To filter sock or not?

[rk4435]

Since I've only been in the hobby a year some things make me feel stupid.

I got my new sump today that will keep my daughter from having textbooks paid for in college and I have to decide how to get water into it.

I have been using an older trickle type sump, where the water enters through a vertical pipe. I could do that with this sump as well.

How often do filter socks have to be changed? I have been having phosphate and nitrate problems, the whole reason for a larger sump is to allow room for more equipment and a refugium possibly.

If I don't use the socks and go with the vertical pipe I could have stuff traveling all the way to the end of the second chamber to get mechanically filtered before entering the return chamber. I'm sure some of it would not get caught before making it that far and possibly create problems.
<fieldset class="gc-fieldset">
<legend> Attached files </legend>

>

class="gc-images" title="image.jpg[/IMG] style="max-width:300px" /></a> </fieldset>

 

[dawgface]

If your having no3 and po4 problems odds are your feeding too much. Filter socks will help with that as long as you change them weekly. Any longer and your going to expirence added n03 and po4.

 

[tonymission]

I've heard some arguments against using them, but just seeing the gunk that's built up in there after a week makes me think it's a great idea to keep using them myself...

 

[mikesmith34]

I went without socks for a little while 2-3 weeks I believe. It starts to get messy in the sump and you have a lot more particulate in the water column. As the other poster says my felt socks get changed 1-2 times per weeks and they are very dirty. I must believe they do some good without that crap in the system.

 

[rk4435]

If they can handle weekly I'm inclined to use them. I cut back on feedings several weeks ago when I first started to see red slime. The current sump has allowed a lot of junk to make it to the middle chamber and settle. Pods even live there without a refugium.

I was thinking that socks had to be cleaned more frequently.

 

[tonymission]

rk4435;938726 wrote: I was thinking that socks had to be cleaned more frequently.

The bags will start to get clogged and the water drains slower... when the water gets up to the top of the sock I change it out. Takes about a week on my 90G with 7" sock. Not very scientific, but seems to be fine. I keep a bunch of them in rotation.

 

[mikesmith34]

tonymission;938731 wrote: The bags will start to get clogged and the water drains slower... when the water gets up to the top of the sock I change it out. Takes about a week on my 90G with 7" sock. Not very scientific, but seems to be fine. I keep a bunch of them in rotation.

I do they same thing. Do be aware if you start carbon dosing it will require you to change out more often due to the slimy bacteria.

 

[rk4435]

Thanks, I will be able to add carbon now with the larger sump.

 

[acroholic]

Do a search under "filter socks" and you'll get a ton of info as well.

Decide if you want mesh or felt socks if you use them. IME/IMO the mesh equivalent of a 200 micron felt sock is a 100 micron mesh sock. Whichever material you use, if you are just going to let them accumulate crud and overflow, then not much point in using them IMO. They are just another means of mechanical filtration. They are good and effective when used properly, meaning rinsed regularly. I use mesh for the convenience of cleaning, just blast them inside out with a garden hose and replace them.

I use 100 micron mesh socks in my 465, and I rinse them out every 2-3 days. I think it extends the time between sump cleanings.

Filter socks are not necessary for success with a reef tank, IMO, but are a good tool if you are willing to regularly rinse/replace them.

I'm not sure about nitrates and phosphates being helped in socks left in a sump for as long as a week, however. My guess is that any food or organics caught by the socks would decay into ammonia way before a week was up.

 

[rk4435]

I need a sock servant. I can probably manage every third or fourth day without much of a problem. I'm really worried about vacations etc.

 

[xyzpdq0121]

I change mine once a week or so. I have mesh and felt but prefer the felt. To clean I throw in the washer with no soap.

 

[acroholic]

I have some 25 micron mesh socks I will use for water polishing once in a while. They last about a day before clogging up. Couldn't use them regularly, however, as they'd be too much maintenance even for me.

 

[jeffmuse]

I have used both the mesh and the felt socks, and go with the mesh (200 micron) socks at this point. I think that the felt filters better, but I found mine where getting clogged every 3-4 days.

With the 200 micron mesh socks I can go every 7 days without having to change them. I have bought 4 sets of socks and make changing them part of my weekly maintenance routine. When its time for cleaning, I turn the socks inside out and throw them in the washing machine (bleach w extra rinse cycle).

 

[hiimsean]

I ran them when I started my tank, I had a bad algae problem and as it started to die off and go into the sump, it quickly clogged the sock. I ended up just removing the socks and haven't put them back in, call me lazy If I invest in more socks and am around home a little more (been traveling almost every week), I'd prolly change/clean them out more frequently.

 

[picoreefguy]

HiImSean;938809 wrote: I ended up just removing the socks and haven't put them back in, call me lazy

same here i had them on my tank when i started it up and just got lazy with changing them out so i took them off. although i do plan on using them on my next tank which should be up in a few months. now my sump is a mess of detritus and i pretty much have to spray it down with a circulation pump before i do a water change to get as much out as possible. id say if you can stay on top of changing them out and cleaning a batch at a time then go for it. but if youre lazy like me than maybe leave them out and get a really big skimmer and a couple circ pumps in the sump to keep things stirred up.

 

[heathlindner25]

rk4435;938757 wrote: I need a sock servant. I can probably manage every third or fourth day without much of a problem. I'm really worried about vacations etc.

just take them out when you're on vacation.