To Sock, or not to Sock

Kryptikhan · 11/14/2007, 10:36 AM

I've been switchn my plumbing around, and I've decided not to use a sock.......got a fuge set up etc....

Sock needed?

Thx

an411 · 11/14/2007, 10:43 AM

I do not use one and everything seems fine

Aquarist007 · 11/14/2007, 10:47 AM

You can determine this yourself. Last weekend I decided not to run the sock. By sunday night I was not happy with the particulate matter in the main tank so I put it back on.
this is despite protein skimming, and phosbate/charcoal reactors and a big mother fug.

It is only a mechanical filtering component--so take it off for a day and see if it makes a difference to your water

fatrip · 11/14/2007, 12:43 PM

if you go with the sock make sure you make it a rutien to empty and wash it out every other day to every 3 days depending on your bio load. and if you slack on this part you will see dier consiquences such as ammonia and nitrate spikes. so it really depends on how much time you have in a week to deticate to the reef.

Aquarist007 · 11/14/2007, 12:49 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by fatrip
if you go with the sock make sure you make it a rutien to empty and wash it out every other day to every 3 days depending on your bio load. and if you slack on this part you will see dier consiquences such as ammonia and nitrate spikes. so it really depends on how much time you have in a week to deticate to the reef.

right on good advise

I use a 5 gal plastic pail with strong bleach in it--every other day I change the socks and throw them in the bleach bucket.. after 5 or 6 of them I rinse out the bucket and throw them in the wash--two cycles--one with detergent and one without. Come out very clean--the one in the picture is actually 8 months old and it still comes out that white.

Aquarist007 · 11/14/2007, 12:50 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by fatrip
if you go with the sock make sure you make it a rutien to empty and wash it out every other day to every 3 days depending on your bio load. and if you slack on this part you will see dier consiquences such as ammonia and nitrate spikes. so it really depends on how much time you have in a week to deticate to the reef.

that is one thing that you do make time for or like you say you will be putting alot more time in down the road.

DrBegalke · 11/14/2007, 12:54 PM

sounds like you decided not to use it.

Aquarist007 · 11/14/2007, 01:15 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by DrBegalke
sounds like you decided not to use it.

can't follow this one--Doc

ScottL4619 · 11/14/2007, 01:32 PM

How do you guys get the filter to just sit open on top of the water like in the picture above? I am thinking about adding one to my system to see if it removes some of the stuff that regularly blows around the tank. Do they make little stands for them?

Aquarist007 · 11/14/2007, 01:35 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by ScottL4619
How do you guys get the filter to just sit open on top of the water like in the picture above? I am thinking about adding one to my system to see if it removes some of the stuff that regularly blows around the tank. Do they make little stands for them?

If you look closely you will see that there is an acrylic clip that clips on the back of the tank. the white pvc is part of it. the rest of it resembles a toilet seat which supports the the filter sock

kind of a good analogy for a filter

payyourtoll · 11/14/2007, 01:37 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by capn_hylinur
right on good advise I use a 5 gal plastic pail with strong bleach in it--every other day I change the socks and throw them in the bleach bucket.. after 5 or 6 of them I rinse out the bucket and throw them in the wash--two cycles--one with detergent and one without. Come out very clean--the one in the picture is actually 8 months old and it still comes out that white.

exactly what I do, except I do NOT use detergent in 1st wash cycle, just bleach and water

ScottL4619 · 11/14/2007, 01:42 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by capn_hylinur
If you look closely you will see that there is an acrylic clip that clips on the back of the tank. the white pvc is part of it. the rest of it resembles a toilet seat which supports the the filter sock

kind of a good analogy for a filter

Where do you find these setups? Or did you make your own? It looks like there is a little basketball hoop type of thing that mounts onto a hang on bracket.

fatrip · 11/14/2007, 01:44 PM

i had never hear that with the bleach bucket...lol...i wondered how you guys kept them so clean...and No DOC, i dont use one, i dont have the time or the memory...lol...to use a filter sock. but after looking at yours capn i might look into making something to hang one in my sump and get like 10 of them and cycle through them....ill have to put a reminder on my phone to do it every other day tho, or my tank would crash...lol..

tcwayne · 11/14/2007, 02:18 PM

Very simple mine just sits in there. Old pic, I now have cheato and a nice light set up.

ScottL4619 · 11/14/2007, 02:22 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by tcwayne
Very simple mine just sits in there. Old pic, I now have cheato and a nice light set up.

Do the filter socks come with that little ring at the top?

Kryptikhan · 11/14/2007, 02:27 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by ScottL4619
Do the filter socks come with that little ring at the top?

yes. cost me about 7 bucks here for a nice one. I also have an acrylic clip that screws on where the sock fits in between baffles closely set. You can make one easily.

