Filter sock vs filter roller

[Lps_lover12]

So I recently bought a waterbox frag 105.4 and have it cycling now. I don’t have the filter socks in or anything else and I’ve been doing some reading and realized how much of a pain it can be to have to wash filter socks. (This is my first tank with filter socks) I’ve been looking into roller mats and found the klir one but the reviews are both good and bad. I don’t want to modify much and I can’t seem to find a filter media cup that will fit my tank to use filter floss. So I’m wondering if anyone has any experience with the klir and if I should get it, or if anyone has a waterbox sump and knows of another filter roller I could get that would fit nicely without modifying the sump too much. Or if I should stick with filter socks, and if so what’s the easiest way to wash them.
Thanks in advance!

 

[esiebert]

So I recently bought a waterbox frag 105.4 and have it cycling now. I don’t have the filter socks in or anything else and I’ve been doing some reading and realized how much of a pain it can be to have to wash filter socks. (This is my first tank with filter socks) I’ve been looking into roller mats and found the klir one but the reviews are both good and bad. I don’t want to modify much and I can’t seem to find a filter media cup that will fit my tank to use filter floss. So I’m wondering if anyone has any experience with the klir and if I should get it, or if anyone has a waterbox sump and knows of another filter roller I could get that would fit nicely without modifying the sump too much. Or if I should stick with filter socks, and if so what’s the easiest way to wash them.
Thanks in advance!

I tried a filter roller and hated it. Always seemed to get stuck or would roll too much of the roll too fast. I'd much rather use filter socks as it's one less thing in the tank to go faulty. To clean them I just rinse them inside out and wash them with bleach inside out with extra rinse cycle. Then I wash them one more time right side out with prime to dechorinate and let air dry.

 

[FishTruck]

I am using both at this point - LOL. I promised my wife I would quit screwing up the laundry cue with my disgusting filter socks and bought two rollers. Like esiebert says... they are finicky and sometimes the flow would get too foamy and burn through a whole roll in a day, which is annoying. Plus, unrolling them to change them is arguably just as horrible as cleaning filter socks. Plus... they cost 40 bucks per roll. So... I run them at a more conservative rate and filter the rest of the water with filter socks.

I learned to just spray off the socks in my utility sink, which eliminates the laundry room issues.

The main advantage of the roller is that less rotting detritus is in the water column if you are a delinquent like me who only remembers to change the socks every week or two.

 

[Lps_lover12]

I tried a filter roller and hated it. Always seemed to get stuck or would roll too much of the roll too fast. I'd much rather use filter socks as it's one less thing in the tank to go faulty. To clean them I just rinse them inside out and wash them with bleach inside out with extra rinse cycle. Then I wash them one more time right side out with prime to dechorinate and let air dry.

Good to know, maybe I will stick with filter socks. Thank you!

 

[Lps_lover12]

I am using both at this point - LOL. I promised my wife I would quit screwing up the laundry cue with my disgusting filter socks and bought two rollers. Like esiebert says... they are finicky and sometimes the flow would get too foamy and burn through a whole roll in a day, which is annoying. Plus, unrolling them to change them is arguably just as horrible as cleaning filter socks. Plus... they cost 40 bucks per roll. So... I run them at a more conservative rate and filter the rest of the water with filter socks.

I learned to just spray off the socks in my utility sink, which eliminates the laundry room issues.

The main advantage of the roller is that less rotting detritus is in the water column if you are a delinquent like me who only remembers to change the socks every week or two.

That’s what I keep reading too. Do you just spray them off with a mix of bleach and water? I’ve read you can also soak them in a bucket of bleach and water but I honestly don’t know anything about it. And yes I will have to set a reminder because my memory is terrible so you’re not alone!

 

[Unheardreefer]

You ever think of those filter cups? I haven’t tried them but might be better than washing socks

 

[ariellemermaid]

I was in a similar position recently and totally sold on roller mats until I looked into the cost of the fleece rolls. I would be spending about $700/yr for fleece that costs penny’s to make!

So for now I’m starting with filter cups and a big bag of Walmart fleece. Down the road I may go with no mechanical filtration, we’ll see. Some other options include reef diapers (disposable filter socks), or a fleece mat over the top of the sock holders (also a disposable option). One thing’s for sure; washing filter socks is not in my future.

