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The Protein Skimmer And The Nano Reef Aquarium

September 8, 2008

Nano aquariums are small, ranging from the very small of 10 gallons or a little less to around 30 gallons or so. They are popular, at least partly because they have the advantage of being able to fit almost anywhere, so the aquarist pushed for space doesn’t need to do without.

The big thing (if I can put it that way!) with a nano aquarium is they are relatively inexpensive to set up, stock and run. Having said that, all the considerations required for a large or very large aquarium apply, such as heating needs, stocking limits etc. Obviously the choice of livestock is restricted, for example a surgeon fish should not be in a nano.

The equipment considered for marine aquariums includes a protein skimmer. Though some manufacturers have improved, skimmers are often purchased with a capacity of around twice the aquarium net gallonage to make up for any ambitious claims by manufacturers. With some nano aquariums the difficulty would be finding a skimmer small enough.

That is often the problem – finding a skimmer that is physically small enough to fit the aquarium. With an aquarium of, say, 30 or even 20 gallons a hang-on skimmer could be found that will fit. However, the very small nano aquarium will often present difficulties, at least those that are being put together by the aquarist could. If a small nano aquarium is being marketed as a complete piece of equipment, and there are a few available, then perhaps the manufacturer has fitted a skimmer. The aquarist who is putting one together could check to see if that particular manufacturer also sells skimmers of the same specifications as a separate item. If so, perhaps there’s the answer.

Failing to obtain a suitable skimmer locally means trawling the internet to see which manufacturers produce what skimmers. Normally it is a hang-on variety that is used. If none suitable can be found what can be done?

The protein skimmer is an essential piece of equipment, and a great many aquarists support this view including me. This is all well and good, but what if a skimmer just cannot be found that will fit?

The first action that could be considered is the use of activated carbon. This media adsorbs dissolved organics and might be thought suitable instead of a skimmer. However, as I understand it the skimmer and carbon are effective on different organics. Nevertheless, in the absence of a skimmer activated carbon could be used. It should be regularly changed and preferably be in a pumped container such as a small canister filter – this will ensure adequate seawater flow through the media.

The second action is one that should be undertaken with any aquarium no matter what the size is, and that is to carry out routine seawater changes. The normal guideline for starting routine changes is 10% of the system net gallonage (this is often varied as the aquarist gains experience, both in personal knowledge and of the particular aquarium).

A great advantage of the nano aquarium is that it does not hold a lot of seawater, the very small ones as said perhaps 10 gallons or so. Obviously 10% of 10 gallons is 1 gallon. Doing a seawater change isn’t going to break the bank! So if there isn’t a skimmer and the aquarist wishes to minimize dissolved organic concentrations in the seawater, then the amount of each routine seawater change could be increased. This would have to be built up by the aquarist on experience, though there are some difficulties with this, as the test kits for organics commercially produced I am advised do not measure the organics that skimmers remove. Helpful! It should also be noted that seawater changes that are too large are not helpful because the mix is ‘raw’ and disliked by livestock. Generally 25% is the upper limit and this should be much more than enough.

The aquarist should ensure the minimum routine seawater change is completed weekly, and at the same time keep a watch for two things – first, the seawater should not have any slow bursting bubbles and/or oily and perhaps dusty looking film on its surface, and second there shouldn’t be any yellowing of the seawater, even slightly. This yellowing is termed ‘gilvin.’ If pale it is difficult to see and, though not required weekly, an occasional check should be made as follows. Take a white saucer or small plate and place it upright inside the aquarium at one end. Alternatively, tape a piece of white paper to the outside of the aquarium at one end. From the other end looking down the full length of the aquarium, check for any sign of yellow. It is unlikely that there will be if activated carbon is in use.

The protein skimmer is a wonderful device assisting the aquarist a great deal in the maintenance of high quality seawater. However, if the nano aquarium is just too small to make use of one, then the other advantage of the nano can be taken advantage of – very affordable seawater changes.

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Don’t Skimp On Your Protein Skimmer

June 17, 2008

There are various items of equipment that assist the aquarist, the items differing depending on whether the system is fish only or reef. For example, the reef system, particularly if it is quite large and contains hard corals, could use a calcium reactor – it would be unusual for one to be used on a fish only system.

