Mechanical filter socks/pads really neccessary?

[ashish]

So after viewing videos from american reef (mike paletta tank tour) and (sanjay's 2 tank tours), I am starting to wonder why we all waste a lot of time with mechanical means. I thought it would be cool to showcase 2 popular aquarist "no-sock" methods. Neither of them talk about there lack of filter socks or mechanical pads.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JxqxvI77P64
http://www.fishnetwork.tv/AdvancedA...0_Gallon_Penn_State_Reef_Tank_-_Part_Two.html
http://www.fishnetwork.tv/AdvancedA...nn_State_Reef_Tank_with_Dr._Sanjay_Joshi.html
Sanjay is the light guy right? Everyone asks him what to use on there tanks but look at what he uses; 3 x 400 watt on a 500 gallon reef (no supplementation lighting). Mike Paletta is amazing - He's probably the only guy that could out talk me in reefkeeping.:fun2: I'd probably say to him "Mike can we please talk politics now".:facepalm: His explanations are awesome but I must admitt, after really listening to what he was saying, a new hobbyist would probably decide "this is not the hobby for me".

Anyways, I ran my tank for few years with very minimal mechanical filter since I was away on work for 2 years. Fish tank was in family business and to make life easy I drilled some holes in a basket (that was supported with eggcrate pvc tower). All the staff had to do was put a new pad in the open basket weekly. However, most of the time the basket was overflowing and I had a lot of junk in my open sump. This did not cause any problems in my system but made a nice mess for me in my sump. I have been using large drawstring filter sock for the past 3 months and I love how my sump stays clean.

Mike just vaccums the first compartment on his sump (with bio balls) with a hose - the remaining would be removed through skimming, refugium, water changes. Also, these two guys don't have an oversized/overpriced skimmer. I think Thorly also does not use any filter sock or pads with great success; though he does have very few fish.

In my experiences, most of the larger detrius will fall to the bottom of the first chamber in the sump. Wouldn't it be smart just to have a drain on the first section of the sump so you could easy drain the water out (like a toilet flush)? I try to keep me posts short but it never works..Happy debating

Just curious if anyone else employs the sanjay and paletta method!

 

[MARINECRITTERS]

Detritus is more of an aesthetic issue, meaning it can be an eyesore forming in the sump, once the waste goes through it's cycle ending with nitrate, it is no longer a problem although most people don't like their rocks covered in filth. The same thing happens in a filter sock just the detritus can actually be removed with ease. Since you can easily remove the filter then in most cases you can remove the waste before it has a chance to turn into toxic waste.
For me, filter socks would work great in most tanks and I would be confused why some people would not run them.
Although with my NPS(ish) system I need to have particulate food suspended in the water column as long as possible, but again if I was running an average system, I would run mechanical filtration, except I do run a skimmer.

 

[animalkingdom]

more thoughts?

 

[Gary Majchrzak]

Mike just vaccums the first compartment on his sump (with bio balls) with a hose

In my experiences, most of the larger detrius will fall to the bottom of the first chamber in the sump. Wouldn't it be smart just to have a drain on the first section of the sump so you could easy drain the water out (like a toilet flush)?

wouldn't it be smarter to simply catch the crap in a filter sock?

Sure is easier.............

 

[ashish]

I have no problems with changing out filter sock weekly when I am around my tank. Having 8 on hand and powerwashing them every 2 months. However, I just feel with a powerful skimmer you'll potentially skim more. I think it all depends on your bio load and how much waste your tank produces, also, how maintenance free you want your tank to be

 

[Drae]

Not necessary but I wouldn't run a tank without them. Jmo and experience.

 

[nogascans]

I don't use filter bags as I don't run a fuge, but have a SRO XP1000 hob skimmer, and I have carbon (loosely) in media bag in outflow to tank. I shake it daily to remove any detrius from water flowing over/thru bag (the skimmer missed), but let the detrius go back in tank (coral feeding time). I don's use a sponge there either. I do use a sponge on both MJ1200's, and remove them every other day to clean. I don't try hard at eliminating any detrius that might fall off during removal from tank, as I feel it any fallout is quickly taken in by filter feeders.

Sincerely,

David