Game changer filter sock for red sea reefer tanks!

[deputydog95]

I was just complaining last week to myself about how annoying the plastic red sea filter socks are to clean. Bought 8 and seems like they clog within 2 days and take forever to clean properly. Not a terribly well thought out mechanical filtration solution.

Anyway, while I was *****ing to myself wishing there was something disposable, it had already been done.

A local guy came up with food grade injection molded plastic cups that fit in the res sea sock drawers. LFS sells them now and is recommending simple floss style filter media and inserting inside.

When it's dirty, which they say takes a couple weeks, you simply take out the floss, throw it away and insert more floss. You could put anything you prefer in there though. Carbon. Zeo rocks. Whatever... Lots of flow.

Genius... Wish I had thought of it. $20 each. Worth every penny. Comes in colors but I'm boring and got clear.

Don't mind the swamp I have in the refugium. LFS makes fun of it. Started out as chaeto and turned into hair algae because I couldn't get it to tumble. Either way... It's in the refugium, not in my tank, and my po4 is point zero two

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[ddanis60]

All that stuff is what the fuge is for! Keeping the nasties out of the tank. Cups look good. My socks last a week or so, but if it was 2 days or so, I would also switch. Looks great!


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[2000se]

You know - I was thinking the same thing when I got my reefer, terrible - SOOO I just left the plastic filter socks in and mashed filter floss into them. Accomplishes the same thing as you have. Just replace the filter floss every few weeks. Then when I get the time I replace the socks and the floss with new and start over.. I agree, it's better than the original.

[LQT]

Is that the "filter media cup" guy? I emailed that guy cuz I need 7" ones. He only makes the 4" ones.

[tc2007]

BRS did a video about filter socks and found out that 2 days is optimal changing time before PO4 and NO3 start to rise. But if it works for you that's great.

[deputydog95]

Originally Posted by ddanis60

All that stuff is what the fudge is for! Keeping the nasties out of the tank. Cups look good. My socks last a week or so, but if it was 2 days or so, I would also switch. Looks great!


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Fudge? You lost me

I can get a week out of the RS nylon socks, but at that point, they are totally clogged and a nightmare to clean.

Originally Posted by 2000se

You know - I was thinking the same thing when I got my reefer, terrible - SOOO I just left the plastic filter socks in and mashed filter floss into them. Accomplishes the same thing as you have. Just replace the filter floss every few weeks. Then when I get the time I replace the socks and the floss with new and start over.. I agree, it's better than the original.

Problem is you still have to clean those awful nylon socks. That is a great way of prolonging it though. My issue is that it's so miserable I just wasn't doing it. The opening is small, the rings are rigid and kind of sharp, and the mesh is so tight I would spend a half hour trying to clean them and they will just come out around 80% clean.

Originally Posted by LQT

Is that the "filter media cup" guy? I emailed that guy cuz I need 7" ones. He only makes the 4" ones.

I don't think so.... These are at least 6" or 7". Take a look at the pic on my chair as a reference. I would consider even 12" if he made one. There's room in my sump.

Originally Posted by tc2007

BRS did a video about filter socks and found out that 2 days is optimal changing time before PO4 and NO3 start to rise. But if it works for you that's great.

I'm certain that is true, but probably negligible impact. I got so lazy with the RS socks, I would let them go weeks to the point where the water wouldn't flow through them and it would just flow over the top into the sump.

Recently had a Triton test done and my P04 was .02

That's pretty darn low for a kind who does bi weekly water changes and feeds daily. I don't run any media that pulls phosphate. Just a skimmer and a refugium that looks more like a swamp now LOL.

I will probably change these more frequently because I simply cut a strip of floss media, yank the old, throw it away, and insert more floss. I don't even have to take the cups out as I can just reach in.

I may put a little carbon in one of them and see how that works.

[ddanis60]

Originally Posted by deputydog95

Fudge? You lost me .

Fuge. Refugium. Autocorrect


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[deputydog95]

Originally Posted by ddanis60

Fuge. Refugium. Autocorrect


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Ahhh. Copy that.

And agreed. Better to have all that nastiness down below than in the DT.

I'm towing with putting something in there that that would eat hair algae and Chaeto.

Any ideas? Figured the critter could help keep the area clean and I could export the waste with water changes and the skimmer. So long as it was small enough to eat slower than the algae growth.

[LQT]

By 4" vs 7", I meant in diameter, not length. I need a 7" in diameter version of those as my sump uses 7" socks.

[deputydog95]

Originally Posted by LQT

By 4" vs 7", I meant in diameter, not length. I need a 7" in diameter version of those as my sump uses 7" socks.

Ahhh. Yeah, these are specific for the red sea reefer sumps.

