Filter cup instead of filter socks?

[Brah02]

My wife isnt keen on the idea of me washing the used filter socks in our clothes washer lol so I am looking at switching to a filter cup. Are the cups less effective? I have an SR 80 all in one. I don't want to get a fleece roller as I want to keep everything hidden, and the IM fleece roller is ugly in my opinion. Currently I have a filter sock on one side, and a media basket with carbon and filter floss on the other side.

 

[twentyleagues]

My wife isnt keen on the idea of me washing the used filter socks in our clothes washer lol so I am looking at switching to a filter cup. Are the cups less effective? I have an SR 80 all in one. I don't want to get a fleece roller as I want to keep everything hidden, and the IM fleece roller is ugly in my opinion. Currently I have a filter sock on one side, and a media basket with carbon and filter floss on the other side.

I like the filter cups just toss out the floss when its dirty easy. I guess the effectiveness from sock to cup could be a little less because of surface area. I dont use any mechanical filtration anymore on my reef tank, well a skimmer but thats it. I have thought to get some cups for my 180 build so I could easily use floss when I want to and just let water flow through the cup when I dont want.

 

[Brah02]

I like the filter cups just toss out the floss when its dirty easy. I guess the effectiveness from sock to cup could be a little less because of surface area. I dont use any mechanical filtration anymore on my reef tank, well a skimmer but thats it. I have thought to get some cups for my 180 build so I could easily use floss when I want to and just let water flow through the cup when I dont want.

I like that you can also add things like carbon etc into the filter cup, but I have also read that some people notice their water isnt as clear. I feel like the cup will be way easier to change as well.

 

[JumboShrimp]

Cup & Floss-- nice and easy.

 

[zbrusko]

My wife isnt keen on the idea of me washing the used filter socks in our clothes washer lol so I am looking at switching to a filter cup. Are the cups less effective? I have an SR 80 all in one. I don't want to get a fleece roller as I want to keep everything hidden, and the IM fleece roller is ugly in my opinion. Currently I have a filter sock on one side, and a media basket with carbon and filter floss on the other side.

If you change your mind & want to try a manual or auto roller, I have one of each I no longer need, as well as 7 fleece rolls. Happy to send them your way for a few bucks + shipping. I LOVED my auto roller. I just upgraded the tank & have no use.

 

[Brah02]

My wife isnt keen on the idea of me washing the used filter socks in our clothes washer lol so I am looking at switching to a filter cup. Are the cups less effective? I have an SR 80 all in one. I don't want to get a fleece roller as I want to keep everything hidden, and the IM fleece roller is ugly in my opinion. Currently I have a filter sock on one side, and a media basket with carbon and filter floss on the other side.

If you change your mind & want to try a manual or auto roller, I have one of each I no longer need, as well as 7 fleece rolls. Happy to send them your way for a few bucks + shipping. I LOVED my auto roller. I just upgraded the tank & have no use.

My tank is an aio, and in my office. I’m worried that the fleece rollers will smell since it’s exposed?

 

[zbrusko]

My wife isnt keen on the idea of me washing the used filter socks in our clothes washer lol so I am looking at switching to a filter cup. Are the cups less effective? I have an SR 80 all in one. I don't want to get a fleece roller as I want to keep everything hidden, and the IM fleece roller is ugly in my opinion. Currently I have a filter sock on one side, and a media basket with carbon and filter floss on the other side.

If you change your mind & want to try a manual or auto roller, I have one of each I no longer need, as well as 7 fleece rolls. Happy to send them your way for a few bucks + shipping. I LOVED my auto roller. I just upgraded the tank & have no use.

My tank is an aio, and in my office. I’m worried that the fleece rollers will smell since it’s exposed?

The manual one has a little smell if you are right on top of it. The auto roller is covered & you can’t see or smell the fleece.

 

[Brah02]

The manual one has a little smell if you are right on top of it. The auto roller is covered & you can’t see or smell the fleece.

I'll message you

 

[X-37B]

I use 400 micron nylon socks. It traps the big stuff and is simple to clean and change.

 

[loganjude]

I went from socks to cups and back to socks. The cups were nice. While the floss is cheap, socks are a buy once thing so far. I found no matter how much and how I placed floss stuff would get past it and into my sump. That was the main reason I went back to socks.

