Filter Socks? Who Uses Them?

I currently use six 4" x 14" 100 micron socks at a time (four overflows, two sumps. sterilizer, skimmer.) Any place that PVC or tubing puts water back into a sump, I have a sock. They are replaced faihfully every three days. If not, several will overflow, negating their value. It is amzing how much solid crap the socks pull out of the water column.

I clean the socks by putting them in our front-loading clothes washer with 1/2 to 3/4 cup orginal chlorine bleach, and run on delicate cycle. After this cycle cleans the socks, I repeat the cycle with plain water only. Air dry. No muss, no fuss.

I have been doing this for two years.

Works for me.

LL
 
Last edited:
I use two of the mesh filter media bags, one inside the other, on the end of my overflow to stop microbubbles. They dont collect ditritus like socks do.
 
Last edited:
I have 10 or 12 100-micron felt bags that I use two at a time. Yes, they need to be changed every 2 or 3 days, but along with a refugium with caulerpa and chaeto, I am running a mixed reef tank with no skimmer. No DSB. It's heavenly. I spend less time changing filter bags than I ever did fiddling with protein simmers. it's so less frustrating.

I attach differently colored zip ties to each pair of bags and use them in order. Easy to keep things straight this way.

SPS:
acropora
seriopora? birds nest, both green and purple
different montiporas
millepora
purple nana
green slimer
gorgonias

LPS:
toadstools
frogspawns

\ i haven't tried clams, yet, without a skimmer. I'm not going to push my success.
 
Last edited:
i started running 2 100 micron socks to solve my micro bubble problem but quickley realised just how bennifical they really are to "polish" the water to make it super clear. i been swappin them out every 4 days and my water has never looked better.

i honestly dont know why everyone dosent use one. a filthly filter sock after 3 days clearly is a good thing because thats a lot of crap to pull out of your water. probally could even extend your water changes.

i guess its a commitment thing. im in my tank all the time, fiddling with something so to change a couple socks every few days dosent bother me.
 
Gary Majchrzak said:
you read correctly: ten micron.

Do I hear five? :bounce2:
Click to expand...


10 micron, do you have to switch out mid day or just daily? I can make it 2 days with mine at 25 micron, but then throw off the water level in the sump a bit, then the skimmer over skims a bit...

10 Micron....:bounce2::bounce1::bounce3::eek1:
 
I think another thing to consider is overfeeding if your 100 and 200 micron socks are plugging up so quickly....
 
Mine got dirty fast when I started and my skimmer had NO skimmate for three days, but after a week I didn't have to wash it so much. Now I wash them about once a week, but they could last 3 weeks or more. Keep in mind I feed very little every other day so there's not much to collect.
 
After the first few mnts of having my reef setup, I took out all mechanical filtration...
I find that alot of good nutrients, pods, etc where getting pulled out of the system, and also I noticed my fish and coral seemed happier afterwards...
My fuge had a huge increase of pods and little starfish etc...

So actually I always suggest against socks or pads...
 
Would a 100 micron nylon mesh bag catch as much as a 100 micron felt bag? And if so, why do we use the harder to clean felt bags again?
 
"I find that alot of good nutrients, pods, etc where getting pulled out of the system, and also I noticed my fish and coral seemed happier afterwards..."

I don't know about you but I wouldn't relish swimming around in my own crap for very long. That being said.....I use a filter sock, and change it out every few days or so. Kinda like a nice hot shower feels to a person, good clean water feels to your reef inhabitants. You can always supplement if you think you are stripping nutrients.
 
mrkalel said:
After the first few mnts of having my reef setup, I took out all mechanical filtration...
I find that alot of good nutrients, pods, etc where getting pulled out of the system, and also I noticed my fish and coral seemed happier afterwards...
My fuge had a huge increase of pods and little starfish etc...

So actually I always suggest against socks or pads...
Click to expand...
I used to tink the same thing only it wasn't after the first few mnts but after many years of running mechanical filters. I removed them.
After several years of running without mechanical filtration I realized my system was much better off when using it.
Of course, every system is unique and there are different maintenance levels that people are willing to put up with but IME most reef aquarium systems have no shortage of particulates suspended in the water.
I want my aquarium fishes to look like they're suspended in the air.
One fella put it to me this way: think about the distance of visibility when diving around a reef. That's what I want to duplicate in my reef aquarium. I still have tons of pods and starfish and worms etc. etc.
Using gravity to feed a mechanical filter is energy efficient and that's basically what you're doing with a filter sock. It's a great way to augment protein skimming and you'll probably see more of it as people search for energy conserving methods to filter their aquarium.

Sept_09_B_1024x768.jpg
 
Last edited:
Looking sweet Gary...Is this a new tank, I remember your TOTM tank a few years back looking a little different, I may be confused though... Great stuff!
 
wow 10 microns.

A lot of times the reefs are very cloudy, well there are more good days then bad, but I have been out numerous times when I can't see more the 10 ft in front of me.

nice tank :)
 
Last edited:
thanks for the kind words

thanks for the kind words

I "storm" my aquarium regularly. It's easily accomplished with a powerhead. Deliberately putting particulates into suspension feeds the corals and helps keep the aquarium clean.
No doubt about it- 10 micron filtration isn't for everyone.

My April 2006 TOTM was an island style room divider mixed reef aquarium (ree link below).
http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2006-04/totm/index.php

My current aquarium is a peninsula and more devoted to stony corals than the previous one.
 
Gary Majchrzak said:
I "storm" my aquarium regularly. It's easily accomplished with a powerhead. Deliberately putting particulates into suspension feeds the corals and helps keep the aquarium clean.
No doubt about it- 10 micron filtration isn't for everyone.

My April 2006 TOTM was an island style room divider mixed reef aquarium (ree link below).
http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2006-04/totm/index.php

My current aquarium is a peninsula and more devoted to stony corals than the previous one.
Click to expand...

Wouldn't the suspended particles collect in your sump Gary? Just asking....
 
particles that go down the drains are caught by the 10 micron filter. If the the filter ever gets clogged it overflows and many particles collect at the bottom of the sump. If a particle doesn't settle out in the sump it might be removed by my skimmer or returned to the display.
 
Wow, Gary! I have never seen a FTS of your reef. Only from the side and let me tell you...it is one of my favorite tanks ever!! Wow, wow! Thank you for the picture.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

A
Canister + pre filter ?
Replies
4
Views
256
kharmaguru
kharmaguru
S
Novice Aquarist - Sump & Equipment Questions
Replies
9
Views
319
wvned
wvned
E
Red Sea weir overflow
Replies
9
Views
285
griss
griss
J
Plumbing 300 gallon acrylic aquarium
Replies
4
Views
3K
corvinridge
C
K
Carbon Dosing causes STN/RTN?
Replies
13
Views
3K
Timfish
Timfish
Back
Top