Poopy water blues? Maybe it’s time for a protein skimmer.

Posted on 29 May 2018
Posted in aquarium filter, in sump skimmer, needle wheel skimmer, needlewheel, protein skimmer, reef filter, skimmer
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Find out how a protein skimmer can make your aquarium healthier and your fish & corals happier!

A canister filter, hang-on filter or filter socks in a sump work great for trapping detritus. However, the detritus will stay in your system and continue to break down. The removal the detritus from the system does not occur until you clean your filter or change out your filter socks. To put it in laymen’s terms, those filters will catch fish poop. But the fish poops remains in your system until you clean them out. Nitrates and phosphates continue to be produced by the breaking down of the trapped fish poop.

A protein skimmer functions very differently. Many consider the protein skimmer to be the heart of a saltwater aquarium’s filtration system. A protein skimmer actively removes detritus from the system before it has a chance to break down. It helps to keep your nitrates and phosphates in check as it reduces the amount of fish poop in your system.

The most popular, and efficient, of the protein skimmer designs is the needle-wheel venturi. A needle-wheel venturi skimmer usually utilizes an energy-efficient pump that draw in air and water through a venturi intake. From there, the air is chopped up into tiny air bubbles by a needle-wheel impeller in the pump. These tiny air bubbles and water are then pumped in to the reaction chamber.

Within the reaction chamber of the protein skimmer is where all the magic happens. The tiny air bubbles and dirty aquarium water mix inside the reaction chamber. As they are mix, the dirty proteins in the water become attached to the air bubbles. The air bubbles, carrying the dirty protein, then rise to the top of the skimmer then pops in the collection cup. Dirty protein is left behind and collects in the collection cup. Voila, the poops is out of your aquarium!

Nyos and Reef Octopus make some of the best protein skimmers. These skimmers are able to draw in more air and produce smaller air bubbles. They also feature bubble diffusers and efficient reaction chamber designs that maximize contact time while minimizing turbulence. The end result is that more protein is removed from the water and your aquarium stays cleaner. Both also feature high quality pumps that have proven to be quiet and reliable.

The most common type protein skimmer is the in-sump protein skimmer. The skimmer simply sits in your sump. It draws water from your sump then returns water back to your sump. The next is an external recirculating protein skimmer. An external skimmer requires a separate ‘feeding’ pump that pumps water into the skimmer. While the extra pump and extra plumbing is required to install an external skimmer, it does have the benefit of being able to be place remotely and outside of the sump and is more efficient because of its recirculating design. For smaller aquariums, in-tank and hang-on skimmers options are available.

Can a saltwater aquarium thrive without a protein skimmer?

Absolutely. Large and frequent water changes, large refugiums with a lot of chaetomorpha, denitrators & low bioloads can all help to keep nitrates and phosphates down. However, when this one piece of equipment can make you water so much cleaner and be so easy to maintain, it is really a no brainer.

So, say good bye to poopy water blues and say hello to a shiny new protein skimmer! You fish and corals will thank you for it!

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