# protein skimmer



## bishop82476 (Mar 4, 2007)

has anyone ever tried to put a protein skimmer on a cichlid tank? will it help?


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## crotalusfan (Jun 21, 2008)

Protein skimmers do almost nothing in freshwater tanks.


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## css virginia (Jan 29, 2007)

I don't believe they do much of anything also. Marine tank-yes-Freshwater...No. 8)


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## tropills (Mar 25, 2008)

do a google search for pond protein skimmers, they work well in Koi ponds , the main thing to have is a TON of air injected into the skimmer, freshwater has a much higher oxygen content than saltwater, that is why you can get the real tiny bubbles needed in saltwater, you just need to run a high pressure air pump and several air stones in a freshwater application to make it work. :thumb:


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## 748johnd (Jun 30, 2007)

If you are looking to remove surface film get a surface skimmer. They do work.


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## justshoe (Mar 13, 2008)

Also has to do with density of the water and the airs ability to extract proteins from denser water is easier than less dense water.


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## duaneS (Aug 31, 2006)

I use protein skimmers on my cichlid tanks, I'll let my photos do the talking
the 2 below are when I run it wet
















the skimate/waste drains into the plastic bag.
I started wrapping the waste bag around the chamber because the waste was coating the PVC all around the opening as the bubbles popped.
The photos below are when I run it more dry
















here's a sample compared to tank water.








I did lab tests where I compared dry weight skimate to straight tank water


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## duaneS (Aug 31, 2006)

By the way, the baked skimate waste, was @ 7 X heavier than the solids baked out of plain tank water.
My normal water parameters are
nitrate 2-5 ppm
pH 7.50
Ammonia 0-0.02 ppm (high end is after water changes, because my make up water is treated with chloramine)
Alkalinty 50-80ppm
Beside the fractionation I use planted sumps for nitrate reduction, and filter socks for mechanical filtration, and do 20% water changes over 2-3 days depending on the lazyness factor.
I keep mostly large Central Americans an Madagascans


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## BenHugs (Jan 13, 2007)

I've also toyed with the idea of making a freshwater skimmer. What I've found so far is that the marine ones work manly because of the high ph so if you're running high ph on say an african tank this may work but you still need lots of air as freshwater doesn't have the surface tension to create the lasting bubbles like saltwater.
Anyone can correct me if I'm wrong.

duaneS would love to see more on how your skimmer is made :thumb:


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## duaneS (Aug 31, 2006)

I got the plans for mine from an article in Aquarium Fish Mag, by Stephen Meyer from the early 90s in his pond column. The plans are simple and it is an easy build. I had to experiment with flow rate and elevation of the fractioator a while before I got it right, it was not a instant set up and go.
Mine were built back then and have been running ever since.
The concept of the tension between the interface of air, and water, is not restricted to only "salt water", just more obvious because in a protein skimmer the bubbles are more frothy. As you can see by the greenish coating my PVC and other equipment got from the organic solids left over from the exploding bubbles, removal of waste is obvious. If I add a medication containing an inorganic like malacite green, and let the fractionator run, in moments the medication ends up in the waste bag. 
I have also compared waste skimate to straight tank water under the microscope in the lab, 
the ratio of macro/microscopic organisms such as nematodes, ciliates and water bears, is @ 5-1 in the waste. This may be a positive or negative result depending on whether you fry to feed or not.


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