Protein Skimmers

Protein skimmer was originally designed to detect & remove excessive organic toxins thereby stabilizing overall system water purity. This is accomplished by creating effervescence within a contained column of untreated system water. Undesirable organic compounds attach to the surface area of each bubble which are then deposited into the collection cup at the top of the protein skimmer. There are three different styles of skimmers. Each uses a different method to generate the effervescence:

• 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 block within the lower portion of a reaction chamber.  The reaction created by the opposing exchange promote effervescent levitation which increases contact time, dubbing this model as “Counter Current”  

• Venturi - This 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 attached 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 backs of cavitation type skimmers is the imploding vapors voids create very powerful shock waves that quickly destroy the plastic pinwheel. This methods only function is to agitate a froth within a small stagnate portion 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 remediation such as Wet Dry Filters however; using a protein skimmer in conjunction to support a wet dry filter will help to stabilize (balance) overall system water quality.