How do skimmers work?

[sen5241b]

I've read about "airstone driven" skimmers which are apprently the cheaper kind. Do they all use airstones to push a foamy protein skum into the collection cup? What is the difference between the $200 and $35 skimmers?

 

[yote]

The difference is that the higher priced skimmers suck air in through a venturi along with the water.There the impeller chopps the bubbles into extra fine micro-bubbles which allows more waste to be collected.The pricer skimmers also skim at a higher flow rate than the airstone driven skimmers.

 

[McCrary]

I don't think you are going to be satisfied with an airstone skimmer. There are some very good skimmers that are available at this time, most use a pinwheel/needlewheel design. The sky really is the limit for them and some skimmers (the better ones, at least) can strip the water of nutrients to the point where even low nutrient coral (SPS) can starve. What size tank where you looking to get a protein skimmer for?

 

[Doc]

don't skimp on a skimmer. buy one rated higher than your tank as they tend to be rated weak. As a rule, hobbiests tend to overstock their tanks anyway and a good skimmer is a must with full tanks

-Doc

 

[messiah023]

Sen,

I see what you are talking about. You have the 29 biocube and you are looking at the airstone tube for the back of you cube.
That skimmer (IMHO) STINKS.

I used it before and you will be dreadfully unhappy, plus, the airstone needs to be changed bi-monthly.

You would be better suited with a skimmer I found for the 29g biocube called a sapphire skimmer. Here's the LINK.

Good luck!

 

[sen5241b]

The Oceanic BC29 skimmer takes the visible layer of skum off the water and reduces nitrates by a few ppm. I see where you are coming from though, it seems the only way to get nitrates way down is with a really good skimmer, true? ((I'm having problems with nitrates --they won't go much below 10 ppm).

 

[Bifferwine]

There's more than one way to get nitrates down. A good skimmer, water changes, macroalgae, clams, there is denitrifying media too, that you can run like you would run carbon. I've tried Kent Marine and Seachem brands and they supposedly take several weeks to start working, but I didn't notice any difference when I tried them out.

 

[Alexander]

but I didn't notice any difference when I tried them out.

is that because you tried them out when your nitrates were at ..... well i wont say the number. :shock:

 

[Bifferwine]

I tried them out on my old 55 gallon tank a couple years ago. That's when my nitrates were high, but not so high.

 

[fatman]

There are two methods of maintaining low or no nitrates. Neither is very practical for a nano. One is a mature deep sand bed, the other is huge amounts of dense live rocks. The only really practical way is frequent water changes and hold your feedings down to a minimum and use only live or frozen foods. If using frozen foods, thaw the food first and feed only the particles to the fish and not the liquid. As far as I know there are really no skimmers built for nano that are really worth while, and even a good skimmer just allows longer intervals between water changes it does not eliminate nitrates.