Filter Socks...

[BC Mosaic]

At first I didn't, then I did and now I don't.
The reason I don't is that I had live beneficial critters removed from the tank as well as "food". I changed once a week but seeing the "Dark Matter" I thought too that it was a nitrate factory.
I may be reconsidering my application of its' use. I worry that any crap coming out of the tank ,especially if you're harvesting an algae problem or such, it will eventually plug up the skimmers' pump and cleaning a skimmers' pump is more a PITA than a sock.
So now I'll be going back to the sock during maintenance duty only.

[hillegom]

I don't have a sock, but was considering one. So I have to ask, how big is the mesh?
Microns, or like 1/16 in? what?
Thanks

[GreenSpottedPuffer]

Originally Posted by BC Mosaic

At first I didn't, then I did and now I don't.
The reason I don't is that I had live beneficial critters removed from the tank as well as "food". I changed once a week but seeing the "Dark Matter" I thought too that it was a nitrate factory.
I may be reconsidering my application of its' use. I worry that any crap coming out of the tank ,especially if you're harvesting an algae problem or such, it will eventually plug up the skimmers' pump and cleaning a skimmers' pump is more a PITA than a sock.
So now I'll be going back to the sock during maintenance duty only.

This is kind of where I am at I guess...it does take a lot of stuff out every few days. But take out so much good with the bad. The amount of life I see in mine is crazy.

So if I don't use them, the good stays in the tank and some of the bad. The bad (detritus) will hopefully be used by corals, crabs, ect.

But if I don't use them, that also means cleaning pumps more as you said. I already clean them all once a month but maybe then I would need to clean more???

My sump has a powerhead in it and no baffles, so nothing ever settles.

I could go back to changing them less but everytime I do that, nitrates rise. LOL...no real solution. I guess I just have to decide.

[Pescador]

Originally Posted by mark

I try to get to mine weekly, but often wait until the water starts to spill out of them before swapping.

+1

I don't have a sock, but was considering one. So I have to ask, how big is the mesh?
Microns, or like 1/16 in? what?
Thanks

The bags I use are 100 micron polyfelt 7" dia. x 16".
Like this
http://www.fsifilters.com/products.php?prod_id=9

[my2rotties]

I went without them at first, and now that I have them, I would never consider not using them. I feed my fish heavily and have quite a few of them... I change my sock daily and have four on hand. They take out a lot of stuff that now does not have to go through the sump and into the skimmer.

[Delphinus]

I dunno if I really buy into the "it takes away coral food aka fish poop." They poop enough that the filter sock and the skimmer for that matter are not hurting the corals food chains. The copepod removal, I do see that one, but that's one of the reasons I sit there for 5 minutes picking them out of the sock getting my fingertips stinky and putting them back in the tank. And the nitrate factory .. well my tank went from chronic nitrates at >25ppm to 1-2ppm after I started using socks so I'm not sure that's as significant as people say. So yeah, basically it comes down to "use them" or "don't use them" as per whatever one you prefer more. Thanks for the link though GSP, interesting reading.

[mark]

I'll turn mine inside out and shake into the sink. Usually a few pods, the tiny brittle stars and some small snails I'll throw back into the fuge. Collected a clown once and a peppermint shrimp, sure made me jump back.

[bullit67]

I change mine out every week when I do my water change only been using them for about 2 months now dont seam to have any problems since I started using them. I am using them to keep my sump clean I got tired of having to clean the sump every week.

[GreenSpottedPuffer]

Originally Posted by Delphinus

I dunno if I really buy into the "it takes away coral food aka fish poop." They poop enough that the filter sock and the skimmer for that matter are not hurting the corals food chains. The copepod removal, I do see that one, but that's one of the reasons I sit there for 5 minutes picking them out of the sock getting my fingertips stinky and putting them back in the tank. And the nitrate factory .. well my tank went from chronic nitrates at >25ppm to 1-2ppm after I started using socks so I'm not sure that's as significant as people say. So yeah, basically it comes down to "use them" or "don't use them" as per whatever one you prefer more. Thanks for the link though GSP, interesting reading.

OK, well no of course its not taking it all out in a normal system.

I think the person posting in that thread is talking about 'sps systems' which these days seems to mean ultra low nutrient systems. I should have been much more clear about this...I am talking about low to ultra low nutrient systems that rely on heavy feeding to keep corals growing. I was thinking it but of course forgot to actually type it

So...In that case, you can actually strip the water too much. I know some people who don't have many fish and are using systems like ZEO, need to overfeed just to keep color in their corals. I have a zillion fish now, feed as much as they want (enough that sheets of nori gets left uneaten now!?!) and don't register much nitrates (2 ppm) or any phosphates anymore after about a month of ZEO (no algae taking them up either). Actually more like a few months of ZEO but one month on the new tank. My corals keep their color and I assume its because I feed so much and have a lot of fish...I am by no means down to that 'Ultra low nutrient' system quite yet but my tank seems to be headed that way. My thought (and I believe the RC posters) was that at that point, filter socks can start to take too much out of the water.

Not everyone running ZEO is getting to those 'ultra low nutrient' levels though, so its not just a ZEO thing...I still see ZEO tanks with hair algae growing. So they obviously still have nutrient problems.

Anyways, that might clear what I was thinking up a little.

I agree, they aren't going to take too much 'crap' out of a regular system but when you are purposely feeding the tank, whether it be coral food, fish food, amino acids, ect. and then are using a filter sock to catch out some of that stuff, I am not so sure it makes sense. Or at least I can see where people on that side of the argument are coming from