Protein Skimmers

The protein skimmer was originally designed to stabilize water purity. This is accomplished by using water and air to  generate foam. The surface area of each bubble collects undesirable organic compounds, which are then deposited into the collection cup at the top of the protein skimmer.  There are three different methods  to generate foam in protein skimmers:

• Counter Current – is a method which introduces a slow stream of water falling against a column of rising air that is created by a wooden air stone within the reaction chamber. It has been dubbed the Counter Current Protein Skimmer because of the nature of the opposing forces that create the effervescence.  

• Venturi - The Venturi method introduces untreated water flow that is forced into a narrowing funnel (Venturi). This accelerates fluid velocity creating a low pressure into a widening aft void which contains a separate port open to outside air. When the port is opened, the higher outside air pressure enters the port to equalize with the low pressure inside of the void. The entering air collides with the untreated influent water creating a lathering froth. This high flow method is typically used in larger applications. 

• Cavitation – This method uses a motor with a round plastic plate containing several small spiked rods called a “Pin Wheel”. This wheel resides within a stagnated portion of untreated water. As the wheel spins at high speed, it creates small voids of vapor (not air) mixing with the water to form a froth that will build up faster than they will implode. The 2 major set back to these types of skimmers is the imploding vapors voids create very powerful shock waves that quickly destroy the plastic pinwheel. This method only function is to agitate a froth within a small stagnate potion of water. It otherwise does not introduce untreated water making it trivial in functionality. 

It is important to note that protein skimmers are not a replacement for proper biological filtration such as Wet Dry Filters, but they are to to be used in conjunction with them.