Filter Socks... Do or Do not??

to Sock or not to Sock...

  • I use Filter Socks

    Votes: 11 68.8%
  • I DO NOT use filter socks

    Votes: 5 31.3%

  • Total voters
    16
  • Poll closed .

Snelly40

Well-Known Member
I've always used filter socks... but i took them out last night... going to try and see any benefits from this and to make sure the water quality stays crystal clear...

Do you use filter socks? and why?
 

DaveK

Well-Known Member
I've tried it both ways. As far as work, it's about break even. You get out of cleaning the filter socks, but then you find your cleaning the skimmer and sump more often, because they will collect all the small particulate matter the filter socks were getting.

As for the tank itself, with those small particles in circulation, filter feeding livestock may benefit.
 

pablomay28

Well-Known Member
For me its simple. Do you want what the sock traps in the sock or in the sump and tank. It is a bit more work to replace once or twice a week and then wash but with 8 socks I can go for about 7 weeks without throwing them in the washer with bleach.
 

frisbee

Well-Known Member
I've never found the need to run a filter sock on a regular basis. I like to let nature take it's course and have things like food, micro fauna & particulate matter float freely throughout the system. When it's time to do a water change, then I'll put that filter sock to work for a couple hours. It's definitely a valuable tool to have when you've stirred up your sand bed and blasted your rocks with a power head.
 

cracker

Well-Known Member
I use a filter sock pretty much all the time. I have 3 outlets . One dumps water over the skimmer intake. Another dumps into a sock, The 3rd dumps water into the refugium. I have ball valves to control how much water flows thru each. Like Frisbee, I place socks on all 3 when I stir things up. I like the sock because I see all the gunk it removes .
 

StirCrayzy

Well-Known Member
I think what gives a solid option to use or not, is whether your sump has a settling area for debris.
I tried reg felt socks but they don't stay clean for long enough. Now I use mesh socks, and like that they let some fine particles flow through. The heavy stuff settles and free floating stuff recirculates. I like the idea that I can catch any large crap, or fish, before they hit the pump.
 

sirrealism

Well-Known Member
I have tried both ways. I found that without for a wile my corals were very happy but after some time of build up my N03 started to rise. So from now on I will always run socks and change them at least every3 days.
 

StirCrayzy

Well-Known Member
For the record I'll state that my algae battle is proof that nothing I state should be considered advice or suggestive in context unless /until I can get my theoretical system to prove itself.

End disclaimer :)

I should probably add that to my signature.
 

sirrealism

Well-Known Member
StirCrazy Thats a good disclaimer! But if your going to use one then we all should. Since what works for you might not work for the next guy. Like me going bare bottom. It works for me but might not work for the next guy. You have a different way of husbandry, Like cleaning your sump as often as you do. I hate cleaning my sump so I run socks. But it works for you and thats great. It might work for someone else 2
 

StirCrayzy

Well-Known Member
i guess I was thinking more like "What should (but doesn't) work for me, should ( but might not) work better for you"
my debris maintenance is just to Buckethead vacuum my settling area every other week ish, during WC. It only takes a couple minutes really. Also my mesh socks don't get much stuck in them, so I only rinse them out and drop back in. No laundry for me. It might be an even trade in time for my maintenance, vs having to scrub out felt socks and bleach them..
Also I don't mind seeing particles blowing around the tank, that's probably a big part of why most folks run felt socks vs mesh, or None at all.
 

sirrealism

Well-Known Member
Not sure what there is to scrub with the socks. Also I dont use bleach. I pull the sock inside out and put them in the washer. Run on hot 2 times. Let them air dry and pull them right side out. I am running 5 tanks so doing socks is much simpler for me then vacuuming the sump. If I had just one tank that might work. I have about 35 socks so it makes a full load. I wash every 2 weeks. The bleach thing is if you want your socks to be white which I dont really car about. Plenty of people just rinse the socks with a hose and put them back in. If I didnt have so many I might do this but with 35 the washing machine is much quicker. Also I am not permited to wash the socks before the wife washes cloths LOL Not sure why????
 
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