Filter Sock Usage Poll
 

How do you (or do you not) use filter socks?

Bump

I did use filter socks for about two months. They trapped a lot of detritus and worked well as mechanical filtration. I stopped using them after installing an egg crate shelf and layering it with floss. I found the filter socks to be cumbersome to use on my system and dreaded getting to them in order to clean and change them. Not good in terms of maintaining good tank husbandry habits. At the moment I am happier with floss, my phosphates and nitrates are zero, and changing the floss is much easier than changing the socks.
One day, as need arises I may go back to socks because they are effective. Just right now I am happier without them.

I agree with you as to the difficulty of using filter socks in many set-ups. Usefull, yes, but could be improved as to their adaptability and mounting possibilities.

If you do a nice DIY then a filtersock takes 1min to replace. I could never see myself running a reef without it. It just collects so much stuff, that dont end up in the reactors etc I have in the sump!

I just wanted to add that I use a filter sock on one tank, but not on the other tank... no real difference in either tank in terms of major benefit...

I just recently switched from filter floss to socks on mine, granted its more of a pain to change, i have noticed a difference and was surprised by how much more is caught by the socks.

i am redoing my setup so i can change my socks in 1 minute or less I'll take picks when i am at that point. mine are a huge pain to do now so they are basically bio filters and nitrate producters!

Recently started using a filter stock after seeing how dirty my sump was. I wish I had started using them sooner. I had so much sand and detritus in my sump! Not sure of the long term benefits but it's easy to change and catches most of the big stuff.

Bump for more responses

I use felt socks just for a couple of days after a water change. They work well that way and do not affect my nitrates.

I wanted to start a poll but let's put this to the top for some more voting. Thanks!

Thanks for creating the poll. This is something I've been wondering about. Can anyone comment on the practical differences between using felt filter socks and mesh filter socks. I've used felt in the past but never mesh and wonder whether mesh trap less and thus need to be changed less.

When my tank was up and running (remodeling right now, soon to be back up with something), no filter socks here.

I don't think their a pain to change, but a pain to clean.

Should you use one for the refugium drain or just the skimmer compartment drain? (I will drain my DT into both sections.)

I clean mine about once a week during water changes and basically just take it outside and blast it with a hose. Pretty much gets everything off. Then I just rinse it in ro/di water to make sure it's clean enough and out it back on.

++1 DIY a holder. I just used a eye hook and cut a small hole in the plastic ring and hook it up. The socks do collect more Debris so yes, you have to have better husbandry on cleaning them. Or they well become Phos & nitrate factory's.


Currently:
125G 6 ft. GLASS + 55G LONG SUMP/REFUGIUM

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I run felt filter socks on my reef. Keeps water clarity perfect, reduces nutrients and detritus, and keeps reactors free of clogs and debris. I also have my GFO output going through a sock. Even after rinsing well, you'd be surprised how much dust/fines will make it into the system. Maybe I'm just being paranoid, but that sock collects a lot of GFO dust.

Used them for a long time, but got tired of cleaning them. They do a good job of keeping the tank/sump cleaner, but must be changed like every 3 days, or at least this was the case with my system. I have bio pellets and the film clogged them up pretty quick !! I think I'm going back to them because my sump is now pretty dirty do to about a year of not using them. There's also the problem with filter socks and loss of pods. Any thoughts? This was another reason I decided to stop using them.

Reefnut brings up a concern I have for employing "socks". I am in the process of rebuilding my reef again, and I always used filter floss on a layer of eggcrate over bio balls. I recently purchased "mesh" filter socks (two sets for quick switch out) and was planning to use them as well as the filter floss for a two layered approach. My big concern is the pods getting trapped in the socks. I know they could get out of the floss but now I'm pretty sure they will be trapped.

John

I am planning a build right now and I am thinking I will drain my tank partially into the skimmer area where I will have a sock and partially into the refugium where I will not have a sock. Then my refugium water will flow through a bubble trap and up to the tank. This should at least preserve some of the pods. But I haven't decided for sure on the sock in the skimmer compartment. I don't currently use one and my sump is a mess so I am thinking I will at least try one and see if I like it. Good discussion.

Barefoot for me. My drain runs straight into my skimmer.

No filter sock for me, unless I stir up the sand or move rock in the tank. Otherwise everything's fine and my sump is clean. I do have a huge skimmer for my system though.

Had the sump designed to hold two socks for the inlets. I would definitely use them on initial setup and break-in!!! Got a few more pairs on the way to swap out.