filter sock problems

[reefbroao]

every time I change my sock, I get milky water. I know its because of the higher flow rate when the sock is removed, but this seems ridiculous. also my skimmer is going nuts after changing today. I hand wash the sock with scalding water. If this is unavoidable I will definitely not be using filter socks.

 

[CStrickland]

That doesn't happen to me at all.
Are you washing it in a bucket that also gets used for other things? It sounds like something besides water is getting in there to upset the skimmer.
Or like the way you are removing it from the sump is letting stuff get dumped back in the water?
Maybe if you say your process step by step that would help

 

[reefbroao]

lol process is a bit mess. struggle with egg crate sock holder, try to stick another one in as quickly as possible, its a mess. I made my sump from a 40b and used egg crate quite a bit including the sock holder. I ended up just pulling it, I have a curve 7 on my 80g with 40b sump so i'm hoping it can skim enough to not need socks. I absent mindlessly cleaned the sock with tap and im just now realizing that could be a problem.

 

[Seeady66]

The dry organics in the sock if not washed well enough make your skimmer go mad. Clean your skimmer cup at the same time you change your sock then you're skimmer won't go mad as it needs to form a new head.

 

[Ron Reefman]

Are you saying that the issue is you remove the old sock and the unrestricted flow from the drain with no sock on it is stirring things up before you get the new sock on?

That's what your question sounds like to me.

Try turning off the return pump and let the tank drain and settle, then change the socks and start it back up. Or clean out the section of your sump where the unrestricted water is stirring up the mess.

 

[scooter31707]

Try washing them in the washing machine. Run one cycle with a cap full of bleach. Run another cycle with just plain water, no bleach. Then let air dry for at least 24 hours and see if that helps your situation.

 

[CStrickland]

lol process is a bit mess. struggle with egg crate sock holder, try to stick another one in as quickly as possible, its a mess. I made my sump from a 40b and used egg crate quite a bit including the sock holder. I ended up just pulling it, I have a curve 7 on my 80g with 40b sump so i'm hoping it can skim enough to not need socks. I absent mindlessly cleaned the sock with tap and im just now realizing that could be a problem.

Ha!
Well good luck then. Plenty of people don't run them and it's fine. Another option is to keep some (properly) clean ones around to use occasionally. Like once a month you can blow all the crud off the rocks and stir up the sand, before a water change and run the sock for an hour after to polish the water.

If your sump is hard to get around in, make sure you don't let it get too dirty. If too much stuff accumulates there it can drive up nitrates. It can be good to have a settling area where the water slows down and detritus settles out of it, but you can't skip the part where you actually remove it from the system with a vacuum or siphon or something.

 

[dabob79]

lol process is a bit mess. struggle with egg crate sock holder, try to stick another one in as quickly as possible, its a mess. I made my sump from a 40b and used egg crate quite a bit including the sock holder. I ended up just pulling it, I have a curve 7 on my 80g with 40b sump so i'm hoping it can skim enough to not need socks. I absent mindlessly cleaned the sock with tap and im just now realizing that could be a problem.

Washing your socks with tap water shouldn't be a problem. I wash mine in scalding hot water in the washing machine with 1/4 cup of bleach, then run two rinse cycles on them. After that I let them soak in a bucket of RO/DI water for a day, then let them dry out completely for a day. Never had a problem.

 

[reefbroao]

Im gonna try to clean the skimmer, its still overflowing this morning, I left it on to keep the water oxygenated. I have no substrate in my sump so cleaning will be easier. Hoping today will be a bit better because I just got my salt delivered after being out for a week so I can finally do a big ole' WC to try and get whatever may possibly be annoying the skimmer out, or at least dilute it.

 

[reefbroao]

scrubbed down the skimmer with no avail, immediately overfills

 

[flananuts]

How much restriction of flow does your filter sock create? My reef octo goes nuts when the sump water level raises during water changes. Could be your issue

 

[solidcore]

I just stopped using them all together

 

[travis9791]

I can't say I've had this problem, and I do basically the same as you. The washing machine works great also.

 

[reefbroao]

Ended up getting rid of them and iv'e had no problems since. skimmer pulls the good stuff now.