Protein skimmers

The protein skimmer is a device that minimizes organic waste in aquarium water. This method of filtration removes dissolved organic waste in the water before it dissolves into toxic ammonia and nitrate. The process of skimming imitates sea foam creating miniature baloons to which organic molecules are attached and are removed together with the foam into the "collection cup" thet gathers protein skimmer waste.

This process is very important in maintaining the quality of sea water in the aquarium since it is the only method that sucessfully removes organic waste out of the water. The years of aqua-hobby have seen the protein skimmer technology develop thus there are only four types of skimmers available in the market that can satisfy the hobbysts desires.

So, there are four basic divisions of skimmers and their differences are more than great be it design or efficiency. Skimmers can also be interior or exterior (Hang-On) but there are hybrides as well with both possibilities.

[ Protein skimmers activated by air ]

Air skimmers are the simplest and the cheapest and are often used in the smallest reef aquarium systems. We simply drag the air in through a wooden spraying device, which should be replaced every one to three months, into the skimmer where it is mixed with the water. For sucessful operation we need a potent air pump as well as a pump to bring the water i and out of the skimmer. Aqua Medic Midiflotor is a good example of such a skimmer.

[ Venturi skimmers ]

Such skimmers use a valve on potent open pumps where the air is mixed inside the water pump and is broken into miniature baloons over the pump rotor. Venturi skimmers are often designed to make a whirl inside the skimmer so that the contact of water and tiny baloons would be as long as possible. These skimmers are ofnen a bit loud because the air is brought in through a valve.

[ Needle Wheel protein skimmers ]

These skimmers work similarly as Venturi skimmers except that its open pumps use the Needle Wheel system ( patented by AquaMedic ) which replaces the standard rotor with the Needle Wheel rotor ( comb ) that can produce the finest baloons. Such skimmers are much better that Venturi skimmers and are significantly quieter. The whole Turboflotor series uses this system and a great example of a Needle Wheel skimmer is the Aqua Medic Turboflotor 1000 Multi SL.

[ DownDraft protein skimmers ]

Down-draft skimmeri operate in sucha way as to use the heavy pressure of flowing water that falls on a kind of a filter like "bioballs" where it is broken and produces miniature baloons. These skimmers work on the basis of flowing water force or attached bowls law system.

Text by:
Vedran Stinicic