There are items of equipment that are common to both systems, and an obvious example is heating, normally combined heater/thermostats. Another item that is common to both is the protein skimmer.

The protein skimmer is probably the best equipment aid to seawater quality that the aquarist owns. It therefore makes good sense to take a little care in choosing it.

Protein skimmers use a pump to pass seawater through a chamber where it is exposed to an air/water interface. This interface is created in the majority of skimmers by the use of a venturi valve. Put simply, an air inlet of a particular size is positioned just before the pump impellor. As the pump moves the seawater air is sucked in through the inlet. The air and seawater pass through the impellor where the air is thrashed into tiny bubbles, huge numbers of them. There are variations on this impellor/seawater/air theme but the principle remains the same.

When considering the purchase of a protein skimmer, the first piece of knowledge that the aquarist requires is the net gallonage of the system, which means that the gallonage of the display aquarium and any sump in use should be combined. It is not necessary for this gallonage figure to be accurate, but should be a reasonable approximation if the true figure is not known. Remember it is the net gallonage, that is the seawater amount after displacement by rocks and sand.

The net gallonage of the system is required so that the protein skimmer can be adequately sized. Manufacturer’s quote the amount of seawater that a particular protein skimmer can cope with, and sometimes these quotes are ambitious. The usual method is to obtain a skimmer that is quoted as capable of dealing with twice the seawater that the aquarist actually has. Having said that, of late some manufacturers have been more realistic with their quotes, offering a range of skimmers. Nevertheless, purchase the chosen unit on the plus side, that is, obtain one that is quoted above the known seawater amount.

So which protein skimmer should be obtained? There are two types that mainly interest the aquarist, and these are the ‘hang-on’ and ’stand-alone.’ The descriptions are generally self explanatory – the ‘hang-on’ type is useful for aquarists who wish to place it on the display aquarium but wish to minimise the sight of it within the aquarium, and the ‘stand-alone’ is usually used alongside a sump. Some models are adaptable to both types. Skimmers are supplied with pumps adequate for their purpose.

Having decided the type, the aquarist now needs to pick a model. As with most things, some are better than others.

The skimmer should be properly designed and if skimmers can be seen running then a general simple check will indicate that this is so. The first thing to look at is the bubble generation. Skimmers have a bubble chamber, and this chamber should be a milky white colour, or somewhere near it, and packed with bubbles. The bubbles themselves should be very small. Also listen to the noise of the unit – if it is going into the lounge for example the noise needs to be very low.

Also examine the skimmer and be sure that it is serviceable bearing in mind the location it will be in. For example, during a cleaning exercise the cup needs to be removed from the unit, and this means lifting it upwards. If in a sump, is there room?

When the aquarist cannot see a skimmer operating, then it is best to note down the names of a few types that appear to be suitable. Using the internet, have a look at any reviews that could be available, and note the comments made. Also make enquiries on forums, so that other aquarists who have experience of the skimmer can make a comment. A visit to the manufacturer’s website could also be made, to obtain the specifications of the model(s) of interest.

As already said a protein skimmer is important, and it is very worthwhile giving time for research and checking the performance, as far as possible, of any particular model.

There are other types of skimmer in addition to the venturi models, such as air driven and down-draught types. The venturi skimmers are the most used.

To round off, why is a protein skimmer important? It has already been stated that they are a tremendous aid to seawater quality. This is because a protein skimmer removes dissolved organic matter (DOM). The seawater passing through the bubble chamber will usually be loaded with DOM (the load varies because of circumstances). DOM molecules both repel water (hydrophobic) and are water soluble (hydrophilic). When they are in very close proximity to air, as they are in the bubble chamber, the water repellent part attaches to a bubble. Many molecules can attach to a single bubble in this way.

As the bubbles slowly ascend in the bubble chamber, the DOM molecules go with them. At the top, the foam created because of the attached molecules is stiff, and rises up the neck of the skimmer, and then falls into the collection cup, where periodically it can be removed. Therefore the seawater quality is optimised.

