. I can cut the rings off the bell of another fitting so they slide right over the pipe.