Filter sock needed?

[reefsaver]

I scrapped the filter sock after my first week. IMO any super fine filtration borderline becomes a nutrient factory if you're entirely relying on it anyway. Like I would be replacing fine filter floss or cleaning/replacing a filter sock every couple days.

 

[DJF]

No socks here. I used to run and clean them- I don’t miss that. When my sump gets dirty I run a marineland magnum polisher down in the first chamber (or any other chamber) and things get back to clean.

 

[Bpb]

Without reading the whole thread. I’ll just say in 11 years I’ve never run a filter sock, or any other form of sponge or floss based mechanical filtration. Detritus builds up early but eventually just breaks down to nothing and the sump sides and bottom get completely encrusted with sponges and feather dusters which entirely eliminates future detritus

 

[Fish Think Pink]

My previous tank had no socks. On my new tank I run a reef diaper on the primary drain and a mesh nylon on the secondary. The reef diaper lasts 3-4 days and I wash the nylon every 1-2 weeks.

My goal is not nutrient reduction, just clear water and keep the sump/ equipment cleaner.

@Reef Diaper has great starter packs for those that want to retrofit

For those with sumps without any holders at all, eShopps had a product that hung over inside side of sump to retrofit sump but discontinued likely because water condesation would drip over top edge of sump (we solved by building small PVC frame for retrofit eShopps rectangular sock holder)

Its great in this hobby there are many right answers!

I like socks, but I work from home in Texas so cleaning socks over lunch break with outside hose is easy almost 11 months out of the year. Just learned about @Reef Diaper products in last few months, and I see me working their product into my sump design so when it is cold out I don't need to deal with any hose sock cleaning - their motto makes me giggle: never clean a dirty sock again (or something like that)

 

[RedoubtReef]

I used to use them, but then found I didn't really need them. They're ok for polishing the water a little. I didn't like having to clean them and replace so I just stopped using them and didn't really notice a difference. I won't be using them in my new build.

 

[Floyd-]

Thanks for all the input guys. My sump has rock and tons of pineapple sponges at the moment so that will help I figured.

 

[thatmanMIKEson]

Maybe I just need to save up and just get a filter roller. People seem to like the new redsea roller and its a direct drop in without mods in my redsea tank.
My socks just seem to catch a fine dusting and nothing more. I dont see chucks or bits in there when I change them out. My socks are not really effective leaving them in there for almost a week on end.

Are they felt?

 

[Floyd-]

Are they felt?

My current sock is 7" diameter and 200 micron. I just took the sock out last night and there was just a mud in there. No chunks at all. I'm also going to remove my skimmer and clean it out, im getting a rolling boil sort of bubble formation and its not pulling junk out of the water as well as it used to.

 

[Floyd-]

Well guys im not sure why but some of my corals are not happy with my decision to ditch the sock. Its the only thing I have changed and a few of my corals are retracted and not coming out at all. Im putting the sock back in tonight and see if they react over the weekend.
Any thoughts why they would be ticked without the sock in there?

 

[DavidinGA]

No socks, no skimmer here.

My drain feeds into my main export system a diy ATS and then that drains into filter floss. Makes for easy maintenance; throw away the floss when it's full and put another piece in.

Back in the early 2000's I used to use a sock and it was just a constant unbearable job to clean them. I'd never go back to doing that now.

 

[thatmanMIKEson]

Well guys im not sure why but some of my corals are not happy with my decision to ditch the sock. Its the only thing I have changed and a few of my corals are retracted and not coming out at all. Im putting the sock back in tonight and see if they react over the weekend.
Any thoughts why they would be ticked without the sock in there?

I dont believe they would act differently with no filter sock, how could the know? Maybe is there fine micro bubbles, or sediment in you sump getting stirred up¿ I still wouldn't think it could make a difference, especially that fast to notice a difference.

But maybe put it back in, like you said and see if they go back to the way they were.

 

[theMeat]

Maybe some sump stuff got stirred up, maybe more fine particles in water column. Either way would give it a couple of days

 

[((FORDTECH))]

Maybe some sump stuff got stirred up, maybe more fine particles in water column. Either way would give it a couple of days

You would think the stirred up fine particles would be food for the Coral’s not disturb them

 

[theMeat]

You would think the stirred up fine particles would be food for the Coral’s not disturb them

You’d think
And maybe they will after adjustment. Can’t imagine how no sock is bad for corals

 

[Floyd-]

Update. I braved the storm and after a few days they opened back up and are happy as can be again. Not sure why they closed for days like that.

 

[reefsaver]

Nitrifying bacteria builds up fast in filter socks, because of the micron count, there's literally more surface area on a filter sock than all the rock you could imagine piled into a tank, similar to marine pure bio bricks. It could have been housing a small portion of your systems biological filtration and when it was removed the system went through like a mini cycle and stabilized after a little while. I say it builds up fast based on the fact that you need to change/clean them often. And I honestly kind of lose the distillation between why you wouldn't use a piece of filter padding or sock as biofiltration media instead of spending the big bucks on ceramic bio bricks like marine pure, although I think it might have to do with the ceramic being inert. I read a while ago medications can't bind to ceramic media, going off that I always assumed it was good to have a few bio-balls with the sponge inside incase I ever needed to medicate the tank, although if you have too many bio-ball sponges they also become nutrient factories themselves I've been told. So again I kind of lose the distillation between why ceramic media is so effective at biofiltration, without it being considered a potential nutrient factory given it's surface area. Sorry for going on a tangent lol.

 

[Floyd-]

Still running without a sock and there have been no swings or changes in the tank chemistry after testing a few times. Its SO nice not to deal with socks!