Sump Upgrade

[magnetar68]

I am thinking about upgrading my sump to make it easier to change the socks and keep the sump from getting mucky over time. I like this design. It's expensive ($439 + shipping). I was going to move the refugium to a separate 29G tank and keep the sump for mechanical and chemical filtration (socks, protein skimmer, GFO/GAC reactor, and biopellet reactor). I am thinking the dual 7" socks will mean I need to clean them only once per week. Any feedback?

 

[bondolo]

The stuff that gets caught in socks or filter pads breaks down fairly quickly and the higher concentrations in the sock only seems to accelerate this. If you don't change every 48-72 hours you are losing a lot of the effectiveness of using a sock.

Buy a few extra socks and maybe don't clean them every time you swap. I clean mine a couple at a time in a large closed container of peroxide. I rinse out the dirty sock first with RO a couple times and then put them into the peroxide. A week in the H2O2 with agitation and all the bio gunk is gone from the sock. A quick rinse in RO and it's back in service. I empty out the peroxide container once a month or whenever it seems like there is a lot of sludge. I save off the "cleanest" 60-75% of the peroxide and discard the rest with the sludge. If the peroxide seems used up and not working I start fresh with a whole 1liter bottle into the container.

 

[sfsuphysics]

What am I looking at with that sump, on the far left? are those supposed to be heater holders? Where does the water enter the sump in the heater chamber or directly into the filter sock? Either way that area with the heaters looks awfully small for a place that's going to probably get the most gunked up and in need of cleaning.

 

[flyingphish]

Those aren't heater holders...that is where the water enters the sump, it fills that section up then it overflows to the socks.

Don't run socks. they are a pain to clean everyday and are not needed.

 

[magnetar68]

Don't run socks. they are a pain to clean everyday and are not needed.

When I don't run socks, over time my sump gets a layer of gunk at the bottom and the skimmer and return pumps get gunked up as well. Do you not have this issue?

 

[flyingphish]

Yes. I would certainly get gunk build up but I keep a powerhead in the sump (maxijet1200 i think) to keep a good current in there. My sklmmer then picks all that crap up.

 

[rygh]

Don't run socks. they are a pain to clean everyday and are not needed.

When I don't run socks, over time my sump gets a layer of gunk at the bottom and the skimmer and return pumps get gunked up as well. Do you not have this issue?

Actually, gunk at the bottom of my sump is exactly what I want and where I want it.
I consider a "settling tank" section part of the filtration.
Very easy to siphon out.

Socks are nice, but just way too high maintenance for me.

 

[Coral reefer]

i agree, they need to be changed out too often for my liking, hence I quit using them. sometimes for a day or two after a good water change or when anything is getting stirred up they help, but all the time just isnt worth it to me. siphoning out the stuff from the sump is my answer, although the power head to keep it stirred up is interesting indeed...
If you want to use them I have a bunch of old but still perfectly usable ones you can have CHEAP!

Also, the first chamber is unneeded in my opinion, just sump the water straight into the socks IMO, might help with noise a bit, but sump is in a different room so why worry? Id almost say just find an old acrylic tank and dump all your equipment in it and find a way to hang a sock or two in there. Much cheaper and just about as good IMO

 

[BAYMAC]

I use socks ONLY for polishing water... never for continuous use.