drblakjak55
Active Member
My granddaughter tells me not to use stupid. Misdirected.
Heyyyyyy y’all!! Let’s talk filter socks
- Thread starter Brooke24
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stanlalee
Active Member
I use 200 micron 4" socks on my 30g/10g sump. They last 3 days max before they threaten to overflow. I have about 20 of em, go thru all of them, quick machine wash all and repeat. If I want to be lazy I have a few 200 micron mesh socks that don't clog. I'm reluctant not to use them because the return/media reactor pump section of my sump (and whole sump actually) stays MUCH cleaner since I started using them.
I have 4 pairs. I change them weekly. I keep the dirty ones in a bucket of water and and when I run out I wash them in the washing machine with about a cup of bleach. Then I soak them for 24 hours in a bucket with a cap full of Prime (a chlorine neutralizer). Then I take them out and let them dry completely. I've been doing it this way for years with no problems.
BRS tv did a test on this one time. You could probably find it if you did a search. They tested nitrate levels after changing them every few days, after one week and after 2 weeks. Their conclusion was that weekly was optimal.
Susan Edwards
5000 Club Member
hmmm, I use a bit of soap with an extra rinse. Then I do another wash cycle with no soap, just hot water.
bigjgmac
Active Member
I've been debating the Klir. I just upgraded my tank and have spent a metric f-ton of money in the last two months. I'm reluctant to drop more, with the flip side of the coin being at this point, what does a few hundred bucks more really matter? Obviously, you think it's good and does the job. Is yours the four inch or the 7 inch?I used to change mine weekly. And wash them all together monthly. Now I installed the KLIR a couple months back and I am never looking back. I should have purchased it day 1.
Yes, so far so good, since I got it I definitely have one less maintenance item. The one I probably hated the most.
Mine is the 7 inch. I had to do a slight mod to the sensor so it would work in my eshopps sump, but so far it works perfectly. I change the roll once around 2 months. I hated the socks (and so did my wife when I put them in the WM)
This is what I do except I run my washing machine once empty in hopes I rinse any soap out. I then wash them in hot water with bleach, then a clean water no bleach on cold, then air dry.
BRS did a study and found that the prime schedule for changes was 3-4 days. I have about 15 socks/filter pads for every tank I own and wash about once every 2-3 weeks.
Yup this is correct. My socks tend to be at their maximum at 4 days since I'm using the 100µm socks that have the dual side density so they are pretty much done at 4 days. I also feed a bit heavy so I'm trying to reduce extra nutrients in the tank from breaking down in the filters.
2Sunny
Active Member
Ahh, but does that matter that is the question in my mind?
Before I got a nano I was an adamant anti-sock guy. I never used them, ever, on my 240. My nano which has been up and running since April does. Now I'm debating my change schedule.
The question in my mind is one not answered in the BRS video on change schedule. They hinted at the issue in an earlier video namely will the socks become "nitrate factories" if not cleaned. Ryan argues that the socks are not going to add any nitrates that haven't already been added although they may inhibit the skimmer from removing organics but he goes on to point out that skimmers remove organics at the molecular size which is not something socks are going to add.
To me the primary purpose of a sock is to remove detritus and polish the water. Because I am inherently lazy I would prefer not to have to collect a bunch and throw them in the washing machine. Simply rinsing them in the sink every couple days seems easy and effective. I think I will try that for a month or two and see if I have a noticeable increase in phosphate levels over what I have been seeing to date.
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They don't appear to have any detectable benefit. Try going sockless for a while. I did this years ago and have never seen any downsides to it.
You don't need to make any other changes to adjust... just stop using them and honestly evaluate whether it hurt your tank at all.
Saltees
Well-Known Member
Not planning to run socks too. I ran my drain pipe straight to the DIY ATS and let the algae trap the detritus, as in the TRITON METHOD. Water from ATS then passes through 4 stock media/filter cups filled with SEACHEM MATRIX, en route to the Skimmer to remove the remaining organics.
Timrpn
Active Member
Could I use cups and just put bio balls in them? The water just flows over top? I don't want to use filter socks. But i have to have something there or it would sound like Niagara Falls in there
Alchameth
Active Member
The MarinePure would crumble, the Nano-Tech Bio-Spheres might hold up. Or get some 300micron mesh socks. Don't clog and easy to rinse out.Sounds like i may be stuck with the socks
I just bought a dozen felt ones and seeing what they look like after 5-7 days shows they are not worthless. I notice my water isn't as clear without them... I've tried.
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