It is important that a protein skimmer is regularly cleaned (the neck and cup) or the efficiency of the unit will be reduced.

The downside of a protein skimmer is that it will not only remove DOM but will also remove trace elements that are better left in the seawater. However, because of the great value of the skimmer this is disregarded. If the aquarist does routine seawater changes then the new seawater will introduce trace elements.

When the dark and smelly effluent that collects in the skimmer cup has been seen, it becomes obvious why they are such an asset.

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The Protein Skimmer – What Is Wet And Dry Foam?

April 26, 2008

In a saltwater aquarium there are various devices that are designed to assist in the maintenance of high quality seawater. Perhaps the most useful of these is the protein skimmer (ignoring bio-filtration).

As with all devices for it to be at its most effective it must be adjusted correctly. First though, the skimmer must be appropriate to the size of the system.

The normal way of sizing a skimmer is to simply double the net gallonage of the entire system, then find a skimmer that can deal with about that amount. This is a guideline only, and is designed to overcome the sometimes optimistic claims of manufacturers. As long as the skimmer is not a long way short of the guideline it should suffice. Having said that, some manufacturers seem to be more realistic of late with the potential performance of their skimmers.

Skimmers are available as ‘hang-on’ and stand alone, and it is the aquarist who decides which is the most practical. For example, if there isn’t a sump then a ‘hang-on’ is probably the best choice.

It is also important to ensure as far as possible that the model chosen is a good one. Internet forums are useful for this, though there are likely to be some differences in opinion. Maybe more useful, sometimes a local retailer has hobby-sized skimmers running on aquariums, and these can be judged quite easily. First of all, look at the chamber where the bubble/water interaction takes place. The bubbles should be very small and in very great numbers – the bubble chamber should be full of them and coloured white (ish). One respected manufacturer states that the important things about a skimmer are ‘design, air output, air output, and air output.’ Also look at the collection cup, hopefully the skimmate (the dirty liquid inside) will be dark coloured. (This colouration has a lot to do with the way a skimmer is set-up and the amount of dissolved organics available, so a visual check is not entirely reliable.)

So the foam. This is the foam that forms at the surface of the bubble chamber and rises up the throat towards the collection cup. In a badly set skimmer, foam rises very rapidly in the throat and dribbles nearly continuously into the collection cup. The foam can be seen to collapse immediately or nearly so. The skimmate collected is weak in colour and thin. The cause of this is usually the bubble setting, where the amount of bubbles being produced is too high. This is the so-called wet foam.

At the other end, the foam may not rise very much at all, but when any gets into the collection cup it is thick and dark. The foam can be seen to be stiff, and is very slow to collapse. In this case, the setting is not far from being correct. This is the so-called dry foam.

The general ideal is where the settings produce many bubbles, but the foam does not get into the collection cup all the time. The foam may rise up the throat only to fall back when the rise begins again, and it is stiff and not too quick to collapse. When dissolved organics are present, the foam rises and enters the collection cup readily. It is dark, thick and can be smelly.

The manufacturer’s instructions should be followed initially, setting the device as suggested. Make sure the foam does not flow into the collection cup too rapidly, but allow the skimmer time to settle for a few days, as foam production is often affected by the manufacturing process. Once this time period has passed, trial and error will show the best settings for an individual aquarium. There needs to be good bubble production, which is controlled by the air intake setting, balanced with the appropriate flow rate.

A skimmer does not usually produce skimmate continuously, but will react to any dissolved organics. Some additives cause a reaction, and the addition of foods, such as some frozen types, usually will too.

Once the settings have been arrived at, usually they can be left alone. It is important to clean the throat (and collection cup) of the skimmer, as the sludge in the throat will adversely affect performance. When cleaning is done, skimmers often needs a short settling period again before full performance returns.

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Should You Run Your Protein Skimmer Full Time Or Part Time?

April 17, 2008

The protein skimmer assists in the removal of dissolved organic compounds (DOC’s) from the water column. The protein skimmers manufactured nowadays are normally exceptionally efficient – as long as they are kept clean!

So what do I mean by running your protein skimmer full time or part time?

