Filter Sock or No Filter Sock?

[edwin-orellana]

I'm tired of washing and replacing filter socks. Can I get rid of filter socks altogether without adversely affecting parameters? Hoping to get ideas....
I've got the itch to go bigger and better and need ideas

[jeff@zina.com]

Filter socks are a part of an overall filtration process. If your socks are dirty and need changing often, then you probably need them or need to stop over feeding. If not, you can probably remove them. Many don't run filter socks, but you have to find an alternate method of removing what they were catching.

Jeff

[fatdaddy]

There are different schools of thought on the filter sock. Certainly, if you're fighting problem algae then good to have, but there is certainly no requirement to have a filter sock. I'd keep it as a backup in case some additional large filtering is required.

Also, I think a filter sock helps reduce noise and spash in the sump. Just something to consider.

[edwin-orellana]

Thanx

What if I place rubble instead?

[saltyseaman01]

imo id use a sock the tank will be cleaner and less build up of crap in the sump

[potterjon]

I would keep the sock. They are a pain but they do so much good. I am a big fan of mechanical filtration.

[jc-reef]

^^^ agreed. I use a filter pad over a drip tray (same concept) and the sump and tank is always clear/free from debris. They definately assist in the filtration process and aid your skimmer by filtering out the larger particles before entering.

[Sk8r]

Here's an earlier discussion: http://reefcentral.com/forums/showth...hlight=to+sock

[edwin-orellana]

Thanx...Sk8tr for the link to previous discussion....
looks like I will be keeping socks......darn!

[iamwrasseman]

socks are great to remove larger particulate matter but you should change them every three days IMO .

[cloak]

I think there's a time and a place for filter socks. When you've stirred up everything in both the sump and the DT with a PH, then it's time to polish the water with a filter sock. Otherwise, I think it's best to just let everything float freely throughout the system and let nature take it's course. Given time, your sump will develop a life of it's own. That extra food that goes over the falls should be made short work of if it happens to settle on the bottom of your sump. Who knows, it might go all the way around and the fish will end up consuming it. Either way, it beats leftovers just rotting away in a sock for 24 hours on end.

[Seanymac045]

What do you think about placing media bags filled with carbon and gfo inside the filter sock? I have my drainage pipes go into a 7" filter sock with the media bags inside. I thought it would be more of an active filtration approach instead of letting water flow over them at the bottom of the sum.

[HumbleFish]

My biggest problem with filter socks has always been having to shut down the sump during feeding time. IMO, every time you switch off your return pump you are just one day closer to it not switching back on. I just feel switching it off/on everyday shortens it's life expectancy. Leave it running, and your socks get clogged quickly with uneaten fish food. No filter sock means that at least some of the food has the possibility of recirculating and getting eaten. No filter sock also means having to clean your sump more often - so it's a mixed bag.

[foundnemo11]

I use filtersocks so my sump doesn't become a dump. I also use them to hold chemi pure bags so the water runs threw the bags. I couldn't imagine not using them

[ca1ore]

My own personal experience suggest that filter socks, or any mechanical filtration for that matter, can be beneficial as long as you are changing/rinsing regularly. If you are not, then having some kind of 'settling' chamber in your sump that can be suctioned out periodically is better. I am not particularly good at regular cleaning (too much business travel) and my tanks with mechanical filtration have always run higher nitrate levels than those without.

[Spork3245]

Originally Posted by HumbleFish

My biggest problem with filter socks has always been having to shut down the sump during feeding time. IMO, every time you switch off your return pump you are just one day closer to it not switching back on. I just feel switching it off/on everyday shortens it's life expectancy. Leave it running, and your socks get clogged quickly with uneaten fish food. No filter sock means that at least some of the food has the possibility of recirculating and getting eaten. No filter sock also means having to clean your sump more often - so it's a mixed bag.

Why would you shut down the sump during feeding time if you use a filter sock?

[ca1ore]

Originally Posted by HumbleFish

Leave it running, and your socks get clogged quickly with uneaten fish food.

Interesting! I do not turn off my main pump during feeding time, and still get very little food going into the overflow/sump. Perhaps you are either feeding too much at one time or just have too much flow through your overflow. In my tank, any food that does get into the sump is much more likely to either get sucked up by the skimmer, consumed in the fuge or end up at the bottom of my settling chamber.

[Sparkpaul]

This is a good question.

I went from filter pads to socks and only to find out that pads are more convenient for me.

I am also thinking about removing my socks since I have a oversized skimmer,bubble king deluxe 300 for a 200 gallon tank.

Does a bigger skimmer remove more detritus? I still see debris in my sump and once every two months I vacuum out everything.

[Dapg8gt]

I also shut down my return when feeding. In my experience it just gives the food a chance to be eaten vs just landing in the filter sock. I don't have to worry about forgetting to turn back on though as the reef angel does it with a push of a button on my phone =).

As for the other questions about putting the media in the bags IME it works but in the long run you are clogging the media way faster and instead of filtering the water it's getting saturated with solids and in turn costing you more and working less. Think about how fast the pores will be clogged rendering it useless by the way your filter socks look after a few days. That's what the pores of that media you paid all that money look like also..

[Seanymac045]

Thanks for the input. I am also the type to not turn off my pump during feeding, luckily theres no need, I feed through a turkey bastor and all my fish wait greedily at the tip haha. No food has a chance to get to the sump usually. Feeding corals though..... I pull my filter sock with the bags inside over night.

[ninja66999]

i like my sock yo catch pods, fun to watch the fish eatem

[invertinoob]

i was having nitrate issues while running them...my bioload is kinda high as well. i took them off and didnt change feeding habits or anything else and nitrates went away within the week.

[Mcgeezer]

The amount of junk my filter sock cleans out of my tank is well worth it. Plus it acts as a small addtional bio filter as well

I personally think the benefit outweighs the alternative

[MikeReef79]

Just buy more, For Christmas I asked for 4 from my parents and my wife's parents, now I have 12... I replace once every 3 days and do a wash once every 2 weeks now....

[GHill762]

I ran sockless on my last tank and had a lot of detritus buildup, it was a dump, I run socks now and have a sterile fuge/sump.. I think the key is to have it somewhere in the middle of those two extremes. I think I'm going to start running sockless, then blow detritus out once a week or so into a sock, then take the sock back out..