What makes a good protein skimmer

Using the best protein skimmer will make sure your aquarium is operating in good condition. Protein skimmers have been around a very long time and are frequently used in large tanks, public aquariums, aquaculture faculties, and fish stores.

A protein skimmer is a type of mechanical filter that removes protein and other organic materials from the water. Examples of organic compounds include bacteria and toxins from corals, waste from animals, and uneaten food. It creates lots of tiny bubbles to which the proteins and other organic compounds stick to because of the polarity differences. Polarity differences essentially means the molecules have different electrical charges.

Opposites attract so the protein molecules are attracted to the bubbles. The bubbles then rise to the surface of the protein skimmer chamber, where the contaminants can be removed through a collection cup. You can skim the proteins off of the surface! Protein skimmers remove organic compounds before they break down and compromise the water conditions. This translates to better water parameters for your fish. They can also keep algae under control, reduce nitrate buildups, and clarify your water until it is sparkling.

In addition to aquariums, protein skimmers are also used in industrial settings like municipal water treatment facilities. It combines extreme performance, quiet operation, low power consumption, and easy maintenance as the best all-around option.

However, you pay for the quality level so be prepared to spend money if you go this route. A protein skimmer works by pushing dirty saltwater aquarium water through a column of bubbles. The proteins and other organic molecules stick to the bubbles because of the polarity differences and the bubbles float to the top of the chamber.

The bubbles burst when they reach the top of the chamber and the protein molecules then attach to and coat the sides of the collection cup. Ever so often, the aquarium keeper unscrews the dirty collection cup, dumps out the contents, wipes it clean, and re-installs it. Then the whole process starts again! Internal protein skimmers are typically built for nano tanks.

Typically, they use an air-stone to generate the bubbles. Like the name suggests, a hang-on-back protein skimmer HOB hangs on the back of your tank and pulls aquarium water directly out of the tank. However, they are usually not as powerful compared to in-sump protein skimmers. Aesthetically, they are also less attractive options as the pump needs to sit inside your tank, which can be difficult, if not impossible, to hide.

This is the highest quality category of protein skimmers. The best protein skimmer options operate inside a sump. It is common for reef tank owners to maintain a large aquarium sump that can hold these units and other equipment.

In sump protein skimmers have the most features like needle wheels or recirculation capabilities. If at all possible, we recommend purchasing an in sump protein skimmer for the best protein skimmer experience. If you have a really large aquarium, you will likely be looking for an external protein skimmer. External protein skimmers are usually meant for larger aquariums over gallons or commercial applications like aquarium stores or public aquariums. In most aquariums, the main problem is keeping ammonia and nitrite levels low.

The nitrogen cycle naturally turns these compounds into nitrates, which are non-toxic at low levels. However, corals are sensitive to the nitrates, which is why a skimmer is an important piece of equipment. Skimmers can lessen the load on your filter system. If you have a functional filter system that is not quite enough for your tank, adding a skimmer can be a good option. Protein skimmers can also be made more efficient by introducing a biopellet reactor into your set-up.

A protein skimmer is an essential element of many of the filtration methods used by high end reefers today including the Berlin Method and Triton method. Bigger tanks generally produce more waste. More waste requires larger skimmers. Buy a skimmer than can support your tank or slightly more. Better to be slightly overpowered with your skimmer. Protein skimmers are no exception. A protein skimmer is a specialized aquarium filtration device that removes suspended and dissolved organic compounds that would otherwise pollute your water through a process called foam fractionation.

So what IS foam fractionation — besides a fancy term? No, seriously. As waves agitate and roll around on the surface of the ocean, you see white foam. Protein gets drawn to the bubbles. And what IS protein? Dissolved organic waste. When the waves roll onto the shore, they dump those wastes onto the sand. The most popular models work by pushing a current of aquarium water against a current of tiny bubbles foam that float up to the top.

As the bubbles pass through the water, all of the organic molecules catch hold and ride them to the collection chamber at the top. As the bubbles reach the top of the collection chamber, they burst. That leaves the protein behind to get stuck on the sides and walls, removing them from the water column.

All you have to do at that point is empty a collection cup once a day and clean it to reset the protein skimmer to start working again.

All protein skimmers use foam fractionation as the mechanism to purify your water. But you can find at least three different designs or mechanisms by which they create those bubbles:.

Each of these designs comes with its pros and cons. And depending on your budget, your tank, and your ingenuity you CAN make your own! Airstone protein skimmers are weaker and typically less expensive models.

These are also sometimes called counter-current skimmers. Bubbles float up, pumping water down against the flow of the bubbles. However, air pumps are usually loud and less efficient, while airstones make relatively large bubbles.

But it is better than nothing, and it can give you a start in the right direction. Since this is a fairly basic design, counter-current airstone-driven models are sometimes described in DIY plans. All you need are some PVC pipes and fittings, and air tubing. A venturi is a valve designed to suck air in.

With impeller wheel protein skimmers, bubbles are pumped through a needle wheel or pinwheel impellers similar to the propeller on a plane. The bubbles end up sliced even smaller, creating the foam you want to see. This improves the efficiency of the skimmer. The impeller-driven models are often paired with another feature, like a venturi design. That provides extra power to the system. I mean, you saw the photo, right? Are they good to have around?

As a general rule, yes. But you can always table the purchase or DIY work for another day. But if you want to continue learning about protein skimmers, what they do, and how they work, check out this handy YouTube video:. But when we have positive personal experiences with products that we think can make your life easier—and are available at a reasonable cost—we want to pass that information along.

Before making this purchase, I was long, long overdue a protein skimmer upgrade. The skimmer I had been using in this system was barely adequate, producing minimal skimmate and clogging frequently. So, why did I put up with this sub-par skimmer performance for so long? Simple: cash—something my wife and I usually have in very limited quantities.

So, basically, what I lacked in protein-skimming efficiency, I had to make up for with greater frequency of water changes. I was finally forced to move on the skimmer purchase after tearing down my gallon reef tank and upgrading the lighting on my gallon so it could house some of the displaced corals.

As I fully anticipated, the new, far more intense lighting—a inch Current USA fixture, containing three watt metal halides, 8 watt T5s, and 4 clusters of LEDs courtesy of Caribbean Chris —kicked the growth of algae into high gear in the I knew I had to step up nutrient export in a major way before things really spiraled out of control.