Well basically a protein skimmer which is run full time is turned on 24 hours a day 7 days a week whereas a part time skimmer is on for less hours in the day – 12 for example.

So why would anyone consider this?

You have to look carefully at what you are keeping in your saltwater aquarium. If you are keeping fish only then I would recommend without hesitation that the protein skimmer be run fill time. Fish produce a lot of waste and we have to feed them so the protein skimmer assists in the removal of these items as well as others from the water.

If you keep a coral only or a mixed reef tank then perhaps it could be different. I say the word perhaps as you need to look very closely at what you keep in your aquarium. The reason for this is that we are interested in the load on the aquarium i.e. how much waste is being produced which the protein skimmer can then process. In a coral only aquarium then very little bioload should exist as corals put very little strain on the system. This does not mean that you do not need a protein skimmer as I personally would never have a saltwater aquarium without a protein skimmer installed.

In a mixed reef aquarium then you obviously have corals and fish, therefore like the fish only aquarium the fish are being fed, due to the feeding waste is produced which could easily impact water quality. Yet, how many fish are in the aquarium? How large are the fish?

What you can do is review your protein skimmer over a couple of weeks. Ensure that you have optimum water quality and then check your collection cup at the end of the period and see how much waste has been produced. If the cup is over half full then realistically you probably need to keep the protein skimmer running full time to ensure that everything is removed. If the cup is less than half full then faesibly you could potentially use a part time skimmer.

Of course this is not set in stone as each aquarium system is different. The decision ultimately comes down to you based upon your particular setup.

So why do it?

There is a lot of debate as to how much good is removed by a protein skimmer as well as bad. As protein skimmers have evolved over the years they have become more and more efficient. Due to this efficiency they can remove a huge amount from the water. This is great in one way as it assists us in both creating and maintaining the water quality which our aquarium inhabitants require however what else is removed?

Personally I have absolutely no idea. I am not a scientist and do not have the tools, skills or knowledge to be able to analyse the output from a protein skimmer and see what it contained. All I know is that it is brown and exceptionally stinky!

It is believed that some of the items potentially removed by the protein skimmer is used by corals as food. Corals receive the majority of their energy from the lighting which is provided to them, however they do receive a good amount from food captured in the water. This could be the likes of phytoplankton, zooplankton etc. Have you ever watched a documentary on the television about natural coral reefs? Have you seen how many particles are floating about in the water? Loads aren’t there – in the aquarium we do not have this amount as we have to use man-made devices in order to keep the water clean.

So potentially if you run the skimmer part time some of this life will not be removed and can be used by the corals as food.

There have been reports that when this is performed it has been noticed that the corals appear to have better colour and better polyp extension.

Another method is by actually feeding the corals yourself. You can purchase various ready made containers full of coral food which you feed to the aquarium. There are also various methods you can follow to make your own coral food. I will cover coral feeding in a future article.

Would I do it? – maybe but only if I was absolutely positive that it was not detrimental to water quality and I would be testing the water all the time.

Would I recommend the beginner do it? – Probably not – not just because they are new to the hobby but the aquarium is also new and needs to age a bit. Perhaps if only corals were being kept but even then I think that it should be run full time until the aquarists gains experience.

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Quick Tip – Don’t Forget To Clean Your Protein Skimmer

January 5, 2008

A protein skimmer is installed onto the aquarium so that it can remove substances from the aquarium water so that we can keep water quality at an optimum.

It is imperative that a skimmer runs at full efficiency in order for it to work correctly. For this to be achieved it needs to be thoroughly cleaned.

You will be surprised how many people simply remove the cup from the skimmer, pour the contents down the sink, give it a wipe and put it back on the skimmer again.

Not good enough I’m afraid.

Although the contents have been removed and the inside of the cup has been wiped there is one very important part which has been missed.

The rising tube of both the skimmer and the cup itself.

If the rising tube is not cleaned then it will become coated and the skimmer will not operate at full efficiency, therefore optimum water quality is harder to maintain.