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[LQT]

This is the "Filter Media Cup Guy" I was referring to. The ones in your picture look exactly like his. I wouldn't be shocked if he's the manufacturer, as he's in Florida too.

Scroll all the way down...

http://the-mold-shop.com/

[deputydog95]

Yep. That has to be him. His listed location is about 15 mins from LFS. Good find. Could have bought them cheaper from him directly, damn it lol.

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[LQT]

Now I gotta convince him to make 7" cups!

[deputydog95]

I'm sure if there is a market for it he'd be down. You could always put a trim plate on top of your hole now with a 4 inch hole in the middle to accommodate the cup if it will meet your flow rates.

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[scuzy]

I've seen red Dixie cups being use too

[00101]

What I'd like is a new bracket thing that would accept standard sized filter socks and not the every so slightly different ones red sea tries to make you use just as a big middle finger. As if they didn't squeeze enough cash out of you in the tank purchase

I've found that if you widen the opening a little bit with some sandpaper wrapped around some cylinder and cut off the lip on standard socks that you can get the thing to accept them. It's what I've been using for a while now but I can't bring myself to modify all of my socks so I only have 2 plus the included red sea one to cycle through.

[2000se]

@Deputy - The way I clean mine -

I have several I rotate through.
Starting with a fresh set of about 5 pairs, the first ones I change out go into a bucket with RO water. I just throw them in there. When I'm on my last pair, I know I got about a week before I do a clean. And there are then 4 pairs in the RO bucket.

Once the last pair needs changing out, it too goes into the bucket. Once they are all in the bucket, I pour about 1/8th cup Clorox into the bucket and let it sit for about 2 days. (At this point I've been sockless for 2 days) And the 1/8th cup Clorox depends on how much water. Usually I've about 2-3 gallons in the bucket.

After 2 days sitting in bleach water, everything pretty much falls off. I blast them with the hose on shower spray, not blast spray! while kinda helping remove the gunk. It usually comes of really easy. I then let them sit to dry for a day or 2 before starting over. Usually end up going sockless for a week before putting in a fresh pair.

makes sense. the bleach water really helps to clean then.

[FireReeferSteve]

So where can we get these?


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[deputydog95]

Originally Posted by 2000se

@Deputy - The way I clean mine -

I have several I rotate through.
Starting with a fresh set of about 5 pairs, the first ones I change out go into a bucket with RO water. I just throw them in there. When I'm on my last pair, I know I got about a week before I do a clean. And there are then 4 pairs in the RO bucket.

Once the last pair needs changing out, it too goes into the bucket. Once they are all in the bucket, I pour about 1/8th cup Clorox into the bucket and let it sit for about 2 days. (At this point I've been sockless for 2 days) And the 1/8th cup Clorox depends on how much water. Usually I've about 2-3 gallons in the bucket.

After 2 days sitting in bleach water, everything pretty much falls off. I blast them with the hose on shower spray, not blast spray! while kinda helping remove the gunk. It usually comes of really easy. I then let them sit to dry for a day or 2 before starting over. Usually end up going sockless for a week before putting in a fresh pair.

makes sense. the bleach water really helps to clean then.

I was doing the same thing with 4 pair, except without the bleach. I'm sure the bleach makes it much easier, but you have to be so careful making sure they are rinsed, rinsed again, and then rinse them some more

Just way too much work for me.... And they never got as clean as I prefer. Plus being so small with the rigid plastic ring, they're a bear to turn inside out.

This is 1000x easier and the floss is cheap. I can remove and reinstall new filter media in about 2 mins which includes cutting the floss strip and inserting.

[deputydog95]

Originally Posted by FireReeferSteve

So where can we get these?


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I got them from my LFS which is Coral Connection in Sarasota, FL.

But you might as well go direct to the source and save a few bucks:

http://the-mold-shop.com/

[CJP63]

There is a gentleman on facebook who sells a beautiful black and clear acrylic filter floss holder for red sea reefer aquariums. His company name is anything acrylic. They are the best design i have seen so far.

[deputydog95]

Found those on his FB page today. Very nice as well. Probably a bit more expensive for essentially the same thing though.

[snappa]

Originally Posted by tc2007

BRS did a video about filter socks and found out that 2 days is optimal changing time before PO4 and NO3 start to rise. But if it works for you that's great.

Yep I saw it too. I now take out socks every day or two depending on how heavy I fed the day before. Just like changing your undies - something you just HAVE to do!

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[CJP63]

The ones on facebook also have nice side slots for better flow.

[deputydog95]

Originally Posted by CJP63

The ones on facebook also have nice side slots for better flow.

But then you have to out more floss in to stay above the side slots or the tank after will bypass the filter. . I like the idea if it flowing top to bottom versus top to bottom and out the sides.

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