I don't have a sump. My least favorite thing to do is squeeze sponges. Little by little I'm changing to HMF filters.
For those of us with sumps, and that use filter socks and have to change them frequently I feel your pain. I currently rotate 15 socks constantly. Swapping,rinsing,soaking in bleach,rinse again and then air dry, repeat!!
I petitioned my wife for a dedicated washing machine. Got strange looks,figured that was a no.
So, I started to look for a new way. Enter the Coralvue Klir DI 7. It’s a roller filter that just drops into the existing sock holder. Being a SD guy, I read and watched everything on YouTube, and took the plunge and order it and what I hope will be a good supply of filter “fleece”. It actually looks like a roll of single ply toilet paper.
The unit arrived, I unpacked it and had it assembled in about 15 mins. The build quality is very good and all parts fit well. My sump is a DIY unit so I needed to make some mods. After making the changes needed I droppped it in and plugged it in. The Klir has been running for 3 days and I am already noticing better clarity due to the 50 micron filter fleece. AND! Best of all no more stinky fish poop filled socks!!
I will post pics if anyone wants to see my install, but YouTube has some good videos. Also the unit comes in a 4” size if you use the smaller socks.
I don't have a sump. My least favorite thing to do is squeeze sponges. Little by little I'm changing to HMF filters.
Mama Bear
I am in the same boat as you Mark. Right now I’m looking at umpteen drying filter socks and they aren’t cheap! I ended up buying some poret foam from Swiss Tropicals and cut some circles out to fit over the socks. It buys me an extra couple days, but would love to see pics or the name of the you tube video to watch. Thanks for posting your find!
Patty
If the discus are happy, I’m happy
I googled HMF Filter
Patty here is a link https://www.coralvue.com/klir-fleece-filter-di-7
This the manufacturer, but if you want just search Klir DI7 on YouTube and you will find some videos by Bulk Reef Supply and some amateurs also. In my situation I also ordered the matching sock tray because I did not build my sump with a tray.
Update on Klir Filter. I found one of the edges the filter material rides over to be a bit too sharp,which was causing too much drag on the motor that moves it. I rounded it off a bit and have had Zero problems since. And I am still on the first roll of filter material. It looks like I will get 2 months out of one roll on a 400 gal system with fifteen 4”-6” discus eating and pooping up a storm.
So now I have 15 dingy white part hats on the shelf! Yeaaaaa!
Also, here is a controversial question for you.
If I were to use this in a grow out system, can I reduce water changes to 50% a day instead of 90% (say. or 25-30% a day instead of 50%). If detritus is the biggest component of waste in the tank, can we get away with physically removing them but still not affecting the discus?
use coolant filter paper 20 micron off ebay to replace the rolls. Much cheaper diy.
edit* im actually looking into the thieling compact for a new tank. The saltwater guys gave me the tip to use the coolant filter paper since its the same stuff. and u can find different microns for your needs.
Last edited by shime; 03-27-2019 at 04:00 PM.
I think if you drop down to 20 micron it will clog up pretty quick. Right now I am getting 2 months out of one roll with 15 four to six inch discus in 400 gals of system water. My reason for installing the unit was to eliminate dealing with 15-20 dirty 100 micron socks. Also it limits cycling my entire volume of water through an ever increasing amount of decaying waste for up to 2 days. I still do the same water change regime as it’s not removing nitrates, just suspended solids.
hated filter socks, mine plugged in 2 days, were a pain to clean and after several washing would start to have loose stitching. they were effective at removing debris though
price is high, but as mentioned, socks aren't cheap either. i'm not getting how this works on my sump though. my return line fed into the sock, not along side of it.
Last edited by Jack L; 03-28-2019 at 12:18 AM.
combo its a matten filter, a big sponge filter system
Jack, my sump is a diy that originally had just a sock holder rather than a tray. I’m guessing yours is set up like mine was, so to make it work I got the optional adapter that you see the drains going into off to the side. This allows the sensor to detect the water level rising, which causes the motor to advance the filter paper. If you go on YouTube and search for Klir filter you can see how it works, or go to Bulk Reef Supply and watch their videos.