Filter sock substitute?

[jandb]

I'm sick of filter socks! Changing them that is. I'm running a Reef flo super dart that I figure is pushing about 3000 gph with head height through Bean Animal overflows. I have 32"x6" socks that are being overrun almost daily. I'm thinking about doing something like stuffing a 5 gallon bucket with matting as a substitute? Any ideas?

 

[ragin_cajun]

Something sounds off to me. I have 4000 GPH pump output, with 4 7X16 socks, and they last a month or more. How may socks do you have? You change them out daily?

 

[jandb]

It's a bean animal drain so 98% of the flow is coming down the full siphon 2" pipe into the one sock. It overpowers it basically when it's clean. The sock is 100 micron.

On my planted tank I run a Mag 18 through Dursos into two 7"x16" socks and get at least a month out of a pair.

 

[ragin_cajun]

Yea, I run Herbie in a 540, it's full siphon drains. But I split my drain into 4, and I have 4 filter socks. Somebody here estimated a filter sock can handle 1000-1500 GPH max, I can't remember.

So I took that and figured I'd better have 4 for 4,000 GPH.

So how many socks you have for 3,000 GPH pump output on your tank? Maybe you should tee some drain lines so you can add additional socks?

 

[jandb]

Yea, I run Herbie in a 540, it's full siphon drains. But I split my drain into 4, and I have 4 filter socks. Somebody here estimated a filter sock can handle 1000-1500 GPH max, I can't remember.

So I took that and figured I'd better have 4 for 4,000 GPH.

So how many socks you have for 3,000 GPH pump output on your tank? Maybe you should tee some drain lines so you can add additional socks?

That's an idea. I'm just running the one big sock on the full siphon right now. Thanks.

 

[vamptrev]

In my ray tanks i run a reeflo super dart into 4 filter socks 7" x 32" and the 4 socks last about 4 days

 

[wednesday13]

That's an idea. I'm just running the one big sock on the full siphon right now. Thanks.

add as many socks as you can fit into ur sump, split the drain line as much as possible to feed them and it should elleviate the problem... i run anywhere from 2-6 7"x32"ers per tank and mine go for months. socks also fail faster if there fully submersed... if possible, raise them half out of the water. if all else fails and u have no room for expansion... try bumping up to 200 microns.... i run both 100 and 200micron around my fishroom and cant tell the difference in water clarity.

 

[jandb]

Here's the modification I made. I T-d the 2" line and brought 3-2" lines out of it into 3-32" socks. Been running over a month and only changed it twice.

 

[boldtogether]

My setup started out with twin 100micron socks. I quickly learned that 100 micron is way to fine for primary, secondary and tertiary filtering.....so.....I changed my setup....300 flows to 200, to 100 and finally, lately, 50 microns. The whole filter bag system lasts me a month at 2000 gph.
Now....having said that, my water is crystal clear it's true, but I also had to change the way I fed the fish as well as how...
In the end, it all boiled down me just plain overfeeding the fish. Honestly, I went from twice a day to three times a week....sometimes only two. My fish became more active, more vibrant and voilà...filter socks suddenly NOT needing to be constantly cleaned.

 

[jandb]

My setup started out with twin 100micron socks. I quickly learned that 100 micron is way to fine for primary, secondary and tertiary filtering.....so.....I changed my setup....300 flows to 200, to 100 and finally, lately, 50 microns. The whole filter bag system lasts me a month at 2000 gph.
Now....having said that, my water is crystal clear it's true, but I also had to change the way I fed the fish as well as how...
In the end, it all boiled down me just plain overfeeding the fish. Honestly, I went from twice a day to three times a week....sometimes only two. My fish became more active, more vibrant and voilà...filter socks suddenly NOT needing to be constantly cleaned.

Nice idea. How did you flow the 300 into the 200 and so on? I have an open sump and don't know if I could achieve that.