Is this what a protein skimmer is designed to accomplish? Does a sock or mechanical cannister filter do the same thing?
Detritus removal
- Thread starter Trailermann
- Start date
A protein skimmer removes oil and other stuff that floats on the top of the water.
Beat way to remove detritus is with a gravel vac.
Sent from my HTC PH39100 using MonsterAquariaNetwork App
Beat way to remove detritus is with a gravel vac.
Sent from my HTC PH39100 using MonsterAquariaNetwork App
I use an Oase pondvac which has 4 sections and different heads and picks up everything from the pond floor including leaves etc. You can adjust the suction to slow the water removal rate down and it also has a head that has rubber inside it so it gets full suction but reduces the flow due to the rubber.
The vac sucks anything up that fits in the nozzle so if fry were to be in front of the nozzle then its goodnight i am afraid so careful positioning of the head is needed to avoid such accidents.
I paid £20 for it from a friend who did me a really great favour and didnt use it anymore as they retail around £100 upwards, you may pick up a second hand one a bit cheaper. They also come in handy for cleaning out filters and QT setups etc and do make life easier.
The vac sucks anything up that fits in the nozzle so if fry were to be in front of the nozzle then its goodnight i am afraid so careful positioning of the head is needed to avoid such accidents.
I paid £20 for it from a friend who did me a really great favour and didnt use it anymore as they retail around £100 upwards, you may pick up a second hand one a bit cheaper. They also come in handy for cleaning out filters and QT setups etc and do make life easier.
The skimmer is exactly made to remove the "oily" film that would build up top. It is not necessarily oil per se, but any protein (and other organics) buildup. Also why you would need either surface agitation and or surface skimming to keep that organics in the water column. Once it goes through the skimmer it will first attach to the bubbles, and the bubbles float to the top overflowing into the collection cup.
I think you people are all misled. Actually a protein skimmer removes proteins from the water. The skimmer box removes oil from the surface. Ex. My Ramora skimmer's intake is well below the surface of the tank.
Two different items, removes two different things.
Two different items, removes two different things.
tanker
: you are absolutely right, a protein skimmer does remove proteins from the water column. It also removes other organics. In order for the protein skimmer to remove the oil from the surface that oil needs to get to the inlet of the protein skimmer. The way to get that oil to the inlet is by reintroducing those oils back into the water column - e.g. by having a skimmer box around the pump for the protein skimmer (if it is in tank or hang on back). If the protein skimmer is in a sump tank, then the overflow box doubles as a skimmer box (whether that be in tank overflow or hang on back overflow for non-drilled tanks). With the oils reintroduced into the water column the submerged inlet of the protein skimmer has a chance to grab them and take completely out of the water column. Now all those removed organics do not have a chance to break down and contribute to the nitrogen cycle - making it easier on the biological filtration. Mechanical filters that trap detrius without removing it from the water column still contribute to the nitrogen cycle - and some can become nitrate factories depending on how much organic waste (e.g. poop or uneaten food) they can trap.Or in shorter version:
Maybe it is misleading, but both is right. The protein skimmer can only grab the oils from the surface if a skimmer box takes it off the surface first and puts it in the water column that the protein skimmer can reach. In many cases a skimmer box is not enough to reach all of the surface of a tank, so it likely needs help by surface agitation that flows the surface water (including the oils) towards the skimmer box.
Yes me too. I thought for a while that you meant that my post (#5) was misleading, so I went into a little bit more detail.I agree Duck, I hope we have answered Trailermann's question.
No Duck, I think you are very knowledgeable on this site.
I was referring to the items "Protein Skimmer" and "Skimmer Box". And then the original poster wants to know if a "Filter Sock" can remove what a protein skimmer will do (which of course, it cannot).
I was referring to the items "Protein Skimmer" and "Skimmer Box". And then the original poster wants to know if a "Filter Sock" can remove what a protein skimmer will do (which of course, it cannot).