 

[exnisstech]

On my 800g system my filter sock is dirty, and must be replaced every day…when I tried the reef diaper, it didn’t get dirty for days…
That means it didn’t filter even 1/2 as much as the socks.
Useless !

I suppose it depends on what you want to accomplish.
The last thing I want is to filter everything out. In my 330 I run 200 micron mesh socks to remove large particles and I let them overflow for a day or two. My SPS tank has a roller that gets shut down at night once or twice a week. Two other tanks have no mechanical filtration. I think the particulate is beneficial to corals and other filter feeders.
Skim mate is like a super food lol. The last time mine overflowed my corals opened up more than ever and my rock flowers spawned.
I used the diapers in my reefer 170 when it was up and loved the convience.

EDIT: I will add my methods are not for people that like clean and tidy. My sumps are a mess and full of sludge/ mulm but the critters that live in the mess seem to appreciate it.

 

[Daniel Doherty]

I suppose it depends on what you want to accomplish.
The last thing I want is to filter everything out. In my 330 I run 200 micron mesh socks to remove large particles and I let them overflow for a day or two. My SPS tank has a roller that gets shut down at night once or twice a week. Two other tanks have no mechanical filtration. I think the particulate is beneficial to corals and other filter feeders.
Skim mate is like a super food lol. The last time mine overflowed my corals opened up more than ever and my rock flowers spawned.
I used the diapers in my reefer 170 when it was up and loved the convience.

EDIT: I will add my methods are not for people that like clean and tidy. My sumps are a mess and full of sludge/ mulm but the critters that live in the mess seem to appreciate it.

I'm thinking of no cups/ socks/ roller matt on my new set up, as I think nitrates/phopshates would just bottom out. Do you just run your drain straight into your refugium?
I am thinking of running my drain into a section with a refugium, rock rubble, skimmer and heater. There would then only be one other chamber with the return pump, GFO in a reactor and the UV. What do you think?

 

[exnisstech]

I'm thinking of no cups/ socks/ roller matt on my new set up, as I think nitrates/phopshates would just bottom out. Do you just run your drain straight into your refugium?
I am thinking of running my drain into a section with a refugium, rock rubble, skimmer and heater. There would then only be one other chamber with the return pump, GFO in a reactor and the UV. What do you think?

Mine is socks, cryptic zone, skimmer and surf 4x ATS, then return.

 

[twentyleagues]

I'm thinking of no cups/ socks/ roller matt on my new set up, as I think nitrates/phopshates would just bottom out. Do you just run your drain straight into your refugium?
I am thinking of running my drain into a section with a refugium, rock rubble, skimmer and heater. There would then only be one other chamber with the return pump, GFO in a reactor and the UV. What do you think?

I took mechanical filtration out of my reefs long ago with the exception of very irregularly I will use a sock or some floss like when doing a coral snow or blowing out the rocks and then only sometimes. I want those bits floating around feeding my corals.

 

[Daniel Doherty]

I'm thinking of no cups/ socks/ roller matt on my new set up, as I think nitrates/phopshates would just bottom out. Do you just run your drain straight into your refugium?
I am thinking of running my drain into a section with a refugium, rock rubble, skimmer and heater. There would then only be one other chamber with the return pump, GFO in a reactor and the UV. What do you think?

I took mechanical filtration out of my reefs long ago with the exception of very irregularly I will use a sock or some floss like when doing a coral snow or blowing out the rocks and then only sometimes. I want those bits floating around feeding my corals.

Nice. So drain straight into refugium?

 

[BryanM]

I like that you can also add things like carbon etc into the filter cup, but I have also read that some people notice their water isnt as clear. I feel like the cup will be way easier to change as well.

Tons of people love filter cups.

Re: carbon, make sure to rinse it well before putting it in.

 

[twentyleagues]

Nice. So drain straight into refugium?

Yes.

 

[Tcook]

That’s what I do now. Went from socks to cips with polyfil then took those out. Drains go into skimmer chamber, then to refugium, then return chamber. No sump cleaning.

 

[lmfbs]

That’s what I do now. Went from socks to cips with polyfil then took those out. Drains go into skimmer chamber, then to refugium, then return chamber. No sump cleaning.

That's your sump?

 

[Tcook]

That's your sump?

Yes. Refugium section.