Proclear Redflex sump - socks don't fit?

[fourspoons]

Does anyone use a Proclear Redflex sump? I'm trying to set up a new system with this sump.
The issue I'm having is it's so noisy because water is going around the filter socks and falling between gaps between the rim of the sock tops and the holes. Aside from the issue that the water is not getting filtered, it's falling 4 inches and hitting the water in the sump chamber and basically making mini waterfalls. Even at max water level in chamber 1, it's so noisy.

I've tried 4 different brands/types of socks and I even bought a set of ReefDiapers after I saw them recommended on here because they have a kind of rubber flange that seals better. They are a bit better than regular socks but the problem is only slightly improved.

Any suggestions?

 

[mcarroll]

A pic would help. Movie even better.

Any chance it's a problem of forcing too much flow? (What pump are you using?)

 

[fourspoons]

Thanks for replying. This is the sump. I've tried to capture how the socks don't really fit and a side view of how the water just runs around the edges and not through the sock.

 

[fourspoons]

I'm using a Jebao DCT-6000 return pump but it doesn't matter if the flow is full power or just a trickle, it's doing the same thing just with more or less flow. I've tried 4 different brands of sock and the reef diaper and they are all basically the same size (with small variations between the types) and doing the same thing.

 

[Reign1]

Hmm I have the same issue with my icecap sump. Seems like only the eshopps socks are a good fit. I would also suggest looking into the sock silencer may help your issue.

 

[fourspoons]

Hmm I have the same issue with my icecap sump. Seems like only the eshopps socks are a good fit. I would also suggest looking into the sock silencer may help your issue.

Thanks. I'll see if I can get some if I can find a supplier in Canada or someone that ships.

 

[fourspoons]

So update - I sent Pro Clear a message and to their great credit they actually called me to help and I sent them the videos.

Basically it seems like the socks they sell and provide with the sump are a bit larger than all the standard ones so I've got to buy theirs or I'm S.O.L. Unfortunately there does not seem to be a supplier in Canada so I've got to get some shipped from the US and pay $$$ for shipping and taxes. Even then, I don't think that is a workable option long term so I'm going to have to do something else.

Interesting I looked at the eshopps sumps and although slightly different designs they are very very similar and use a lot of the same parts, so I wonder if they are actually manufactured by Proclear and have the same design and filters.

 

[mcarroll]

I can't tell any issues from the pic....looks good to me! Movies won't load for some reason.

What pump are you using?

Do the sock rings seem "perfect" as far as you can tell? Do the socks seem to fit flat in the rings? Do the necks on the sock seem to be bent? Water is lazy as someone on R2R said the other day....it will *always* take the path of least resistance.

So (e.g.) if the socks were bent up during shipping and now the rings are cupped or twisted, etc...they aren't going to perform too well in an application like this. Can you post some good photos of the socks you're using? In particular focus on the neck of the sock.

Also, you could consider calling them:

Contact Us | Pro Clear Aquatic Systems

For more information about our products, customer service or vendor sign-up, contact us at (904) 448-6800.

www.pro-clear.com

 

[fourspoons]

I can't tell any issues from the pic....looks good to me! Movies won't load for some reason.

What pump are you using?

Do the sock rings seem "perfect" as far as you can tell? Do the socks seem to fit flat in the rings? Do the necks on the sock seem to be bent? Water is lazy as someone on R2R said the other day....it will *always* take the path of least resistance.

So (e.g.) if the socks were bent up during shipping and now the rings are cupped or twisted, etc...they aren't going to perform too well in an application like this. Can you post some good photos of the socks you're using? In particular focus on the neck of the sock.

Also, you could consider calling them:

Contact Us | Pro Clear Aquatic Systems

For more information about our products, customer service or vendor sign-up, contact us at (904) 448-6800.

www.pro-clear.com

Yeah I did call them and they were very helpful but the upshot is, they use a filter sock that is a little bigger than normal ones and I have to buy their branded ones if I want it to work right. I have amassed a collection of about 20 different socks from different sources and none of them fit, so I guess there's no way around it.

The bigger problem is unfortunately no one in Canada sells them and shipping + tax is 5 times the price of a sock so I'm S.O.L. it seems. The biggest chain here, Big Al's, sells the sumps but not the socks which isn't very helpful lol.

 

[mcarroll]

Well, maybe bite the bullet and order a set of socks, and just reuse them until you can't. Reusability is one of the main advantages of sock filters....so they might last a REALLY long time. The cost per day is what will matter in the end. (Maybe try calling Big Al's to see if they're aware of the gap in their offering?)

Another angle is just not using the socks. They make sense in some systems, but in a coral-oriented tank, IMO they make less sense....what they filter is what corals call food.

Might be simpler to resolve the waterfall effect with that space freed up.