Filter socks?

[polarbear]

I would like to get some opinions regarding using filter socks. I currently use one myself but was thinking about taking it out and not use one. Has anyone changed to not using one after trying them out? What was the difference? Thanks.

[sergiotami]

I have two.. I put one in place when I do my weekly water change.. They'r great for catching the stuff you loosen up off the glass and overflows, but I've noticed that they quickly become clogged after no more than 24 hrs and the water flows out the top rather than through the sock, great for keeping the water clear, but I remove them shortly there after.. I've been told they suspend your waste thus raising your phosphate levels, thats another reason I don't leave them in longer than that.... Hope this helped...:)

[350gt]

They do catch alot of nasty stuff....

I guess it's better to catch it then it sit on the bottom of the sump... I just bought a second to cycle them out during my weekly cleaning..

[sergiotami]

Yup work great and the I just put them in our washer w bleach, good as new until next time.....

[BBQHILLBILLY]

Do the socks make a good bubble breaker? I guess they would make the bubbles smaller for high flow tanks but I still get bubbles.

I use 3 baffles full of LR rubble and the critters seem to eat all that stuff up.

I took my sock off because I was worried a fish would go exploring and get stuck in the sock.

plus Im lazy. It was something that had to clean often.

I guess it depends what you are using your sock for.

[polarbear]

im using it to catch the big stuff and nasty stuff. I also have to clean mine often but i just pull them out and wash them in the washer. I dont add bleach got water. Should I add bleach when cleaning them?

[BBQHILLBILLY]

wow. bleach. Is that for white cosmetics? lol Turn them inside out and wash with the water hose.

fyi Remember another reason why I took mine off is because your killing all your critters that fall into into the sock.

Those are the critters that filter and clean your tank that you may not see.

[polarbear]

I dont use bleach just plan water in the washer. As for the critters, I turn the sock inside out and take off all of the pods that I find. Most of the time I get around 10 pods off of the sock and put them back into the refugium.

[350gt]

plus Im lazy. It was something that had to clean often.




Dont you have like 3 or 4 tanks setup? theres no way you can be lazy.......

[BBQHILLBILLY]

yes im very lazzzy.:bigsmile:Let the critters take care of the tank.

[polarbear]

yes im very lazzzy.:bigsmile:Let the critters take care of the tank.

Do you have a picture of your refugium?

[BBQHILLBILLY]

Been in the hobby a short period of time and am a big fan of LR and LR rubble and use it crazy like. The more the better. You can never use too much.
There are a couple of pics of a 55 gallon sump I bought from a member in my profile album and am upgrading to a 75 sump/refug for the 210 where I can use more LR rubble.
LR rubble seem to be acting like a natural skimmer. When I do my sw water changes the bad water is clear. very nice.

[Fishstix@JewelsOfTheSea]

personally I would never utilize filter socks as a source for a filter source because just as the other folks claim they always become clogged. That is the most common complaint on it and after experiencing it in the past...never again. Plus the sock hasn't changed or been motified so til that day comes wouldn't even consider it! =/

[polarbear]

well im not just using the filter sock for the filtration i have a skimmer and live rock/sand in my refugium along with macro algae. I do think I could use more rock rubble though. Also i have my skimmer on a stand that I made to raise it off the bottem to the right level. I noticed that I still get the brown waste in the first chamber under the skimmer stand. Would adding rock rubble under the skimmer stand hurt the way the skimmer functions?

[350gt]

As long as you regularly inspect and clean your sock, you shouldn't have it clog on you....

Keep another on hand, that way you always have a clean one on hand to swap out..

Just like anything in this hobby, without regular maintainence your going to have problems...

[350gt]

I take back everything I said......

I hate filter socks....

I finally have kicked it from my sump.... I made a little basket out of scrap eggcrate and will lay cheap filter floss inside for quick frequent changes.....

I am having a bad out break of all types of algae in my frag tank, and all I can think of is the filter sock that gets clogged and over flows into my sump....... I am tired of taking it out for a cleaning, seems as if it's just not clean enough.....

The socks are to crisp and the water does not flow all the way to the bottom...

I remembered this thread while building the little basket..

[350gt]

I made a a similar basket for my DT about 3 weeks ago and water looks so much better....