Did discontinuing the use of a filter sock cause cheato growth?

O.k. here's the story. My tank is 6 moths old. My refuge has been running for 5 months with a softball sized ball of cheato. MY API nitrate test has Always tested at zero. 2 weeks ago I removed my filter sock and replaced it with a diy bubble diffuser. I have only harvested the cheato one time in 5 months, for a while I thought it was shrinking. Now within 2 weeks of removing the filter sock it has almost filled my 4 gal refuge(total water volume is ~ shoe box size). Side note the skimmer is producing 2-3 times more dark skimmate. I guess my question is do you think removing the sock caused these reactions?

 

I would start by asking how long the filter sock was on there in the first place?

They certainly do trap a lot of nitrates and other organic waste.

Have you changed anything else? Added any livestock? Changed lightbulbs? Anything like that?

 

i think the tank is just maturing and the equipment and cheato has settled in

 

Oh yeah sorry I forgot that lol. I change the sock weekly. That's the reason to go without it, lol to reduce maintenance. As far as any other changes, none that I can think of no.

 

Yes, yes and yes.

Your filter sock was doing alot of waste removal, so it's absence is being picked up by the fuge and protein skimmer.

My tank goes downhill real fast without a filter sock. They also remove big pieces of stuff (cheato curls and bubble algae) that would otherwise foul your protein skimmer's needle wheel.

 

I'm cool with any answer lol. This is my first refuge so I'm still learning.

 

It's no coincidence that your cheato ball quadrupled 2 weeks after the sock was removed.

 

Oh crap! I didn't know that. Lmao this "reducing maintenance" thing sounds more "shifted maintenance" huh lol. Thanks for the heads up.

 

I agree with Wiskey, Si, Si and Si. and for the exact reasons they give, I have 2 outlets in my sump and one into my fuge which then drains into my sump.

The one that drains into the sump goes through a sock the other into sock in the fuge. I recently removed the sock from the fuge at the advise of a friend and had the exact same result.

 

Gazog & W.T. do either of you run socks now?