Drawstring Filter Socks 

Our filter socks are excellent at trapping particles floating in aquarium water to produce crystal clear water.

We have two types of filter socks: one type sock has a drawstring, and the other has a plastic ring around the top allowing it to fit into a sock holder in a filter called a sump. In a sump filter dirty water from the display tank pours right into the top of the filter sock where particles are trapped. Then, clean water flows through the fibers of the sock into the sump from where it is pumped back to the aquarium.

These very heavy duty filter socks are constructed of durable polyester. While they are also available in polypropylene, we prefer polyester for our filter socks as they don’t seem to pill after washing, and have very little oil on them. Polypropylene can initially cause a protein skimmer to go crazy; Polyester does not have those problems. Polyester socks are very durable through multiple washes, so this is a way I like to go.

As mentioned earlier on, particles are trapped by this filter sock. The sock will start to clog from the very bottom and work it’s way up. If you don’t change and clean these filter socks, eventually the water will overflow from the top. So, change these filter socks often to remove the nutrient load. If the organica stay in the filter sock, they will break down into phosphate and nitrate.  Most hobbyists change them once every week or two if the load is not heavy. Some hobbyists with high end reef tanks will change them a couple of times a week. Some even change them daily. Whatever works for you but the more often you change these filter socks, the higher the water quality is going to be.

To change these filter socks first tap or shake the contents into a clean bucket (used solely for your aquarium) to see if anything has been collected in there. Strange as it seems, hermit crabs, snails, and even fish are sometimes found trapped in filter socks.