Did I unlock all the phosphate from 100#s of live rock?

[Thales]

Oh no. Yes, you have to rinse new filter socks before use.

 

[excell007]

Decided to go ahead and dose into a 10 micron sock. What a mess!!!! Put the brand new sock in, turned around to mix up the dosing container, and when I returned, foam everywhere. I guess I should have washed the sock first? The last half hour has been spent emptying 3 overflowing skimmers. Geez I hope this is NOT toxic.

Yup, brand new socks will do that. Happened to me the first time I use a sock, I even rinsed it too. I turned off the skimmer for a few hours.

 

[Daddy-o]

Ok, so I have 5 more socks. Into the washing machine without detergent???

 

[jccaclimber]

Ok, so I have 5 more socks. Into the washing machine without detergent???

Certainly wouldn't hurt, could probably just run a rinse cycle. They come out a tad fuzzy but still seem to work. I've used a laundry sink to clean socks as well.
Must depend on source though, I don't know that I've ever rinsed a new sock, and I've definitely never seen this as a result.

 

[piranhaman00]

Mmm I used brand new socks without washing, no bubbles.

 

[excell007]

i normally soak it in a bucket of tap water overnight then rinse it the next day.
not all socks do this though.

 

[Daddy-o]

Ok, the bubble party is winding down. I pulled out 6 gallons of foam. All the livestock looks good. Just put one of the new socks into the washer with my reef towels - hot water and no soap.
Cheers! Mark

 

[Daddy-o]

Breathing has returned to normal in all tangs noticeably sailfin (zebrasoma)

Is the reef ok?

 

[piranhaman00]

Is the reef ok?

It’s fish only and yes everyone survived !

 

[Daddy-o]

Still dripping into the sock since Thursday morning. It take about 12 hours for 16 ounces to drip. My 10 micron socks are clogging about the same time as the doser empties. So in the morning and at night I set up a new dosing bottle & sock. I take a phosphate reading and dose enough product to eliminate 75% of that reading, although in reality, the tests dont show a drop of 75%. We know this is in part because of the rocks leaching and I feed Oyster Feast. Probably gonna stop the Oyster Feast when this bottle runs out. Not only am I unsure that it really makes a difference for the coral? I have a ton of well fed fish and to be honest, that Oyster Feast cost me $70+ to get a small bottle delivered - WOW!!! I would imagine all the detritus and crud that the sock is catching is helping a bit also. The reef is looking good.
On a side note, we have added 650 snails (with more coming) to help keep the reefs clean moving forward.
Cheers! Mark

 

[jccaclimber]

Where are you getting your snails from?

 

[excell007]

Still dripping into the sock since Thursday morning. It take about 12 hours for 16 ounces to drip. My 10 micron socks are clogging about the same time as the doser empties. So in the morning and at night I set up a new dosing bottle & sock. I take a phosphate reading and dose enough product to eliminate 75% of that reading, although in reality, the tests dont show a drop of 75%. We know this is in part because of the rocks leaching and I feed Oyster Feast. Probably gonna stop the Oyster Feast when this bottle runs out. Not only am I unsure that it really makes a difference for the coral? I have a ton of well fed fish and to be honest, that Oyster Feast cost me $70+ to get a small bottle delivered - WOW!!! I would imagine all the detritus and crud that the sock is catching is helping a bit also. The reef is looking good.
On a side note, we have added 650 snails (with more coming) to help keep the reefs clean moving forward.
Cheers! Mark

Me too still dosing enough for .75 ppm but it's only pulling about .11ppm. If I skip a day it will go up by .35ppm. I am at .19ppm the last couple of days, and the rocks/overflow lost a lot of algae. The pictures below were taken 08/15 and today, you can really notice the difference. on 8/15 my phosphate is >3. rearrange the rock a bit cause I added 6 frags.

 

[Daddy-o]

Where are you getting your snails from?

Reef Cleaners. We started with 550 Cerith and just added 100 Nerites. I ordered 20 Trocus but they wanted $45 to ship them on top of the $60 for the snails (so I cancelled the order). I guess they are hard to find right now?

 

[Daddy-o]

Me too still dosing enough for .75 ppm but it's only pulling about .11ppm. If I skip a day it will go up by .35ppm. I am at .19ppm the last couple of days, and the rocks/overflow lost a lot of algae. The pictures below were taken 08/15 and today, you can really notice the difference. on 8/15 my phosphate is >3. rearrange the rock a bit cause I added 6 frags.

Nice! I have been hovering around .08-.10 I gotta say it is really nice not dealing with the GFO reactor. My reefs look better also. Although I think with mine it is due more to adding MicroBacter7 every morning than lowered phosphates.
Cheers! Mark

 

[jccaclimber]

Reef Cleaners. We started with 550 Cerith and just added 100 Nerites. I ordered 20 Trocus but they wanted $45 to ship them on top of the $60 for the snails (so I cancelled the order). I guess they are hard to find right now?

Maybe.
Would be different types though, the nerite eggs really drive me nuts, and when I have hermits they seem to have a thing for ceriths. I'd like to order a ton of Mexican turbos from them, but they're out of stock at the moment. Nice to know an order from them arrives in decent shape this far away.

 

[Daddy-o]

Maybe.
Would be different types though, the nerite eggs really drive me nuts, and when I have hermits they seem to have a thing for ceriths. I'd like to order a ton of Mexican turbos from them, but they're out of stock at the moment. Nice to know an order from them arrives in decent shape this far away.

Yea they said things will be scarce til after the pandemic. Just ordered 100 Astraea from https://www.mysaltwaterfishstore.com will see how they do.
Cheers! Mark

 

[piranhaman00]

How do you clean your socks? I just put mine through washer and drier and I think I destroyed it? Is there a way to just rinse it out?

 

[excell007]

How do you clean your socks? I just put mine through washer and drier and I think I destroyed it? Is there a way to just rinse it out?

I just spray it with a garden hose with nozzle. I insert it on a length of 3 inch PVC pipe and spray the outside. I think it can get most of the precipitate because the water which I collect on a salt bucket is really cloudy on the first pass. When the water becomes clear, I assume it's clean, then air dry it.

 

[jccaclimber]

How do you clean your socks? I just put mine through washer and drier and I think I destroyed it? Is there a way to just rinse it out?

It’s been a while since I used or washed filter socks, but I would turn them inside out and put them on the normal cycle in my (front loading) washer. The pilled a bit, but nothing notable otherwise. Why do you think your sock is destroyed?

 

[Daddy-o]

How do you clean your socks? I just put mine through washer and drier and I think I destroyed it? Is there a way to just rinse it out?

I turn them inside out and run a couple times in the washer without soap. No dryer, its just gonna get wet again.