 

[monkeyCmonkeyDo]

...without reading this.
Media cup
D

 

[MBruun]

I love my roller filter.
- no sound from drain
- only change 2 - 3 months
- no cleaning filtersocks every 3 days

I never go back to filtersocks

 

[gbroadbridge]

So I recently bought a waterbox frag 105.4 and have it cycling now. I don’t have the filter socks in or anything else and I’ve been doing some reading and realized how much of a pain it can be to have to wash filter socks. (This is my first tank with filter socks) I’ve been looking into roller mats and found the klir one but the reviews are both good and bad. I don’t want to modify much and I can’t seem to find a filter media cup that will fit my tank to use filter floss. So I’m wondering if anyone has any experience with the klir and if I should get it, or if anyone has a waterbox sump and knows of another filter roller I could get that would fit nicely without modifying the sump too much. Or if I should stick with filter socks, and if so what’s the easiest way to wash them.
Thanks in advance!

Been using a X-Filter roller mat for the last 2 months.

I've not had any problems with it jamming or going nuts, and it is maybe 20 percent through the roll.

Installing it was an 'interesting' exercise, but a little pain for much gain.

I'd never go back to washing filter socks.

 

[Lbrdsoxfan]

Been doing the filter roller deal for a few years now on two different tanks, I have a gen 1 bubble magus roller (small). I'll never, ever go back to socks. Whoever said they would spend 700 bucks a year on fleece, that's preposterous! I burn through 3-5 rolls a year at 10 bucks a roll, per tank. I did go through a bit of a PITA phase with the setup & media issues but it's more than worth it now it's dialed in!

I do keep some mesh socks as a backup if the filter roller craps out.

 

[ariellemermaid]

Been doing the filter roller deal for a few years now on two different tanks, I have a gen 1 bubble magus roller (small). I'll never, ever go back to socks. Whoever said they would spend 700 bucks a year on fleece, that's preposterous! I burn through 3-5 rolls a year at 10 bucks a roll, per tank. I did go through a bit of a PITA phase with the setup & media issues but it's more than worth it now it's dialed in!

I do keep some mesh socks as a backup if the filter roller craps out.

Glad to hear you’re only going through a few rolls a year, that makes a big difference. The Clarisea 5000 seemed to be the best fit for my tank and I found at least 3 folks on here and elsewhere using that exact roller on my exact tank. All said the rolls last them about 3 weeks. So $35/roll, 7% sales tax, even assuming free shipping comes to $650/yr.

 

[1ocean]

I am using 4 filter cups in the sump I built, easy to just put in some poly fill or polly pads in them. When stuff get dirty just replace.

 

[monkeyCmonkeyDo]

U can put anything in them too. Lol.
Idk why u wouldn't do those...
D

 

[PeterC99]

Tip to make the sock last longer:

When replacing filter sock, put a small piece of filter floss in the sock. After 4 days, pull out dirty floss and leave filter sock. After another 4 days, pull out filter sock and clean in washing machine with bleach. (Important- regular bleach only, scented bleach or no splash bleach will kill your corals). Wash on hot and use extra rinse cycle. Let socks air dry. Best to get enough socks to last month or two between cleaning them in washing machine.

 

[Sean Clark]

Socks are cheap, super easy and don't brake. I kind of get the laundry complaints but it's not an issue for me. I keep a bunch of socks in the "rotation". When they come out of the sump the go into a bucket of bleach water with a lid. When the bucket gets full all of the socks go right into the washer. No rinsing, no smells. Good to go for another month or so.

 

[1ocean]

I agree with everyones idea's and what they like...I just do enough laundry that doing filter socks is not on my list..

 

[PeterC99]

Looking for budget friendly? How about these 3D printed filter cups? Change out a small piece of filter floss every week (30 seconds). Cheap, effective, and simple. Also, one less mechanical thing to go wrong. $15 for the cup & $10 a year for the filter floss.

 

[New&no clue]

I have the trigger system with the built-in roller and love it. Yes, I agree it takes some time to dial them in, and I have burned through a whole roll in one day. However, now a roll lasts me 2-3 months, and at $30, I am spending about $150 a year.

The biggest thing for me is the time saved. As I am sure many people are here, I am a full-time working parent. I have kids to deal with, a husband to deal with, a boss to deal with, dinners to cook, house to clean, dogs to wrangle, after-school activities, homework, and if I can do one less thing, I will gladly do it. For me, time saved is the key. I don't have to remember to change them every couple of days; I don't have to clean them (washing machine, hose, sink), I don't have to think about this part of the tank.

Also, for people who say they have to unroll it to change it. Get a utility knife and cut straight through it... time saver.

 

[Miami Reef]

My method is filter socks changed twice a week.

Cleaning it is simple: just put in the washing machine with no soap nor bleach. It comes out clean and white.

I’m a filter sock user for life!