I'm gonna run without one at first to see the impact. For now, I'll keep my socks on my feet lol....

corals b 4 bills · 11/14/2007, 02:29 PM

Don't use the sock! I ran one for a year and my trates were running 50ppm + no matter what I did I could not get them down then I saw the TOTM and he said that he only uses one when he turkey bastes and during a water change I talked to MELEV and he agreed, one month later my trates are back to zero.

KAiNE · 11/14/2007, 02:33 PM

I do not use a sock for 2 reasons - 1) nitrates 2) I don't want to filter food/fauna from the water.

I still use one when i am doing a "blow out" and a water change to catch the stuff i stir up.

tcwayne · 11/14/2007, 02:48 PM

Well this is the first I have heard negetive feedback on the socks. Just proof that one thing works for one guy may not work for someone else. Sock or not I turn my main pump off when I feed corals and fish so it doesn't go down to the sock. For me the sock works like a champ.

Aquarist007 · 11/14/2007, 09:21 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by tcwayne
Well this is the first I have heard negetive feedback on the socks. Just proof that one thing works for one guy may not work for someone else. Sock or not I turn my main pump off when I feed corals and fish so it doesn't go down to the sock. For me the sock works like a champ.

if you read my post at the top of this thread--the best thing is to try it out for yourself--leave it off for a couple of days and observe the condition of your water--its only mechanical filtration so nothing lost by trying it out for yourself

corals b 4 bills · 11/14/2007, 09:32 PM

I turn off my pumps every night too but my tangs stir poop up as much as my tunzes do so my socks get gross, my new sump clean up crew is a 10" green brittle star we'll see how it goes.

ErikJL · 11/14/2007, 10:35 PM

I'm planning on making a removable sock holder at the drain to the sump. That way I can play around with it and see what happens. I think it's always good to be able to use one in case you ever need heavy mechanical filtration. Better to design for one and not hardly need/use it, that not plan for one and find out later it could have really helped. Just my .02.

Sundiego · 11/15/2007, 12:24 AM

I use a sock (200 micron) 24/7. It really keeps the water polished. The key as stated above is to keep it clean. I change mine out every other day.

I clean in the washer with no soap just bleach, and a second rince cycle as well.

I have 0 nitrates and have 12 fish. You just need to keep up on the cleanings and they work great.

erichatesmice · 11/15/2007, 12:29 AM

I have a question. I don't use a sock but I do use poly floss at the entrance of my sump as mechanical filtration, and also to reduce the amount of microbubbles.

I replace the floss exactly once per week. Is that too little?

Aquarist007 · 11/15/2007, 07:42 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by erichatesmice
I have a question. I don't use a sock but I do use poly floss at the entrance of my sump as mechanical filtration, and also to reduce the amount of microbubbles.

I replace the floss exactly once per week. Is that too little?

IMO--get rid of the floss, foam, etc etc--not needed and they just become nitrate traps. You are better off with none then using floss or foam.

11/14/2007, 10:36 AM	#1
Kryptikhan Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: North East Posts: 272	To Sock, or not to Sock I've been switchn my plumbing around, and I've decided not to use a sock.......got a fuge set up etc.... Sock needed? Thx __________________ 72 Bow Reef, 75 FW Planted, 90 Acrylic tank being transformed to sump. Larger Reef in works. Current Tank Info: 72g AGA Bow (Current 4x54 T5, Super Skimmer 125, Mag 7, Hydor 3's x2, Kent Hi-S 60gph, 20G Acrylic Sump/Fuge, Dual Bulkhead Overflow, 80 lbs sand, 100 lb rock)

11/14/2007, 10:47 AM	#3
Aquarist007 Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Hamilton, Canada Posts: 28,240 Blog Entries: 1	You can determine this yourself. Last weekend I decided not to run the sock. By sunday night I was not happy with the particulate matter in the main tank so I put it back on. this is despite protein skimming, and phosbate/charcoal reactors and a big mother fug. It is only a mechanical filtering component--so take it off for a day and see if it makes a difference to your water __________________ I prefer my substrates stirred but not shaken Current Tank Info: 150gal long mixed reef, 90gal sump, 60 gal refugium with 200 lbs live rock

11/14/2007, 12:43 PM	#4
fatrip Yup That Stuff Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: , ny Posts: 4,317	if you go with the sock make sure you make it a rutien to empty and wash it out every other day to every 3 days depending on your bio load. and if you slack on this part you will see dier consiquences such as ammonia and nitrate spikes. so it really depends on how much time you have in a week to deticate to the reef. __________________ Vince "We learn from history that we never learn anything from history." Hegel

11/14/2007, 12:54 PM	#7
DrBegalke Go Buckeyes! Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Phoenix area, AZ Posts: 2,599	sounds like you decided not to use it. __________________ ~Jason Begalke Current Tank Info: Latest project: JBJ Cubey

11/14/2007, 01:32 PM	#9
ScottL4619 Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Columbus, OH Posts: 478	How do you guys get the filter to just sit open on top of the water like in the picture above? I am thinking about adding one to my system to see if it removes some of the stuff that regularly blows around the tank. Do they make little stands for them? __________________ Scott Current Tank Info: Empty...

