how to skim protein with fry around

[spypet]

I have a filter inlet protein skimmer that works great
http://cgi.ebay.com/Aquarium-Surface-Protein-Skimmer-Oil-Plant-Fish-/320653710241
but I'm afraid to use it once the tank has shrimplets
since the same water line aperture that skims oily
protein, could take in some waterline swimming fry.

Now that I'm using a water line fan to cool the water,
the white film protein and dust build up even faster.
is there any shrimp safe solution for this? if I don't
use this skimmer, within weeks my waterline will be
covered in a white film that my ramshorn love to eat,
but not fast enough to keep it clear.

I tried cleaning the surface with a fine silk net,
but only end up pushing the protein underwater.
My water outlet does break the surface tension.
I adjusted the top to skim protein at the lowest
possible amount of effective top inlet waterflow.

you can see the blue to black to clear water
inlet to protein skimmer. the lift tube behind it
with the white suction cup that goes down to
a clay dish is a DIY food control system. the
bottom of the black filter inlet is covered with
a silk fish net to keep fry out of the it's inflow,
but nothing on the top clear plastic floating crown
will keep shrimp fry from flowing into my filter.
the top right corner is a floating thermometer.

 

[spypet]

I came up with a solution to my own problem.

I bought a canvas (cotton) decorative net from
a crafts & hobby store, then suction cupped the
net against one side glass of my tank making sure
parts of the net were above and below the surface,
and there was some gentle water flow going by.

as the protein and debris swirls around it gets
caught and absorbed into the netting fabric.
later when I top off my tank the shrimp come
and eat the protein buildup that is now below
the waterline on the net fabric.

since I use evaporative cooling my water line
varies by several centimeters from day to day
so now there is a regular fan club of shrimp who
wait for me to refill the tank so they can get
at the fresh supply of protein and debris.

needless to say the amount of film on top of
the waters surface is hardly noticeable now,
and the netting will provide a great medium
for shrimp fry to hide and develop. another
bonus is this fabric is hard for snails to latch
on to, so it gives the shrimp a snail free place
to feed without competition.

my only warning is that cotton is an algae magnet,
so only do this if your algae is already under control,
while mounting such a net on the least lit tank side.

 

[MacMyers]

I like that idea very much. Simple, elegant, brilliant.

I really appreciate it.

 

[spypet]

every time I top off the tank, it's a freaking party up there.
I may be getting thai red claw crabs soon, so this will be
a nice spot for them to get above the waterline.