i have a 75g tank right now with a 20g sump. the sump has a filter sock i dont remember the micron rating, and some bio balls. im tired of cleaning out the soft as it clogs pretty much over night even after pulling it out of the washer and looking clean. i bought 5 socks from mcmaster idk if i got the wrong type if that my problem. anyways i have a spare 29g tank i will be switching in for the 20 as a sump, and will be buying kaldnes media and getting rid of my ceramic rings and bio balls. what would you guys recommend for mech. filtration, poret foam from swiss tropics, matala foam or new socks i have looked at other ones on mcmaster that are longer and polyester material?
sump ''insides"
- Thread starter spiffyfish
- Start date
You have 5 filter socks. swap one out everyday and wash on the forth and repeat? Ever since running 2 100micron socks on my sump, I dont have any plans on using any other primary mech filter media.
I only spray w/ my water hose once a week. Have been using the same pair of filter socks since july.
I only spray w/ my water hose once a week. Have been using the same pair of filter socks since july.
My socks are hard to change, so I went bigger. I got the 7X16" and run 2. I use 200 micron and now it makes it to my weekly waterchange. I have a 5 gallon bucket with diluted bleach water in it. I toss them in until it is full and run them through the washing machine. I have 12, a 6 week supply. 53 gallon sump under a 240. I am thinking about getting 2 100 micron to try. If they can make it a week, there will be a lot less fine stuff in the tank.
yes i have 5, but the same as rodger mine arent exactly the easiest to change and with them clogging every other day i thought it would be more efficient to just get foam and swap/ rinse them out once a week. dont get me wrong the socks do a great job when they are clean but i will pull one out of the washer and it will be clogged the next morning and the water overflows over the sock. i have been using them for about a year and a half now so idk if its time for new socks or what but from what i remember they have done this pretty much since new. my socks are only4x6or7''.
Try making a t so that you can run double socks. Also if you have room go up to 7" socks if you are running 4". Try 100 or 200 micron. If it is clogging that fast, you are using too fine of a sock. Do you turn your pump off when you feed? Maybe you are clogging with food? Socks are the best mechanical filter. If the foam makes it go longer, then it isn't cleaning as good. McMaster also has double socks. They are a 200 inside a 100. You have to use bleach to clean them because there is no way to rinse the outer sock. Here is a good thread off of here on socks.
http://www.monsterfishkeepers.com/forums/showthread.php?406140-A-Filter-Sock-Thread
http://www.monsterfishkeepers.com/forums/showthread.php?406140-A-Filter-Sock-Thread
Is your sock submerged or above the water level? I found mine clogged very fast when submerged but lasted a lot longer if lifted out of the water so gravity can do its thing. Might also help if you knew the micron rating, you could be running a 5micron sock and wondering why it clogs so quickly...