Do you use a sock? Why or why not?

[Danny Mac]

So I have been debating weather I want to put a filter sock on the intake into my sump. I do have quite a bit of bubbling going on in the first and a little in the second chamber. Everthing I have read in this forums archived articles say they don't recomend using them. What's your opinion? If you use them why if not why not? Thanks all!

[cubsFAN]

I don't. Don't want to change them out and clean them. I use a shop vac to clean the detritus out of my sump when I do water changes. I don't have any probs with micro bubbles. None get past my baffles and into the return section. If you don't have micro bubble being returned into your display I wouldn't worry about it.

[chuckdallas]

I have used them before and now I don't. Pros for their use: Makes the water clearer. Cons: I had to change them every 5-7 days, had to clean them, had to buy them when they ran out.

Right now, I have an external overflow, which has flexible pvc piping from the bottom of the external overflow box, like those used for pools. There are two outputs from the overflow box and one pipe that leads to the sump. The flexible tubes drop down to a PVC junction I designed. This junction is made of hard PVC pipes and that pipe drops the water for the skimmer into that compartment and then the rest goes to the fuge compartment. The flow to the fuge compartment is controlled by a ball gate valve after the junction to the skimmer. I don't have a way to get the water in the overflow box through a sock and then into the PVC pipes. I could throw a sock under the pipe that drops water into the skimmer compartment, but I don't have much room, so I am not using them now. No mess to clean up now. Some people say that the pods from the fuge won't make it to the DT with a filter sock, but it's not an issue with my design, because in my setup the water flows out of the fuge to the return pump compartment.

[Tracey2]

Nice cheap filtration, I use them. I change them every week and put them in a bucket with water and bleach, when I have a few in the bucket I wash them in my machine, rinse twice and let them dry.

[solitude127]

I use them. I'm too lazy to vacuum out my sump.

[jlemoine2]

I think filter socks are nice when blowing a bunch of ditritus around in the display. You can put one on before cleaning and leave it on for a day. The sock will catch a lot of gunk so your skimmer does not have to deal with it... or letting it sit around in the sump.

Generally, if you get lazy keeping your socks cleaned out, you may just cause yourself nitrate problems. You must change your filter socks at regular intervals.

[slicknick1970]

Not a fan of socks . But not a fan of water changes either. Have a 90 gal. Reef set up for 45 days now with no water changes yet. Parameters are so far so good.

[five O]

I use them, the main trick is to design your sump so you can have easy access to the socks. If they are easy to change, you'll change them more offen. If they are hard to get to, you'll just say "I'll get it next time"

[cloak]

No sock. I can't imagine any leftover food going over the falls and having to sit in a filter sock for days on end. That's some kind of stink. I'd much rather it just settle on the bottom of my sump where the pods/worms can consume it or circulate back up into the DT where the fish can get at it.

[vitodog]

I use them. I change and wash them every few days (I'm retired, so I have the time). I do see a difference in the clarity of my water (more polished) when compared to when I did not use them. And, it seems that my skimmer does not have to work as hard. Clearly, whether you use them or not is a matter of preference. It might just be my imagination, but my tank does look healthier (and cleaner) since I started to use them.

[Danny Mac]

Is there anyother means of stopping some of the bubbling near the intake? Again the bubbles aren't in the display tank but its annoying. But I guess if its not hurting anything id rather not because I can wet vac my intake sump...

[LaOtIn]

i use them, i use 2 everyday, i put them on before i put on my shoes.

as far as filter socks, yes i use them as well. always have, always will. my wife made me 15 of them. when they get dirty i put them out on my balcony to dry then when i get a pile i throw them in the washing machine with a little bleach and run 2 rinse cycles

why do i use them? keeps the water looking good and i see the crap they catch. plus i dont run a skimmer

[sminker]

Used them for about a week once. Too much maintanance. Ive got some LR in my sump where the water comes in and I have some more in the bubble trap. This seems to be the best setup for me. Keeps my water crystal clear with no micro bubbles and no maintanance.

[ChuckLawson]

I typically use them for the first few months after setting up a tank, mostly to catch fines from new sand, etc. I change them every few days and/or whenever they clog to the point of flowing over the top. After the tank has settled in, I usually only use them if I'm blowing crud off the rocks, etc...

[The Punisher]

I use them and think they're great. Like others have already pointed out, you have to keep up with changing them or they'll become a problem. If you change them out regularly, they're won't be any problems. After running them and seeing all the nasty stuff they pull out of the water, I won't not run them.

[Drewbaby]

I don't and I won't. Too many horror stories of flooded stands and overflowing socks along with the never ending washing and changing. I stick to cheap bulk filter media. My LFS sells it by the foot and I put it in a filter tray similar to that of a wet dry instead. If that get too dirty or clogged the tray is designed with a fail safe that allows it to bypass the filter and enter the sump vs. flooding the house. I also run carbon in media bags in the tray to polish the water and get crystal clear water equivalent to that of a sock.

[aquaph8]

I use one for both returns. I replace with a fresh one every two days or when water overflows instead of runs through it.

[The Punisher]

When my sock overflows it overflows right into the sump, no chance of it flooding my house.

