Are you comfortable without socks???

[Mark75]

I added a few different types of pods to my tank a month ago in hopes of there population growing to feed a Mandarin in the near future.

The last 3 times I have changed my filter sock I am finding it full of pods which I spend 20 minutes picking out and placing back in my sump. So,.....I decided to not run a filter sock!

What do you guys think?

 

[Reefrookie220]

I stopped running filter socks for that reason... And for lack of remembering to change them anyway. Lol

 

[Chriscrna]

I ran my other tank for years without them.

However, I run them now....

 

[Agamerce]

Good question! Following. That's been on my mind as well. I run a drip sponge-like filter and a pad at the return pump too. I think madis are nice

I know someone recommended I dose pods after my cycle. I wonder if they can be spot fed too.

 

[Baby Ray]

I don't run filter socks

 

[Duke4Life]

I could go without mine but my tank seems clearer when I have them on.

 

[Cherim7]

No. My feet get cold. Sorry couldn't help lol

 

[NanaReefer]

Some add a sponge to their overflow box. Catches any pods, shake it out in the DT weekly.

 

[Nihilus]

The only time I run any sort of mechanical filtration is when I do a water change and really stir things up.. I prefer to let things float freely throughout the sytem. Just as an example, my Clownfish spawn on a regular basis. When this happens some of my corals have a field day. I do not want to deprive them of that.

 

[Mark75]

Research shows some good arguments for and against. I have always used some sort of mechanical filtration so I am not sure how long I can go without it.

 

[seased]

I do not use filter socks.

 

[ZIGGY63]

I don't use them on the 90 because it has a dragonet. From my prior experience filter socks clog way to quick and their is no good way to clean them. So replacement is the best route.

 

[Mark75]

Yesterday I removed my filter sock as it was getting clogged. I held the sock over a container while I picked pods off and dropped them into the container. I noticed the container did not have enough water so I squeezed some of the water out of the filter sock into the container with the pods. The water that came out of the filter sock was, of course, brown and nasty. I then poured this nasty water back into my display along with the pods, about 1/4 cup of yucky water squeezed out of the filter sock. My corals went crazy! Polyp extension like I have never seen in my tank, sps, lps, zoa's, lps, everything put out huge sweepers and swelled up, and I have dosed all the stuff claimed to stimulate feeding, Fuel, Acro Power, Reef Snow,..etc.

The filter sock is obviously catching something the corals want, I did not install a clean filter sock and do not plan to ever again.

 

[Waboss]

I didn't run them on any of my tanks before but figured I'd try them on my Red Sea Reefer since they come designed for them.

Well, a year into it with this tank and I don't use them anymore. Yes, there's less particulate matter floating around in my DT when I ran them, but everything in the tank seems to be happier without them. Plus, I was getting tired of changing them out all the time.

 

[CastAway]

Although I have not committed to getting rid of mine all together, I think the consensus is, among SPS folks, not to use them. I remove mine in the winter when I cannot clean so easily, and have noticed no ill effects. I hope to watch more close for some benefit this winter.

 

[zoomonster]

Yes... Lot of stuff in my mixed tank which is well fed. The socks catch excess particles and they clear the water pretty quickly when I stir up things (or fish do). Skimmer will catch a lot but w/o socks you can generally expect less than particulate free water and that detritus will make its way to sump and refugium and stuff is going to decay and result in more nitrate/phosphate. I change socks when they start getting clogged and overflowing. Problem is I sometimes forget and don't change them when needed.

I finally decided on a bio pellet reactor and that's going in the next few weeks. Then maybe the socks won't be so necessary with something to consume waste while not fully depleting nutrients in the tank. I would still expect I would use them on occasion.

Me personally I think the only case for no socks ever is a SPS only, low nutrient, seldom fed, tank with a few fish and a light bio load. Those are the people when running socks, bio/zeovit/GFO reactors etc end up with 0 nitrates and phosphates and have to dose it back. Preserving pods is another good reason.

 

[Leslie Tabor]

I added a few different types of pods to my tank a month ago in hopes of there population growing to feed a Mandarin in the near future.

The last 3 times I have changed my filter sock I am finding it full of pods which I spend 20 minutes picking out and placing back in my sump. So,.....I decided to not run a filter sock!

What do you guys think?

Ok, it is like you are reading my mind! I just added a million pods for my new mandarins and everytime I change the socks...which is every 3 days...I feel like a chimp picking bugs!! I hopped on here to see how people deal with this and here you are!

After reading replys I am still scared to bail on them...I like my sparkly clean water...but if it is actually better for my corals?? Let me know what you decide, maybe it wont be so scary to go sockless if I am not alone to do it!

 

[zoomonster]

I don't use them on the 90 because it has a dragonet. From my prior experience filter socks clog way to quick and their is no good way to clean them. So replacement is the best route.

I cycle through about 30 socks. When dirty they go in a 5g bucket outside loaded with chlorine (use liquid chlorine from my pool since cheaper/stronger than bleach and always here). They stay there and soak until the bucket is full. Then it gets rinsed and they go in washer with a bit of Tide no perfume/no color for a long, extra hot cycle with extra rinse. When done near white/clean as new. I use 2-3 socks at once and considering they usually don't last a week the cost would add up very fast throwing them away. In the last 2 years I would have burned over $800 in socks.

 

[NanaReefer]

The easiest and quickest way I've found to clean them, after removing turn inside out while still wet, let dry then beat them outside. After a months worth throw them in the washer, 1/3 cup of bleach full wash cycle, run through second rinse. Let air dry till next use.