protein skimmer queries

[hosoonhee]

queries on low-end protein skimmer

anyone tried the low-end protein skimmer(air driven type)???do they worked???at least a bit???which brand is better and the price??looking for one for my 2.5 ft tank

[pospeh]

A good and properly run air driven skimmer is as good as a venturi skimmer. The key is getting a good airstone (which you need to replace quite often because of the salt water) and a powerful air pump. It is also preferable to get a skimmer with a long column (greater than 20 inches) so that the bubbles come in contact with the water for a longer period.

But all in all I dont think in the long run, an air driven skimmer is that much more cheaper to run than a venturi skimmer.

[BlueTerror]

May i know what type of air stones are suitable? And also wat size/shape?

How powerful must a airpump be? Mine is a counter current orca skimmer, do i need those airpumps with 2 outlet?

[Tigger]

I think u need a powerfull airpump with 2 outlet. Sander air stone can do the job. It made of wood and product very fine air bubbles. Can go to C328 to look for air stone.

[kelstorm]

How powerful must a airpump be? Mine is a counter current orca skimmer, do i need those airpumps with 2 outlet?

yes.. u need a air pump with 2 outlets.. if not, cannot work.. alternatively, u can get 2 single outlet air pumps...

[nannochloropsis]

I'm currently using an airstone (actually wood stone) skimmer. The bubbles are very fine and you can get dry foam out with all the dirt and black stuff. It works ok for my tank for the past 2 years. You need a powerful airpump and a good woodstone for the fine bubbles

Well, for every good thing, there is a negative side. For one thing, you need to change the wood stone almost every month since algae will be growing over there. So, very troublesome lah and cost more.

However, I don't think it can match those more powerful venturi or beckett type skimmers

[anakjoh]

I used an internal counter-current skimmer (taiwan brand, nearly bought the Orca too). I find that the air outlet (that helps to draw water in from the top) makes a lot of bubbling sound when it comes out at the top.

Anyone having this problem?

Makes me feels like looking for something else maybe a hang-on - i don't use a sump u c.

[hosoonhee]

just bought the ocra 25 today,also producing many bubbles from the water outlet and also from the water inlet,sign,got to think of a way to block the bursting bubble from reaching my lights.anyone using cheap protein skimmer without these problem???what brands??

[boxfish]

Bought Sander PS, the medium size one, for my 3ft tank a few days ago. Seems to be working fine since it has been collecting quite a bit of brownish stuff since day one. I would recommend this PS for new comer that cannot afford the expensive one.

My 2 cents.

[Achilles Tang]

A long long time ago... I onced used a big but cheap Sander PS as recommended by a LFS who said it was good... it was wooden airstone driven.

It was fine for the first month... and then when I began stocking more fishes.... my nightmare began.

So, it didn't work well and I was forced to upgrade to my current H&S Euroreef skimmer which served me to this very day.

When I upgraded, my water quality improved tremedously and my cyano problem then disappeared.

A protein skimmer is 1st in importance because it is responsible for removing all dissolved organics, faster than your biological systems ever could. It is responsible for creating a higher dissolved oxygen content in your tank. With a good and well-rated PS, you can have cleaner water and the means to stock more and feed more.

Morale of the story: You cannot skimp by getting a cheap PS because you will regret it later as you will waste money upgrading or restocking dying livestock. Save money and buy the best you can. It is more important than lights, IMO.

As of now, with my new tank, I am experiencing the same problem of past as my H&S Euroreef has become under-sized for my tank. I have a bad outbreak of hair algae and cyanobacteria now.

So, I am installing a DIY aerofoamer-styled 4 ft tall beckett-driven skimmer rated for a 1000 gallons. It will be BIG and LOUD and EXPENSIVE to run though. It needs a very powerful pump to run... at least 4500l and pressure rated.

But it should be rather kick-######! I can't wait for it to be ready!

[lonteoh]

hi guys,

I recently bought an orca 25 for my 2 feet tank. Seems a little too big but no choice, thats the only one left at the LFS in kranji. What happened is that the foam doesn't seems to reach the foam cup. To be exact, the foam gather far below the foam cup. Is it alrite when this happens? Or is it because my air pump is not powerful enough to push the foam to the foam cup?

[Tanzy]

How long has the skimmer been running? Maybe it needs to break-in a bit more.

[wedgee]

Like to add in a question here... How long do u guys clean yr skimmer on average? Cause the gunk tends to accumulate and coat the throat of the skimmer, so does this affect the skimming abilities? Issit better to clean with tank water or tap water? Cause the skimming seems to be reduced after every cleaning, for a day or two...

[Tanzy]

Depending on model. Mine needs cleaning every week. I used tapwater and fingers, no sponge or soap. Doesn't require break-in after cleaning as long as you don't use soap.

[wedgee]

I clean mine every 3 to 4 days, cause the grime coats the throat of the skimmer...Is this overkill? Does too much cleaning do any harm to the skimming?

[Tanzy]

It really depends, when you can't see the foam in the riser, that's when it needs cleaning.

[hongqixian]

The orca bubble outlet splashes can be stopped a lot by cutting a plastic cup to fit on the outlet tube head, and punching 1-2 holes in the top of the cup. Then the bubbles burst inside the cup. I find skimming is reduced after cleaning but the gunk bubbles build up in a few days.

And the bubbles burst easily at first, never so much as reached the top but they built up after a few days. And gunk collected.

[lonteoh]

Hi tanzy,

Sorrie... i am a newbie in Aquaria hobby. What is a break in for protein skimmer? Btw i have been running my skimmer for the past 4 days, it did collected some orange stuff but they all stay within the reaction tube, the foam cup is still as clean as new. i can see all the foam forming but they just stay within the reaction tube. <_<

[Tanzy]

lonteoh,

When plastic is new, the foam doesn't 'climb' it very well. Only after the breakin period where the plastic is coated with some organics then will the foam rise properly. Sounds like your skimmer is broken in but still not performing. You might not have enough aeration to produce a thick enoug foam or the water level in the skimmer is too low.

[divinesloth]

I noticed that by putting your hand into the water, skimming activity decreases. Everytime I place my hand into the water to remove uneaten food, my skimmer which was bubbling over to the cup stop and foam level decreases to just below the reaction chamber. Maybe you've been touching your water too much? Mine took about a week before I see foams running into my cup, probably because of my fiddling hands

[hongqixian]

Probably just the displacement of water?

[wedgee]

Ya, when i put my hands in, the skimming goes down...but when i feed BBS or stuff, the skimming increases (thats y i switch it off when i feed - is this ok?)

[lonteoh]

What do you suggest for better aeration? Get a better pump? Could it because of the airstone i am using? I am not using the wood airstone but a normal airstone. I dun think it is due to the water level as my water level is already quite high and there is already quite abit of bubble coming out from the reaction tube.

[BlueTerror]

Which ps are u using?

[newdamsel]

What do you suggest for better aeration? Get a better pump? Could it because of the airstone i am using? I am not using the wood airstone but a normal airstone. I dun think it is due to the water level as my water level is already quite high and there is already quite abit of bubble coming out from the reaction tube.

IOnteoh, you should use a wooden aistone. It will produce finer bubbles and bind better to the dissolved organics in the water which we want to remove. Get one first, you should get better skimming results. Each wooden airstone shld cost less than $2.