Protein Skimmer?

[wilddiscuss]

I hear that they are used mostly in saltwater tanks. They remove wates poop ect to keep nitrates and what not out of the water. Why would that be a bad idea once the freshtank tank is fully established? Just a question I have wondered about???

[dishpanhands]

They won't work in fresh water.

[Apistomaster]

They won't work in fresh water.
While I agree with you in general foam fractionation can work in freshwater systems but never to the degree as they do in marine systems.

In large scale aquaculture systems they have found some use in systems with very heavy bioloads and if the water is both high in pH and TDS. This does not describe a typical discus set up. Furthermore they are typically used in conjunction with ozone.

Even so they do not begin to approach the same efficacy as they do in marine systems and are not worth the added expense in home aquaria..

[pcsb23]

They won't work in fresh water.

Not so! - check out http://www.tmc-ltd.co.uk/pond/sander-freshskim.asp and http://www.tmc-ltd.co.uk/pond/schuran-jetskim.asp bothe are freshwater skimmers.

[Graham]

Paul I can see the venturi based one working to some extent, but the airstone based one I would think would be a waste of $$$.

One of the biggest problems with FW skimmers is getting the bubble size small enough to actually attract the surfactants. In salt water they are down in the 0.5mm range while in fresh water they are 4 times that size. They are much better on saltwater

I have a friend in Jacksonville that has a ''little one'' :)run with ozone...even it doesn't get tons of crud out of an 18,000 gallon pond............

http://www.koiphen.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=201162&stc=1&d=1182878973

[Apistomaster]

Just seems like an awfully expensive way to aerate one's water.

[Chinaman]

i have made one a few month ago, got the brown bubbles comes out. but the problem was the design on the foam collection or flow rate. I end up flooding the shed serveral time...

[Graham]

i have made one a few month ago, got the brown bubbles comes out. but the problem was the design on the foam collection or flow rate. I end up flooding the shed serveral time...


LOL sorry I'm laughing but that is one of the problems with FF....Been there and had Vicki screaming about the wet carpet
:o

[pcsb23]

I have not seen these in action, TMC have a reputation for producing top quality working kit, fit for purpose - but they also have the reputation for being very expensive! Now you know why I haven't seen one working ;)

[Apistomaster]

An objective cost/benefits analysis favors water changes over foam fractionation systems in fresh water systems that are home aquaria vs aquaculture of Koi, for example. What Koi and Discus culture have in common eludes me.