filter socks with planted tanks?

[jjohnwm]

I am setting up a newly-built 360 gallon plywood tank, and my intention had been to simply use Matten sponge filtration of which I am a big fan. But in looking over my collection of old and unused junk I realize that I have virtually everything required to set up a sump, so I'm thinking I may do so despite not having used one for years. My question: is using filter socks for mechanical filtration a reasonable idea in a planted tank? I've never used them but my gut feeling is that the socks will be clogged within a day or two and will require constant cleaning and attention.

I'm not a big-fish guy, and I tend to keep my tanks lightly stocked and do lots of water changes. I do believe in generous feeding, and when I manage to find a plant species that I don't immediately kill I let it grow in jungle-like profusion. I'm not in there trimming and pruning every day...or every month!...aside from just yanking out handfuls of excess growth to leave a bit of clear swimming space for the fish. Plants are constantly producing a lot of solid chunks of garbage in the form of stray leaves, stems, roots, etc.

I will have some sort of coarse pre-filter, but even so...are socks going to be a mistake?

 

[esoxlucius]

Usually the "stray leaves, stems and roots" you refer to, in my experience with plants anyway, are of a size that your coarse filter will take out before they even get to your filter socks so I don't see a problem with socks.

The only concern I would have with it is that if your plants are shedding masses of waste, and you don't keep on top of cleaning your coarse pre filter, then flow restriction could become an issue and that's never a good thing in an aquarium.

 

[twentyleagues]

I use filter socks in my sumps. And I have plants and am also not a "plant guy". I like the look but I don't fertilize, I don't co2 and I try to keep easy plants. Every once in a while I will try something new and it either dies or does good but the leaves and stems from them dying don't seem an issue in the socks. Now I do change my socks every 3 days (the ones in the tank..... the ones on my feet go for 2 or three weeks or until the walk off on their own jk) I change the socks because if the garbage isn't in the tank it can't pollute the water. I have 14 socks and use two on the sumps. I take the socks off turn them inside out and shake out the large chunks, sift through for snails and toss them back. Then the socks go in a bucket of bleach water.Once the bucket is full I put them in the washing machine with more bleach and run them in a cold water cycle with an extra rinse cycle. I let them dry for a couple days and throw them back in circulation. Fairly simple I've don't it this way for fresh water planted non planted and salt water reef and pred tanks. Never and issue.

 

[duanes]

Like the others I prefer filter socks, but use coarse media like Poret Foam, to collect the larger chunks, before the outlet leading to the socks.
And because my tanks are heavily planted I get lots of daily debris.


This pre filtering saves the socks from getting immediately plugged, I can grab a plug of plant chunks before they get too thick..
But I sequence 3 socks on each outlet, usually changing one out every 2 or 3 days.
While one is filtering, one is already cleaned and at the ready, and one is soaking in bleach water.

 

[Oughtsix]

I am a plant guy more than a fish guy... my daughter is the fish guy. In my experience the first layer of mechanical filtration needs to be very accessible and very easy to pull, clean, then replace. For me being able to maintain that first level of mechanical whether foam, pad, sock or other in under a minute is the key to happy fish keeping.... for me!

P.S. My tanks are dirt (potting soil) bottom with a gravel cap which can be quite messy especially when first starting a tank up.

 

[jjohnwm]

... In my experience the first layer of mechanical filtration needs to be very accessible and very easy to pull, clean, then replace. For me being able to maintain that first level of mechanical whether foam, pad, sock or other in under a minute is the key to happy fish keeping....

Thanks to all who commented. I think the above quote exemplifies my feelings on this. Socks just don't seem to offer me anything I want. Instead I will be using a coarse 45PPI block of Poret foam around each overflow intake, then three layers of Poret in increasing densities as my main mechanical filtration. Based on my experience with Poret I think I will be able to get away with a thorough weekly rinsing of the top layer, and far less frequent cleaning of the others.

I'm enjoying this project a lot; haven't done a sump in years. This one will be in two parts: first, a vertical sump alongside the aquarium, reaching up to just under the water level in the tank. Water overflows into those successive Poret layers in this vertical column, which will be about 2 square feet in area and about 30-36 inches deep. I'll fill the area under the mechanical foam filter sheets with some bio media, maybe lava rock or pot scrubbies. Water will flow through this "dry" tower and exit out the bottom, flowing into my second/main sump beneath the aquarium. This will house the heaters, and the main body of it will be bio filtration. I am toying with the idea of a moving/fluidized bed of Poret cubes, mainly because I've never tried it before.

I'm lucky that I have a local retailer who stocks Poret foam at a good price.

 

[Oughtsix]

It sounds like you are configuring your vertical sump similarly to what I am currently working on.

+

This is a rough sketch. I am planning on trying filter socks but your foam stack might be a better approach. My tank is in a peninsula configuration in my living room so the tower will be completely enclosed to reduce sound. The main goal is to make maintenance as easy as possible.... and not have to crawl under the tank to get to the first level mechanical filtration.

I am not positive of the exact configuration I will use yet. One of the phenomenon I am pondering is the fine particles that always settle out of the water and end up as gunk in the bottom of the sump. I am trying to figure out a way to reduce this or atleast make it very easy to get to and clean up this gunk.

 

[jjohnwm]

That's virtually identical to my plan, barring a few minor details. Mine is in my downstairs man-cave...more of a burrow rather than a cave, actually ...so I won't have to worry about the limitations of cosmetic appearance. It's a partially-finished basement area, lined with workbenches, tool storage, etc. It has two huge advantages: I like spending time down there...and my wife refuses to enter!

My vertical sump portion will have a rubbermaid bin sitting on top of the bio-media, and the foam sheets will be in that; extremely easy to access from in front of the tank, no obstructions at all. Looking at your drawing, the socks will be in some kind of holder, with the overflows just pouring into them, yes? I was originally thinking to do that...and then swung over to the foam sheets instead...but on third thought, I may combine the two, something you could probably easily do as well. Picture the foam sheets held in place under the overflows, but then place a coarse sock on both of the overflows, tied or held in place with string, elastics, etc. The body of the sock would lie loosely on top of the uppermost foam; all the water would need to go through the sock before escaping to the foam; and, if you wait too long between cleanings of the socks, they would start to "puff up" as restricted water flow through the actual material of the sock creates a wee bit of back-pressure within it, which would act as a sort of visual reminder to clean it.

I'm currently at the plotting and scheming stage of this sump, so I'm basically just talking out loud now...but I can't see an immediate flaw to this plan.

 

[Oughtsix]

Yep, the socks will be in some kind of holder with the overflows pouring into them. The holder will allow the water to bypass without causing a flood if the socks are clogged. One of the things I like about this design is not having to stoop and crawl to get to the primary mechanical media.

I will be making my vertical tower out of acrylic which will give me some flexibility in the design.

My stand build is progressing rather slowly as I am kind of thinking things through as I build: https://www.monsterfishkeepers.com/...insula-dirt-bottom-planted-tank-build.714316/

I am a little stuck on how I want to do the overflow out of the tank currently. I am thinking a couple bulkheads with an in tank ghost type overflow in front of them. I am a little worried about noise.. but having everything contained and surrounded with wood should help a lot in keeping the sound down.

I have been liking the idea of some kind of course filter before the fine socks. Kind of the reverse of what you described... course socks before the finer sponge filters.

I have even considered using a long sheet of medium filter mesh ~9" x 20 feet as the first layer of mechanical filtration. I would wind the long sheet of filter mesh up on a couple spools so I could just index it a few inches daily and then only have to remove it every week or so for a complete cleaning. ...Like you, just thinking out loud.