Changing Filter Socks

[catgirl29]

I know I've run across this before but a search isn't giving me anything definitive.

I know that not changing your filter socks can cause higher nitrates. I know that some people use mesh over felt. I know that some people don't use them at all. I know that people have very different opinions about when to change them.

I was reading a thread in another forum that said you have to change them every two days or they'll clog. I can say I've run mine for more than two days (try 2 weeks) without any clogging.

Advice, opinions?

 

[enderg60]

Ive never actually seen anyone report a nitrate reduction by cleaning them more often.

I never really saw a difference when I ran them besides more work to clean them every week.

I stopped using them altogether and the only difference I saw was more feather dusters in my sump. I just do a full cleaning of my fuge twice a year now to clear out all the detritus that builds up at the bottom.

 

[bcavalli]

I use felt filter socks and they are anywhere from 50 up to 200 microns. I change them when they fill up anywhere from 2 days to 5 days. I've read they do become a nitrate factory after a while with all the trapped food and waste if left in there. But, I've never had an issue with nitrates spiking or anything.

 

[porpoiseaquatics]

I currently use 100-200 micron poly mesh socks and they don't clog anywhere near as fast as felt socks. When I ran felt socks, I'd have to remove them every 3-4 days because they would clog and overflow. Using poly mesh socks, even at 100 microns does allow some detrius to get pushed through the mesh but as mentioned above, I clean my sump out about 3 times a year to remove all of this plus I use a filter sponge between the sock chamber and the skimmer chamber. Not sure this is helps or hinders though because I have no nitrates to measure. With two large clams and a refugium running, I can't find any measurable nitrates.

 

[fishlips]

I use the 200 micron, They clog every 2 days. I hand clean socks, and WOW, They are super dirty. The water is brown. I cant imagine not using one.

 

[FutureInterest]

I like filter socks and the frequency of changing them out all depends on your bioload and the amount of flow from your return pump. The concept though of exporting nutrients so easily appeals to me. You put a clean sock in, and it comes out looking nasty, soaked and filled with organic waste. I think with a much more mature tank that has lots of filter feeders the need for the sock is prolly less... but me I still want to remove as much waste as I can before it gets to them. I don't care of those things are well fed or not .

 

[axio]

Yes you can run any system with out socks... but I feel they work much better then old school sponge style sumps or filter pads. While you can get filter pads with micron ratings just like socks but you have high chances of the dirty water to flow around a filter pad versus being forced into a sock. Some of our service tanks I couldn't imagine not running them as they pick up a LOT of crud.

As far as changing them... like most things in this hobby it will be entirely relative to your system. Most of our service tanks get them changed once a week, because that is usually as often as we see them. But we have a good deal of people that have to change them out in between our visits so they end up getting changed every 2-3 days... weather it's just very a large system, or the customer likes to feed very heavy, or it's overstocked, etc... sometimes you just have to.

We usually don't have issues with nitrates relating to the socks as long as they are changed when the visually look like they need to be, start clogging, or on routine. Good biological in the system should be able to handle that.

Jakub

 

[genesis]

I change mine out as part of my weekly maintenance, and yes they get pretty dirty

 

[bkostuch]

Weekly change on my filter socks, i have 8 so i only clean them once every 2 months

 

[huskerreefatl]

I use 100 micron felt and change every 3 days. When I get 3 or so, I turn them inside out and put them in the washer with just hot water, then air dry. You can buy them on amazon for cheap so keep plenty around. I use the plastic ringed ones and trim out a little section so that if it gets dirty and overflows, I can direct the flow since they sit high in my sump.

 

[snowmansnow]

mine clogged about every 2 weeks.. then I took it off ha.

may go back.. may not