Filter socks and sps

[duke62]

Talking to a guy today at a store and told him about my setup and how I no longer use them for my tank and he told me that it's best not to run socks for a sps tank. Not that it causes harm to the corals but the particles that are floating around the setup actually feeds the corals and sps grow faster without socks because of this. He explained to me that socks actual take away food from corals. Anyone agree or is this another theory to be taken with a grain of salt?

 

[blufin]

Following along...

 

[Battlecorals]

I was always suspicious of residual detergent from the washer in them. I ran them for years and and always thought something was off. the tanks i didnt run them was always just fine. things kind of got "normal" once i pulled them. Agree also that the suspended particles can be benificial.

 

[zwulfke]

It has merit but, it also could depend on the micrn size of the sock

 

[duke62]

Battle corals that is why I stopped using socks. I got a new front loader and the residue of the LE detergent in the washing machine wiped out my corals. Sps, Lps and softies. My corals before had ok growth when I had my old washing machine but now without the socks I really must say I notice a lot faster growth especially the encrusting.

 

[Zero Nitrates]

Following

 

[tonymission]

Wonder if going with a higher micron and then nylon only since you don't have to wash them. I usually just rinse the nylon ones out and they at least look clean and catch a lot of solids from my tank cleaning.

My wife runs the felt ones in bleach in the washer and then runs them again with nothing to rinse out the bleach. It still worries the hell out of me and I keep trying to sneak new ones in there. She hates when I buy them obv after putting in that effort to clean the old ones.

Maybe I should at least get away from running only 100 and 200 micron socks...

 

[kingator]

tagging along also

 

[Karl Hevacheck]

I stopped using them bc I'm lazy and hate changing them out.

 

[Apisto]

I don't use them too often, but when I do, I never run them through the washer for the same reason Adam mentioned. I just really ring them out in a bucket of RO or tank water- twist, twist, twist. They are never again white, but I could care less as long as they are clean enough to not leach much back in the tank. All seems fine without any worry.

 

[kingator]

I stopped using them bc I'm lazy and hate changing them out.

did you notice a difference in your corals when u stopped using them ? as far as growth , coloration ect ect

 

[BlueDartReefer]

I use them continually. Take them to the laundry mat for the initial wash (no soap or bleach) and then bring them home for a double cycle wash (again, no soap or bleach). I love the crystal clear look of my water. I try to make up for lost particulate matter by feeding Reef Chili a few times a week and housing a pair of pearly's and a shrimp/goby combo.

 

[footballdude2k3]

I think a lot of people forget that a lot of this is just best guess, and the way that a lot of people run their systems too clean, some people starve their fish and only feed once or twice a week to chase 0 nitrate and 0 phosphate. As long as you have a skimmer and/or macro algae to help take away some of those so your numbers are not too high, having some stuff that coral can get, is a great thing. People see algae as a horrible thing a lot of the time, yet if you talk to a lot of people, even ones running SPS systems, when they clean their glass, and those pieces of algae are floating around in there, they get better polyp extension than they see most of the time.

All of us have different systems, and different methods of achieving the same thing, look at Paul, his system has been up 40 years now, the equipment he uses, is not what most of us would ever suggest to use for each other, but his system is thriving. Do not be afraid to try little changes like this where you remove filter socks for a few months and see if things are working better for you, you can always put them right back in, just do not change 50 things at once, or do them every couple of days, everything in this hobby that is worth happening, takes time.

 

[saltyhog]

I run them continuously. I have 20 socks and change them every 2-3 days. Wash them in the washer with a cup of bleach and an extra rinse. Air dry for 2 days then use. Never had a problem doing that.

Seeing the stuff they remove makes me leary of stopping. Anxious to see others opinions.

 

[Diesel]

Bingo!!!
I use socks in my new sump and ran them through the Samsung front loader.
Yep, Had a tank crash most SPS gone.
Didn't know the cause till now, I guess!
Broke down the setup just to rebuild it and tomorrow I have Urban Aquatics bring me 250 gallon of saltwater.
The crazy thing is in my frag system I don't run socks and some of the SPS that survived are doing awesome.

 

[Battlecorals]

Bingo!!!
I use socks in my new sump and ran them through the Samsung front loader.
Yep, Had a tank crash most SPS gone.
Didn't know the cause till now, I guess!
Broke down the setup just to rebuild it and tomorrow I have Urban Aquatics bring me 250 gallon of saltwater.
The crazy thing is in my frag system I don't run socks and some of the SPS that survived are doing awesome.

Shoot Ben Do you think that may have been it? I'm telling you. When I ran the all the time I always had things going on that I couldn't explain while the other systems were completely fine and thriving


It can be a huge relief to have an answer if possible but that still really stings if that's what happened

 

[mcarroll]

Using a clothes washing machine always seemed like a horrible idea to me.

Especially when a soak in 10% bleach solution is all it takes, and bleach will actually dissipate on its own.

Whether to use a sock is still a good question. That detritus is "food" is too simple a justification, however true it is. So just keep in mind that no matter what corals you keep, accumulating detritus is not a good thing in the long term.

So socks or not - keep everything clean!

-Matt

 

[ifarmer]

I used to use them before and I have not used it in the last 5 months. I do not see much of a different.
Just more work for you if you use filter socks.

 

[CastAway]

I stopped using them bc I'm lazy and hate changing them out.

I have not stopped yet, but am thinking about it. I don't put mine through the washing machine because a filter sock is a mechanical method, not biologic, so trying to sterilize them really seems pointless to me. I find that a good hard rinse under my hose in the back yard results in no more or less time until they're overflowing and need cleaned again. Factor in all the bad stuff that could find its way from my washer to the tank, and it's all the more reason not to run them through the washing machine. I think there may have to be an equilibrium between suspended nutrients in the tank to potentially be filtered, and, the amount of coral/polyps to consume suspended matter. I think I may have more suspending mater with a potential to decay than I do polyps.

 

[robby2782]

I use socks with double bleach, but I run 2 cycles of just hot water afterwords. Then I soak them in a 5 gallon bucket of RO water in case traces of detergent on the socks. Never had a problem, and will never stop using them knowing all the detritus removed from the water column.

Be careful not to mistake a crash from alk dropping or rising too quick. I know Adam tests his everyday, as do I...