[travisw30]

I use them and don't mind the extra work water is def clearer. I have mine set up so if it overflows it just goes into the sump. I have about 8 socks that I clean every 2 months. I use hydrogen peroxide though. And hand wash. I made a holder for 2 4" but just use the one side now days.

[falconut]

My system has been running for over 6 years. I never used to use filter socks, but I started this past year. Wow, these things get loaded with junk. I use 100 microns and change them every 5-7 days. My setup worked well without, but now I don't think I'd want all this extra junk floating around.

[frankpayne32]

I run them for 24 hours when I do a water change/tank cleaning. I stir everything up and let the socks take out the big junk. Then take them out after 24 hours.

[gooberz]

I use Socks for sure! :jester:

148919

[Lynnmw1208]

don't pods get stuck inside these? I'd be afraid of them depleting my pod population. is 100 micron smaller than 200? or is it the other way around, I never understood this.

[greech]

I find one or two in my sock each week. Nothing to worry about in my case and I pick them off and put them in my sump (well the ones I don't squish anyway :)). I really don't like using socks but my water is much clearer when I do so until I find a better mouse trap I will use them.

I have been meaning to ask this for a while and this seems like a goo thread. Does anyone else's skimer go nuts after they swap out their socks? I use a very small amount of bleach and double rinse and I don't smell any bleach after they dry but evertime my skimmer goes crazy after I change them.

[rivahodges]

I've never used them. Debated about it, but decided I was too lazy to change them constantly.

[gooberz]

IMO socks are great because the water does stay clean and it catches anything floating in water. The thing that annoys me is cleaning them every 2 weeks. If you do run socks i recommend have about 3 of them so you can have one clean at all times and do a quick switch.

Cheers,
Henry

[fla_tony]

i run a barebottom 150g so filter socks are pretty much mandatory. Your are pulling ditritus out of the system constantly, no sand bed for anything to settle in. I change every other day and the amount of gunk they pull out of the water is crazy and would not want to run with out one after seeing what the take out of the water.

[frankpayne32]

don't pods get stuck inside these? I'd be afraid of them depleting my pod population. is 100 micron smaller than 200? or is it the other way around, I never understood this.

Yes, pods do get stuck in there. But, the vast majority of your pods do not go through your overflow and therefore are not removed by your filter socks.

[Lynnmw1208]

Yes, pods do get stuck in there. But, the vast majority of your pods do not go through your overflow and therefore are not removed by your filter socks.

ok. To expand on this, would using a mesh sock versus a cloth one have a difference on this? I would think the mesh would let pods through, but hold onto gunk still. Any thoughts on this?

[frankpayne32]

ok. To expand on this, would using a mesh sock versus a cloth one have a difference on this? I would think the mesh would let pods through, but hold onto gunk still. Any thoughts on this?

I think that pretty much any material/micron size of sock will trap the pods that flow into it. But, since so few your tank's pods actually flow into your sock I don't think it's something that needs to be considered or worried about.

[ColaAddict]

I use a mesh filter sock. They sell them at BRS. So much easier to clean, you just flit it inside out and rinse with water. The mesh also takes alot longer to clog up, so you can go weeks before you really need to wash rinse it or change it out. You really just need 2 mesh socks to keep interchanging and you are fine, so easy to clean.

[400M1963]

•Mesh: Thin, doesn't clog as easily as felt
•Felt: Thicker, better at removing particles, but can clog faster

Filter sock benefits:

•Regular use will result in crystal clear water most convenient form of mechanical filtration.
•Remove excess food, detritus, organic waste, dust and other particulates
•Convenient form of mechanical filtration
•Prevents larger objects like sand, crabs and snails from damaging pump motors
•reduces ammonia and nitrate producing organic waste
•Increases filter life

**************************************************

I use the mesh in short length and never find pods in or on the mesh. If I use felt type the pods are in and on the sock - sometimes you can get them off without harm when you change the sock. Mesh filters last much longer between cleanings: in my 75 gallon with 20 gal low sump I don't have to change for a month or more. I have close to zero consistent nitrate levels and tank has been running over 7 years with low oolithic sand cover and 100 pounds of live rock. No filter, ocassional carbon in last section of sump with return pump. Sump has mini refugium with pods nesting in LR rubble and softball sized clump of chaeto.

[falconut]

100 micron socks filter smaller particals then 200 micron socks.

I would think if the socks have holes large enough to pass a visible pod, then they're probably not effectively filtering the water. I don't really recall seeing many pods in the socks when I pull then to clean them. I imagine the amount of pods being removed by the socks is less then when chaeto is being pruned, since they live on it and I've always seen plenty of pods on the chaeto I'm removing.

[Lynnmw1208]

100 micron socks filter smaller particals then 200 micron socks.

I would think if the socks have holes large enough to pass a visible pod, then they're probably not effectively filtering the water. I don't really recall seeing many pods in the socks when I pull then to clean them. I imagine the amount of pods being removed by the socks is less then when chaeto is being pruned, since they live on it and I've always seen plenty of pods on the chaeto I'm removing.

good to know. When I prune my cheato though, I shake it off in my DT to save some pods. I have a mandarin and this is the reason for my concern. I may try the mesh socks if nothing else since I have tons of gunk in my sump. This thread is great! Good info!