11/14/2007, 10:43 AM	#2
an411 Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Derby CT Posts: 2,861	I do not use one and everything seems fine

11/14/2007, 01:44 PM	#13
fatrip Yup That Stuff Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: , ny Posts: 4,317	i had never hear that with the bleach bucket...lol...i wondered how you guys kept them so clean...and No DOC, i dont use one, i dont have the time or the memory...lol...to use a filter sock. but after looking at yours capn i might look into making something to hang one in my sump and get like 10 of them and cycle through them....ill have to put a reminder on my phone to do it every other day tho, or my tank would crash...lol.. __________________ Vince "We learn from history that we never learn anything from history." Hegel

11/14/2007, 02:18 PM	#14
tcwayne OLDGUY-OG Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: St. Petersburg, Florida Posts: 2,645	Very simple mine just sits in there. Old pic, I now have cheato and a nice light set up.

11/14/2007, 02:29 PM	#17
corals b 4 bills Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: San Francisco Bay Area (Belmont). Posts: 2,381	Don't use the sock! I ran one for a year and my trates were running 50ppm + no matter what I did I could not get them down then I saw the TOTM and he said that he only uses one when he turkey bastes and during a water change I talked to MELEV and he agreed, one month later my trates are back to zero. __________________ Reefkeeper - (ref-ke-per) n: Individual obsessed with placing disturbing amounts of electricity and seawater in close proximity for the purpose of maintaining live coral reef organisms. Current Tank Info: 29 gallon Bio Cube, HQI 150 watt Nanotuner~Vortech MP10W ES~Arctica Chiller~AC II~Tunze Osmolator ATO~ Tunze 9002 skimmer W/In Tank Cup~ Korallin Reactor W/PH Monitor~ Korallin Denitrator~APC Back-up~Phosban/Carbon Reactor.

11/14/2007, 02:33 PM	#18
KAiNE Premium Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Middle TN Posts: 667	I do not use a sock for 2 reasons - 1) nitrates 2) I don't want to filter food/fauna from the water. I still use one when i am doing a "blow out" and a water change to catch the stuff i stir up. __________________ "When the people fear their government, there is Tyranny; when the government fears the people, there is Liberty." -- Thomas Jefferson

11/14/2007, 02:48 PM	#19
tcwayne OLDGUY-OG Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: St. Petersburg, Florida Posts: 2,645	Well this is the first I have heard negetive feedback on the socks. Just proof that one thing works for one guy may not work for someone else. Sock or not I turn my main pump off when I feed corals and fish so it doesn't go down to the sock. For me the sock works like a champ. __________________ Chuck

11/14/2007, 09:32 PM	#21
corals b 4 bills Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: San Francisco Bay Area (Belmont). Posts: 2,381	I turn off my pumps every night too but my tangs stir poop up as much as my tunzes do so my socks get gross, my new sump clean up crew is a 10" green brittle star we'll see how it goes. __________________ Reefkeeper - (ref-ke-per) n: Individual obsessed with placing disturbing amounts of electricity and seawater in close proximity for the purpose of maintaining live coral reef organisms. Current Tank Info: 29 gallon Bio Cube, HQI 150 watt Nanotuner~Vortech MP10W ES~Arctica Chiller~AC II~Tunze Osmolator ATO~ Tunze 9002 skimmer W/In Tank Cup~ Korallin Reactor W/PH Monitor~ Korallin Denitrator~APC Back-up~Phosban/Carbon Reactor.

11/14/2007, 10:35 PM	#22
ErikJL Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Spokane, WA Posts: 97	I'm planning on making a removable sock holder at the drain to the sump. That way I can play around with it and see what happens. I think it's always good to be able to use one in case you ever need heavy mechanical filtration. Better to design for one and not hardly need/use it, that not plan for one and find out later it could have really helped. Just my .02. __________________ I predict future happiness for Americans if they can prevent the government from wasting the labors of the people under the pretense of taking care of them. - Thomas Jefferson Current Tank Info: 90g RR, 55g sump/fuge, DIY rocks, DIY stand, DIY skimmer.

11/15/2007, 12:24 AM	#23
Sundiego Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: San Diego, CA Posts: 221	I use a sock (200 micron) 24/7. It really keeps the water polished. The key as stated above is to keep it clean. I change mine out every other day. I clean in the washer with no soap just bleach, and a second rince cycle as well. I have 0 nitrates and have 12 fish. You just need to keep up on the cleanings and they work great.

11/15/2007, 12:29 AM	#24
erichatesmice Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Posts: 325	I have a question. I don't use a sock but I do use poly floss at the entrance of my sump as mechanical filtration, and also to reduce the amount of microbubbles. I replace the floss exactly once per week. Is that too little? __________________ mint wuv wubabio!