Use a 100 micron filter sock in your sump so all water draining from the display flows through it. Change it out 2 times per week. You dont need a canister filter to filter particulate matter. The sock will catch it and the detritus, keep the sump clean and keep the stuff from being returned to the display. Buy a couple of socks and try it. It'll serve as a passive canister filter. You can devise a system that makes changing the socks out very simple and quick. Takes me less than a minute to pull a dirty one out and put a clean one in.
Help with clean sand bed/substrate
- Thread starter method0075
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Use a 100 micron filter sock in your sump so all water draining from the display flows through it. Change it out 2 times per week. You dont need a canister filter to filter particulate matter. The sock will catch it and the detritus, keep the sump clean and keep the stuff from being returned to the display. Buy a couple of socks and try it. It'll serve as a passive canister filter. You can devise a system that makes changing the socks out very simple and quick. Takes me less than a minute to pull a dirty one out and put a clean one in.
method0075
New member
Filter sock? I`ve heard this term thrown around on the boards. The pump for my sump is rated 500 gph. Is the sock a DIY or something I pick up at the LFS
I dont know if your LFS would have them. Depends on what they carry. I have seen sumps that come set up to use them. But they can be purchased as singles or in bulk online in many sizes and micron ratings as well as materials. Also called filter bags sometimes.
Most common is the "felt" type. Can also get a mono mesh type. I prefer the felt, I think it catches more stuff, even for the same micron rating.
I have 900 GPH through my sump and use the 100 micron X100 size which are 6" diameter and 20" or 22" long. They come larger and much smaller than that. You can also wash them in the washing machine. They last a long time. I have some that are over 2 years old.
They actually make acrylic filter sock holders that clamp to your sump and hold the sock. Or you can DIY a method to use them. I use a standard acrylic tank as a sump. I attacged acrylic rails on each size of the sump on the drain side and cut a piece of acrylic that rides on the rails like a drawer. Hole cut in the center to hold the sock. Then an acrylic piece that holds two PVC elbows for my dual drains sits on top of the sump centered over the sock tray and drains the water right into the sock. I just slide the sock tray/drawer out, pull the dirty sock out and drop in a clean one. Changing it 2 X per week prevents it from becoming a source of nitrates. But there a many ways you could integrate a filter sock.
I would suggest just picking up one or two and rigging up something temporary to try it, see if you get results that satisfy you.
Aquaticecosystems.com has different sizes and sells them as singles. Not the cheapest, but convienent. Then there is filterbags.com and a few others that just sell the socks but some require bulk purchase. Some of the regular full supply online aquarium supply dealers should have them as well.
method0075
New member
WOW, Thank you kindly for all the info. Do you think home depot would have something like that. I have seen something similar with washing maching drains and "socks" that go on the end...
I doubt it is the same thing but you can make your own if you or someone you know has a sewing machine and can use it.
You can get the white felt from a fabric store or walmart and make your own. The ones you can buy are available with plastic collars or sewn in rings for mounting but the white felt and DIY is a viable alternative. Just make sure you wash the felt or the new socks first, before use.
Also, Many reefers wash the dirty filter socks in the washing machine with bleach, NO detergent or soap.
Same thing I do when I accumulate a bunch of dirty ones. Throw them in the machine with a cup of bleach and a couple of rinse cycles and when they dry they are perfectly safe for reef tank use. Or hand wash ... some soak in bleach and rinse with hose. Some just rinse with jet nozzle on the hose. Point is that they are reusable so pretty economical. And they work great. They Also catch microbubbles so they dont return to the display.
method0075
New member
This is great info. I think I`m going to hold off on a external canister filter. My pre skimmer filter media and the floor of the sump are soaked with detrius just from stirring up the sand bed. I have a feeling this "sock" will work great.
I wish I took pics I could share. I had my filter sock off for less than a week when I was planning a sump change and experimenting with a reverse durso for the drain just last week. There was more detritus and sediment accumulated on the bottom of the sump in those 5 or 6 days without the sock than had accumulated in the 2 years that I have used the sock with this current system. Naturally, I opted to keep the sock in use when I put the taller sump in.
Meth,
Give Tony a call at Reef Exotics. He's a great guy and usually stocks the filter socks and other really good stuff for great prices.. Tell him Jonathan sent you.
http://reefexotics.com/misc.htm
Give Tony a call at Reef Exotics. He's a great guy and usually stocks the filter socks and other really good stuff for great prices.. Tell him Jonathan sent you.
http://reefexotics.com/misc.htm
