I use the 150-200 micron felt 14" socks in my sumps, and find I need to rinse every other day (I really should rinse every day), because I have lots or plant material that easily plugs them up.
For a while I was bleaching them, while one was bleaching, another was filtering, but it seems the bleach seemed to break down the integrity of the sock faster than daily rinsing and squeezing.
I agree daily maintenance is a bit of a hassle, but find getting the organic junk out of the sock keeps my nitrate level between 2-5ppm, yet if I let filterable stuff stay in the water column, that nitrate level ultimately starts to rise.
For a while I was bleaching them, while one was bleaching, another was filtering, but it seems the bleach seemed to break down the integrity of the sock faster than daily rinsing and squeezing.
I agree daily maintenance is a bit of a hassle, but find getting the organic junk out of the sock keeps my nitrate level between 2-5ppm, yet if I let filterable stuff stay in the water column, that nitrate level ultimately starts to rise.
