Filter sock, yea or nay

[Griffer]

Hello. I have been seeing some conflicting mesages about the use of filter socks. My tank is a 120g Envision acrylic with what I estimate is a 40g sump. There is a single overflow from the DT, first compartment has the skimmer and a pump for the GAC and GFO reactors. The second is a refugium with live sand, rock and two types of macro algae. The last compartment is more rock and the return pump.

Now my question is, should I or should I not be using a filter sock? I currently am. I change it whenever the flow slows down, or it overflows. This is about every five days. I wouldn't mind NOT using a sock, because it seems like that would be more beneficial to the refugium. On the other hand, I wonder about trapping too much 'stuff' in the refuge.

I would appreciate reading your opinions.

Thanks.
Gene

[noobtothereef]

the filter sock just takes out the "chuncks" and "floaties", it doesnt take the nitrates out of the water that things in the refugium are eating up, isnt that the reason for the refugium in the first place is removing nitrates???

[vikubz]

Those chunks will break down and contribute to the nitrates. By capturing them they can be easily removed. The key is to clean the sock regularly.
Some folks go without the sock, but vacuum their sump when they do water changes. No matter how you do it, the more detritus you can get out of your system the better.

[lordofthereef]

The only complaint I have ever heard about filter socks is that they do have the tendency to become a nitrate factory and clog up if they are not cleaned properly. If you are fine with the upkeep, which it sounds like you are, and you don't feel you are polishing your water TOO much and starving your livestock I would say keep running it.

[mm949]

^^only if u over feed will the cause nitrates and even then it not the bags fault, its only catching the crud u throw in the tank, bags do not filter out food for the corals, only 100m or larger debris^^

i love my bags, i wouldnt run a tank w/o them

[cloak]

Pods in general, refuge>>>DT>>>overflow>>>filter sock>>>laundry. No thanks. I'd much rather have things circulate throughout the system until it's time to pull them out. A few hours after I've stirred everything up in the sump/DT seems to do the trick for me.

[Griffer]

Thanks for the replies. I would like to see a poll for who does/doesn't use socks. Anyone ever seen a poll on this?

[bbris]

I much prefer the advantages, to the disadvantages.

[preef]

I don't use them. I never clean my sump or refugium either. Nitrates stay around .1-.2 ppm with a heavy fish load and heavy feeding. My fuge is full of chaeto. Not all tank water flows through there but the chaeto is full of bristle worms and pods that break down everything that ends up in there.

Here is a thread with a poll on filter socks. http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/sh...ighlight=socks

[CleveYank]

It's hard enough keeping carbon and other medias from becoming nitrate machines. Once I got into better skimmers and kept hitting my systems with ozone, particulate and staining is a non-issue. Socks just seem like a another thing to clean and maintain.

[ludnix]

Originally Posted by mm949

^^only if u over feed will the cause nitrates and even then it not the bags fault, its only catching the crud u throw in the tank, bags do not filter out food for the corals, only 100m or larger debris^^

i love my bags, i wouldnt run a tank w/o them

Corals are not limited to food under 100microns in size.

I used filter socks for a few months before deciding they are not worth the effort. I have been much happier with my system since removing them.

[fishysteve]

ludnix has it exactly right.

[VoodooMach]

I also agree, they are alot of hassle.

[Gary Majchrzak]

Originally Posted by Griffer

Hello. I have been seeing some conflicting mesages about the use of filter socks. My tank is a 120g Envision acrylic with what I estimate is a 40g sump. There is a single overflow from the DT, first compartment has the skimmer and a pump for the GAC and GFO reactors. The second is a refugium with live sand, rock and two types of macro algae. The last compartment is more rock and the return pump.

Now my question is, should I or should I not be using a filter sock? I currently am. I change it whenever the flow slows down, or it overflows. This is about every five days. I wouldn't mind NOT using a sock, because it seems like that would be more beneficial to the refugium. On the other hand, I wonder about trapping too much 'stuff' in the refuge.

I would appreciate reading your opinions.

Thanks.
Gene

nobody asked Gene what kind of reef animals he's keeping?

[Griffer]

Gary, at one time I had my tank in my profile signature. Don't know what happened to that. Anyway, I have:

120g Envision acrylic 48x24x24, one overflow, return split w/SQWD device
40g sump (just guessing) with refuge in center compartment
~160lbs live rock, sand bed
PM Kalkwasser stirrer
BRS RO/DI unit, 6-stage "Deluxe"
BRS GFO/GAC dual canister reactor
Odyssea dual 250w MH, four 54w actinic T5 HO, 12 moonlights
Two 300w titanium heaters for redundancy/backup
50g barrel in garage gravity feeds ATO system
All ATO is Kalkwasser unless pH is over 8.35, then pure RO/DI
Neptune APEX controls all of this

Yellow tang
D. Sailfin Tang
Two red and one purple firefish
Beng. cardinal
Two Nemos
Lawnmower blenny
Royal gramma
10 blue/green chromis
3 anthias (forgot which kind)
Randall's goby

2 GBTAs (started with one)
4 RBTAs (started with one)
BTAs are on a rock separate from the rest
Open brain (deflated last 4 days?)
One unidentifed LPS (see LPS id please area)
Pipe organ
Assorted Monti caps
Many assorted softies, like zoas Kenya trees zenias GSP
Fire shrimp
Cleaner shrimp
3 or 4 peppermint shrimp
2 pistol shrimp
Arrow crab (usually has a bristle worm in one claw for munchies)
Tile (or marble ?) star
Sand sifter star
coco worm
lots of stuff just appears, feathers, sponges,
something that looks like a barnacle
About 50-member CUC

Tank.jpg

[Mad_Reefer]

I do not use them.
Nitrates test at zero and I really like the way my tank looks.
Off topic, Why would the poll be closed?

[Gary Majchrzak]

no skimmer, Gene?

[Stuart60611]

They really are only a pain to deal with when you do not have enough of them. I have 26 which I change 2 every other day and therefore gets me through about a month without having to clean them. Every other day I change them, turn the dirty ones inside out, and put the dirty socks in a garbage bag where they are stored until washed. The process takes about 5 minutes. Once per month I clean all of them in one heavy duty cycle with bleach. Aside from being yet another surprisingly effective method to export crud, they really make my water look more polished. I definitely notice less water clairity without them. I buy them in bulk real cheap so they are not very expensive either. To me, definitely worthwhile.

[iamwrasseman]

they are a pain but i do use them ,change every three days on three different systems .i clean a dozen every week ,thats the big pain as i always clean the washing maching first . i am looking for a cheap used unit as we speak just for my socks.

[Griffer]

Yes Gary I have a Bubble Max 2500 skimmer. I haven't seen these mentioned very often but they are made here locally in Vancouver Washington by a plastics company. So I've been told anyway. It works good anyway.

Gene

[Johnny C]

Originally Posted by iamwrasseman

i am looking for a cheap used unit as we speak just for my socks.

Now THAT is dedication... imagine explaining that to your significant other!

FWIW, I pulled my sock out tonight and don't plan on putting it back in. My skimmer performs better without it and constant washing is a PITA!

[brascal1]

I gave up on them a long time ago too - too much work with too little return.

[JeF4y]

+1 on the Nay vote. Too much of a PITA. No water quality problems so far...

[Gary Majchrzak]

based on what you've described in this thread, Gene, you might be better off not running a mechanical filter. If you choose to run a mechanical filter I would think that 200 micron would be your best choice. JMO.

FWIW I run a "SPS type" aquarium and I run a 10 micron filter 24/7 along with a great skimmer and I have no shortage of pods etc. etc.