Here
we
have a wide selection of
modern and energy efficient
protein skimmers,
particularly: Aqua Medic
Protein Skimmer; ASM
Skimmer; Coralife Skimmer;
Kent Marine Nautilus
Skimmer; MRC or My Reef
Creations Protein Skimmer;
Red Sea Protein Skimmer;
Reef Octopus Protein
Skimmer; and ViaAqua
Protein Skimmer.
A protein skimmer is one
of the most important pieces
of filtration equipment in
existence for marine
aquariums, regardless of
whether they are full-blown
reef aquariums or simple fish
tanks; indeed, a protein
skimmer can in many cases
be considered “life-
support” equipment.
The waste exported by a
protein skimmer helps
maintain water quality at a
level at which the fishes and
invertebrates can survive and
thrive. Although many
beginning hobbyists may scoff
at the cost of a high-quality
protein skimmer, they should
take into consideration that
the price of the skimmer and
pump required to operate it
pale in comparison to the
amount of money they are
likely to spend replacing sick
and/or dead animals that
passed as a result of poor
water quality! Well-seasoned,
experienced aquarium
hobbyists can sometimes
maintain a system without a
skimmer, but most of them
will tell you that having a
good skimmer makes keeping
the system clean and healthy
much easier! A protein
skimmer is in essence a
reaction chamber in which a
mixture of water and very
fine bubbles are injected. The
bubbles have a weak
electrical surface charge due
to the orientation of the
molecules that compose
them. (This is why it is a good
resin to use a Ozone
generator) The
purpose of these bubbles is to
adhere to dissolved and
particulate organic matter in
the water column (which
come from fish and
invertebrate waste, tapwater,
uneaten food, and many other
sources, and which have an
electrical surface charge
opposite that of the bubbles)
and remove it by forcing this
material up through a column
and into a waste receptacle,
which is emptied as needed
by the hobbyist. Dissolved
and particulate organic matter
are a major source of the
nutrients needed by
microalgae (“hair
algae”) and
cyanobacteria (“slime
algae”) to grow and
reproduce, thereby covering
every non-mobile object and
animal in the aquarium in a
sheet of waving hair or oily
slime, respectively. Elevated
concentrations of latent
organic matter in an aquarium
are an indication of a poorly
maintained system in which
few desirable life forms will
thrive. So, the goal is to get
these organics out of the
water; this is why a protein
skimmer is essential. |
