Sock in Sump?

[NMreefer]

Hello all. I've been running a sump without any kind of mechanical filtration. Is this the recommended way or do most of you use socks? I had a place to put a filter pad in my old tank. I changed it out every two weeks and had no problems. I don't however have a place to use one now. I just have the hose coming directly from my overflow into my sump. If you have pics that would be nice.

Thanks in advance.
Phillip

 

[Anonymous]

Nothing but a skimmer in my sump. No sock and no pads. Carbon or chemipure sometimes.

 

[LA-Lawman]

check my site... i run a skimmer and a sock... thats it...

 

[Anonymous]

I have a sock, but change it every 3 days on average. Otherwise the crud that gets trapped becomes a source of nitrates. It sits over the outflow pipe from the overflow. Other than that, I simply have a skimmer and return pump in the sump.

BTW, what's your stocking? If you've got an SPS tank, you have to be particularyl careful about changing your sock, otherwise you may seen RTN incidents. I've had them when I've been busy and forgotten to change the sock for a week.

 

[NMreefer]

Cool. Thanks. I guess I can buy the attachment to put the sock on from MD.

Thanks again,
Phillip

 

[EVO]

I've been running a micron sock with skimmer in the sump. Works very well... last time I changed any water was only 10gal out of 80 about a month and a half ago. Everything is good in the tank. What I've come to realize is that when I put the socks in the washer the crap that comes out is more than I ever took out when I cleaned the tank. So... I've stopped cleaning the tank and it does better because things are left un-disturbed. It helps to have a bunch of small red hermits to eat anything left in the sub. The key is... buy about 5 or 6 micron sock filters ... I got mine at marinedepot . com... change every 2 - 3 days when it gets clogged... toss them in a bucket... when you get to the last one... turn the dirty ones inside out and toss them in the washer with detergent. Thety come out like new and you've just removed tons of crap from the tank! Easy!!! Only cleaning I do now is with the magnet cleaner on the glass and occasionaly the scraper to get the harder stuff on the edges.

 

[Anonymous]

Hmm, maybe I'm over careful, but I'd be reluctant to wash the filter socks with detergent. I just put them through without as I worry about residue on the socks. :?

 

[EVO]

That's a good point. I guess certain detergents may have some effects. I've been using arm and hammer ... I understand it's pretty good with the environment... the same stuff I use with the laundry. No problems so far

 

[Anonymous]

That's a point. I hadn't considered the benefits of using the more enviornmentally friendly detergents (I can get 7th generation here, but it's imported and very, very expensive).

 

[Anonymous]

I've been running a micron sock with skimmer in the sump. Works very well... last time I changed any water was only 10gal out of 80 about a month and a half ago. Everything is good in the tank. What I've come to realize is that when I put the socks in the washer the crap that comes out is more than I ever took out when I cleaned the tank. So... I've stopped cleaning the tank and it does better because things are left un-disturbed. It helps to have a bunch of small red hermits to eat anything left in the sub.

This worries me a little. Hermits and substrates will not process all of the detritus that falls to the bottom of the tank. Left to its own it can eventually become a problem.But I am glad it is working for you.

The key is... buy about 5 or 6 micron sock filters ... I got mine at marinedepot . com... change every 2 - 3 days when it gets clogged... toss them in a bucket... when you get to the last one... turn the dirty ones inside out and toss them in the washer with detergent. Thety come out like new and you've just removed tons of crap from the tank! Easy!!! Only cleaning I do now is with the magnet cleaner on the glass and occasionaly the scraper to get the harder stuff on the edges.

If you run them without detergent, they come out just as clean.

FWIW, I only run micron socks when I am turkey basting or powerheading the rocks. Two hours later I take the sock out of the system.

 

[cjsrch]

my numba 1 reason for no mechanical............................ dont want to kill the pods


mechanical = bad

 

[Anonymous]

my numba 1 reason for no mechanical............................ dont want to kill the pods


mechanical = bad

I don't buy it. I have seen too many tanks that run mechanical filtration that are thick with pods.

 

[LA-Lawman]

I had never though to run them through the washing machine..... Man that is brilliant... Do you use hot water??

 

[Anonymous]

I run them in cold water - save the planet and all that.

I used to run the washer empty first, but now I just run it with an extra rinse instead.

 

[Anonymous]

my numba 1 reason for no mechanical............................ dont want to kill the pods


mechanical = bad

I don't buy it. I have seen too many tanks that run mechanical filtration that are thick with pods.

Mine's the same. The odd amphipod that makes it down gets thrown back in anyway (they're always still alive and kicking). Either a tasty snack for a fast fish or it lives to fight another day.

 

[cjsrch]

on an old site i used to moderate. or possiably still do.... gotta check lmao
one of our members im;ed me and we talked about the socks he says his is clogged with pods daily.
when i used to run a filter pad i had pods all over it.

when i ran the "baffle sponge" that wetdryscomewith i had htem clog it as well.

but i didnt have much lr for them to hide in and neither did he.

so i guess if ya have enough hiding spots they wont make it into the sock?

ok anyways do what you want but i know im never using mechanical ( except if needed for a fast clean up like when i throw a magnum micron cartridge on for company.... ) my father has this idea in his head that the ocean has NOTHING floatingin it at all if only he knew... my first scuba dive there were worm like things swimming around ( 3 inches long) not swimming but more like ... ever see an anenome swim? kinda flail around int he hopes of going somewhere...
lotta dead stuff also... any one ever try diatom filters?

 

[EVO]

Oh yeah... I forgot to mention before... whater flow water flow and more water flow... I got 800 GPH going through the sock on my 72 gal tank. There 2 more power heads displacing 300 GPH a piece inside the tank in addition. So this seems to get most of the detritus into the sock filter, there not much left, the hermits do a good job of cleaning it up, I also have 2 brittle stars, a serpeant star, and a small sand sifter cleaning the bottom as well. Okay so how to get the detritus into the over flow... my sump returns to the tank with 1" PVC that I made myself... few bucks and glue... best money I ever spent on the tank... the PVC goes down to the bottom... then T off to run along the bottom of the back behond the rocks. Then... I took a 1/8" drill bit and drilled 64 holes along the botom pipe to equalize the pressure so I don't get a huge sand storm. Oh yeah... don't forget to drill a small hole on top just a hair below the water level for a siphon break. I think this rig really help push lots of the crap toward the overflow on the top.

 

[EVO]

some shots of the rig:

http://www.bellawaya.com/reef

I got lots more corals and another big anemone in it since these photos... will try to take some new ones soon

 

[Anonymous]

I think you lose some pods down an overflow, which then get stuck in mechanical filtration, but I think the rate of loss is low. Even without the sock, the protein skimmer's going to pull some out.

 

[Anonymous]

They live in the sock and eat the detrius. I had tons of pods in my Fluval back in the day. I even find them on my bags of chemipure. I think they like it there, It is a place where they can hide and get food easy.