to run with/without filter bags/socks

[PhoenixOne]

How many of you run your sumps with/without filter socks? What are the pros/cons running/not running filter socks?

 

[JimmyR1rider]

I run a filter sock, I don't know anyone personally that doesnt use a sock. It catches all the fine detritus and other nasties to keep them from staying in your system.

 

[marrone]

I don't use filter socks, even though I have a bunch of them. The amount of junk coming into my sump is very small and my nitrates are very low, under 5ppm. I have a good size skimmer that removes a lot of junk from the water.

 

[Arati]

I have 0 mechanical filtration no socks , no pads nada.

 

[aagresti]

I have a filter sock on both the overlfow from my tank to my sump and on the output of my skimmer. I change them every 4-5 days. the socks also help reduce micro bubbles in my tank.

 

[reefgeek]

i use socks..they work well as long as u change them when there full,,i prefer to change them once a week. wash them with a LITTLE bleach in ur machine using hot water and throw them in the dryer

 

[ming]

I don't use a filter sock, but I would say they're probably beneficial and can't hurt anything, as long as you're diligent enough to change them. If you don't think you can or willing to change them regularly, it'll overflow over the rim of the sock and at the very best just cause a lot of splashing in your sump probably causing salt creep everywhere, at the worst if you set it up incorrectly, it'll overflow out of your sump.

To me, its added work without adding enough benefit

 

[JARRETT SHARK]

I always used them and I feel better when using them

 

[fishman1069]

I ran my tank for a year with a crappy skimmer and no socks.My nitrates were 20ppm. I started running socks and seen a big difference in my water clarity. I had 2 socks that I would alternate and change every 3-4 days. After a while I had to change them every other day.My trates were still 20ppm. I got a better skimmer and ditched the socks and my water is clearer than ever and my nitrates are less than 5ppm

 

[reefgeek]

hey whatever works!...all reefs respond differently, good luck!

 

[richardhmc]

I use it and the first time I used them they caught so much stuff that they clogged real quick. It's just nice to have. The annoying thing was snails would always climb into the overflow and down into the sock

 

[reefgeek]

u might be feeding ur tank to much if they clog up that quickly...u should think about covering the tops of ur overflows to prevent snail etc. from going in,,,mine are. but hey..like i said before im just giving advice and my experience, not trying to sway u from one way to the next..enjoy

 

[chasekwe]

I run filter socks despite having a very clean system to cut down on microbubbles. My display has duel drains, one to the skimmer cpt and one to the refugium, both of which then drain into the center of the sump where the water is returned to the display.

Believing that the vast majority of microbubbles come from my skimmer I didn't put a bubble trap between the refugium and return compartment. This was a wrong assumption and I get bad microbubbles from that side. I now run felt socks on that pipe, and if I'm going to be changing cleaning one side I figure I might as well do both... solves my microbubbles issue almost entirely.

 

[PhoenixOne]

Thanks for all the replies. I am going to run it without the socks for a while and see how that goes.

 

[tlpmyd]

ive never run filter socks till my recent upgrade to the 265, i started using the jbj filter socks, and wow am impressed with all the junk it removed at the start up cycle stage, just wondering does anyone reuse there filtersocks when its time to take them off , like is there a proper way to clean and reuse them or do you guys just junk them and replace with new ones?

 

[JimmyR1rider]

ive never run filter socks till my recent upgrade to the 265, i started using the jbj filter socks, and wow am impressed with all the junk it removed at the start up cycle stage, just wondering does anyone reuse there filtersocks when its time to take them off , like is there a proper way to clean and reuse them or do you guys just junk them and replace with new ones?

You'd go broke doing that. Get yourself 3 or 4. After you change them out and your down to your last 2, run it through a cycle in your washing machine with the water set at hot and bleach then a cycle with just water, let dry and it's good to go again.

If you want you can also run a cycle with just water before you do them if worried about any left over soap from the last load of laundry before you do the socks.

 

[richardhmc]

u might be feeding ur tank to much if they clog up that quickly...u should think about covering the tops of ur overflows to prevent snail etc. from going in,,,mine are. but hey..like i said before im just giving advice and my experience, not trying to sway u from one way to the next..enjoy

maybe, but also, when I do water changes, the water in the tank gets all cloudy and filter socks def help with that

 

[tlpmyd]

thanx jimmy but im not worried about the soap residue i would definitly rinse it out before putting it back on, but im worried about all the dirty crap in my washer lol

 

[JimmyR1rider]

thanx jimmy but im not worried about the soap residue i would definitly rinse it out before putting it back on, but im worried about all the dirty crap in my washer lol

hehe I hear ya. Well all I've done is run the just water cycle before(a quick one) then the hot cycle with bleach then another just water with the socks in it. Has worked fine for me.

 

[PhoenixOne]

maybe, but also, when I do water changes, the water in the tank gets all cloudy and filter socks def help with that

Good idea. I will put them in when I do a water change as well.