What I do when I clean my skimmer is:

  1. Empty the contents down the sink (and the clean the sink afterwards to keep the missus happy!)
  2. Using a bottle brush give the inside of the cup a good clean and then wipe clean with a cloth.
  3. Using a bottle brush clean the underside of the cup ensuring that the riser tube is clean and then wipe clean with a cloth.
  4. Clean the cup lid with a cloth.
  5. Using a bottle brush clean the riser chamber inside the skimmer itself.

The above does depend upon what type of skimmer you use, however the majority of skimmers can be cleaned in this way.

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Is A Protein Skimmer Actually Required?

November 18, 2007

The fish only aquarium or reef aquarium has a number of devices designed to help maintain the correct parameters, hopefully ensuring healthy livestock with a long life. These are heaters, water level controllers, calcium reactors, lighting controllers etc.

All of these devices service a particular area. For an obvious example, heaters maintain temperature. The action of these devices is appreciated by the aquarist as the action is usually obvious. There is one device though which sometimes causes doubt, and that is the protein skimmer.

Again and again it is said how important the quality of the seawater is, and how it is imperative that high quality is maintained. The protein skimmer is a device that acts directly on the seawater quality and should be present, particularly on the aquarium of an inexperienced aquarist.

The protein skimmer (let’s just call it a [tag-tec]skimmer[/tag-tec]) either hangs on the side or back of the aquarium, or is a standalone that sits alongside the sump. A pump, usually supplied, is sometimes within the skimmer body (hang-on) or is inside the sump (standalone). The pump sends water through the skimmer, and at the same time a venturi inlet (taking the venturi as an example) allows air to flow down and mix with the passing water. The pump impellor (there are various ways this is done) smashes the air into minute bubbles. These bubbles enter the skimmer chamber with the water.

As can be guessed, the skimmer removes ‘proteins’, or organic substances from the water. To rid the water of these organics an air/water interface is required. This interface is the bubble, or rather the many numbers of them in the chamber. Organic molecules are hydrophobic/hydrophilic. This simply means that part of the molecule repels water and some of it is water soluble. The molecules in the water react to the bubbles by their water repellent part attaching to a bubble. Many molecules can attach to a single bubble.

A good skimmer will have a chamber that appears white because of the very high number of bubbles in it. These bubbles should be very small. The skimmer should be rated for around twice the net capacity of the aquarium system. If the skimmer is working correctly, a dirty looking foam should rise up the neck of the skimmer and be collected in the cup, where the bubbles burst into a dark liquid. (Skimmers do not always collect much for a few days after they are new, or after they have been cleaned, or where a low amount of organics is present in the water.) This skimmate should be emptied from the cup regularly and the cup and neck kept clean. The scum deposits in the neck etc will reduce efficiency.

A large build up of organics in the seawater can result in problems for the livestock – in very bad examples even death.

Some more advanced aquarists actually have their skimmers on timers as they do not want them to run full time. This is to do with certain corals being able to use organics as a food source. This practice should not be undertaken by a novice aquarist, as it requires careful monitoring.

Some aquarists run what is called ’magic mud’ systems. This simply means that a special kind of ’mud’ bed is in the sump, and it is claimed that because of this a skimmer is not required. Some aquarists may well be skimmerless, but many others run a skimmer anyway as they feel insecure without one.

Is there a drawback to using a skimmer? Yes, there is. The removed substances will include trace elements, and these trace elements are required in the seawater. However, regular routine water changes, and even trace element dosing if thought necessary, will maintain the element presence.

A properly sized and maintained skimmer is invaluable. It is arguably the biggest asset, or at least one of them, to the aquarist in the search for high water quality.

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Choose The Best Protein Skimmer You Can Comfortably Afford

October 28, 2007

Obtaining equipment for the fish only or reef aquarium is an important step on the journey towards success. Research again is the key, rather than purchasing an item that ‘should do.’

A major item of equipment for the marine system is a protein skimmer. This device removes [tag-tec]dissolved organic matter[/tag-tec] completely from the aquarium seawater. Why is this so good? The organics are removed before they are acted upon by the natural processes in the aquarium when they are eventually turned, up to a point, into nitrate. So, the more efficient the skimmer the less pollution.
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