ok so do skimmers need to be used all the time or periodicly?? the skimmer i have got is a aquamedic minifloter when its in the top sticks up over the tank so you cannot put the hood down. if thay are used periodicly then for how long. also what is the differance between a skimmer and a canister filter as thay bothe seem to me to do the same job clean the water.
Protein Skimmer Questions (split from sticky)
- Thread starter 2e0raf
- Start date
I think it's best to use them all the time. They take a few hours to really get going and build up some foam, plus they affect the dissolved oxygen levels in the water, theoretically affecting PH.
This is one of the problems with using tank kits. I sawed a hole in the top of my hood.
They both filter the water in very, very different ways. Skimmers 'stick' organic waste molecules to a bubble, and collect the bubbles (and thus the wastes). If the organics in the tank biofiltration by bacteria will break down these wastes to ammonia (very poisonous) -> nitrite (effectively non poisonous in saltwater) -> nitrate. If you want your tank to 'work' you need to understand how this works, or you will struggle to understand what's going on in the tank. Try googling 'cycling', 'nitrogen cycle' and saltwater invarious combinations
This is one of the problems with using tank kits. I sawed a hole in the top of my hood.
They both filter the water in very, very different ways. Skimmers 'stick' organic waste molecules to a bubble, and collect the bubbles (and thus the wastes). If the organics in the tank biofiltration by bacteria will break down these wastes to ammonia (very poisonous) -> nitrite (effectively non poisonous in saltwater) -> nitrate. If you want your tank to 'work' you need to understand how this works, or you will struggle to understand what's going on in the tank. Try googling 'cycling', 'nitrogen cycle' and saltwater invarious combinations
hi i understand the nitrogen cycle its the same in a freshwater tank fish give off amonia bacteria convert amonia into nitrite and the nitrofying bacteria convert nitrite to nitrate and the nitrate is remove by the plants/waterchanges. what i dident understand was that protine skimers cut out that cycler and just remove everything correct.????
also the protine scimmer that i have look butt ugly sticks out a mile in my tank.
i have red abt having a sump tank to hide the protine skimmer away but this surly would need some sort of syphon/pump to tranfer the water. also why do i have an external filter sould this be used inconjunktion with the protine skimmer
im all very new to this fresh water is starting to look very easy compared to saltwater.
btw if anyone is interested my im is andy_2e0raf@hotmail.com so i am not clogging up the forum with questions
also the protine scimmer that i have look butt ugly sticks out a mile in my tank.
i have red abt having a sump tank to hide the protine skimmer away but this surly would need some sort of syphon/pump to tranfer the water. also why do i have an external filter sould this be used inconjunktion with the protine skimmer
im all very new to this fresh water is starting to look very easy compared to saltwater.
btw if anyone is interested my im is andy_2e0raf@hotmail.com so i am not clogging up the forum with questions
Yes the skimmer removes organics BEFORE they get broken down to ammonia, and enter the legendary nitrogen cycle. Thus using a skimmer removes most of the work the N cycle does.
If you have a sump you can use a syphon overflow box, but it's better to simply drill a hole in the tank and let it overflow down this. Siphons are somewhat unreliable, holes are more fool prrof (unless a snail gets trapped in it....). You will never get two pumps to pump at a matching rate, so that's not viable.
Most people use their externals to store carbon or phospahte remover, and not for biofiltration, though this can be done. The sproblem with using em for biofilt is the end product of this is nitrate, which is effectively an algae fuelling mild pollutant. Nitrate can be reduced to nitrogen gas in anaerobic zones - these exist in deep sand beds and live rock (to some extent) but do not exist at all in cannisters.
Once you're setup salt isn't too bad.
If you have a sump you can use a syphon overflow box, but it's better to simply drill a hole in the tank and let it overflow down this. Siphons are somewhat unreliable, holes are more fool prrof (unless a snail gets trapped in it....). You will never get two pumps to pump at a matching rate, so that's not viable.
Most people use their externals to store carbon or phospahte remover, and not for biofiltration, though this can be done. The sproblem with using em for biofilt is the end product of this is nitrate, which is effectively an algae fuelling mild pollutant. Nitrate can be reduced to nitrogen gas in anaerobic zones - these exist in deep sand beds and live rock (to some extent) but do not exist at all in cannisters.
Once you're setup salt isn't too bad.
have found the manual for my second protine skimmer its a red sea prism tat seems to work ok i think only had it on in a bucket to test how long does it tak b4 it starst producing foam all mine seems to do is blow lots of buuble in the internals of the skimmer. bte it hangs on the outside of the tank with a inlet pipe. so i will be using this one as its less noticable
One way to overcome the unsightlyness of your skimmers is by using a sump which is fed through a hang on back overflow. You can then put both your skimmers, your heater and any other filtration hoses and what-not out of sight from your main display. Here's a couple of links which contain step by step instructions to making an HOB overflow for about $10. Another $10/$20 for a small 10/20 gallon sump and your set.
http://members.iinet.net.au/~conquest/andy/maswa/siphon.html
http://www.reefs.org/library/diy/diy_winner1.html
I would suggest using both skimmers if you can. That way you are taking out more of the waste out before it enters the nitrogen cycle and as such (I assume) you can manage a larger bioload (more fish).
http://members.iinet.net.au/~conquest/andy/maswa/siphon.html
http://www.reefs.org/library/diy/diy_winner1.html
I would suggest using both skimmers if you can. That way you are taking out more of the waste out before it enters the nitrogen cycle and as such (I assume) you can manage a larger bioload (more fish).