Hope to revive an AWESOME thread, I think I am flipping back to going to socks rather that poly sheets. Quickly: designing sumps for 300g and 55g African cichlid tanks, moderate+ stocking. Overflow will be Bean Animal so 2 - 1 1/2" inputs to the sump, 1 full flow and 1 partial flow (a 3rd emergency but should never have water within other than seconds during pump start up). Pipes will be submerged 1"below water line. First design is for the 55g. Sump is only 12" high due to space restrictions.
I am looking for low maintenance, as low as possible anyways. I really don't want to have to be changing filter media more than 1x/wk, less is even better. I understand sock size and micron size will influence this.
Questions from the thread:
1) can you store these and wash a bunch at the same time in the washing machine? How are you doing 10 at a time unless multiple sumps? I will have basically 4 socks on the go between 2 tanks (1 home, 1 office so different locations) but may not need changing at the same time.
2) not clear on how to wash in the machine, I read detergent? Or just bleach? How much bleach in the machine? Finish with a second rinse only?
3) how deep should the sock be? I assume the more sock in the water the better? I see so many set ups with 1/3 of the sock out of the water, wasted filtration no?
4) polyester vs polypropylene: general consensus is polypropylene works better and lasts longer? And polypropylene can still go in the washing machine?
5) cutting 2 holes in a piece of acrylic or cutting a 6" PVC coupling half to hold 2 socks...which is better? Remember I will have the inlet pipes deeper than many of you as my pipe ends are submerged
6) Does running a 7" 200micron inside of a 7" 100micron impede flow? I will be moving a lot of water, probably around 2,500gph using a Sicce Syncra 12.0 (3200gph @ 0 head I believe). What about running a 200 micron on my full flow and running a 100 micron on my low flow inlet?
7) Still the best place to order socks is? (I ask as the thread is pretty old and maybe new discoveries have been found!)
8) My smaller sump is only 12" tall (also 12" front to back) and it seems all the 7" bags are 16 1/2" tall. can they lay on the bottom? It seems to make sense to go with 7" vs 4" as it will cut my maintenance down (good thing!).
Thanks tons, I think I'm back to re-drawing the design!
