CichlidFish.com - Fish That Think.

by **Bean** on Sun Jul 22, 2001 2:54 pm

wouldn't a protien skimmer in a freshwater tank serve the purpose of removing oraganic fish wastes from the water?

by **Adam** on Sun Jul 22, 2001 4:21 pm

I have been interested in the same idea... however I have never heard a clear arguement why they are not used in a fresh water set up... the only answer I have really ever gotten is "They are saltwater equipment" but never an explaination of why... if you figure it out let us know.

Adam

by **wire** on Sun Jul 22, 2001 8:10 pm

Yea, I want to know also. But it does seem that salt saturated water creates much more film at the surface than freshwater.

Eheim makes an excellent surface skimmer which is much smaller and affordable and connects right onto the intake of a power filter.

I don't see any reason you would need anything more for any type of freshwater setup or have heard of a good reason to have one on it.

Let us know.

Wire

by **oscar2001** on Wed Jul 25, 2001 9:29 am

From what I hear it wont harm it but its more or less to get the film off the surface of the water in saltwater as thats not too much of a problem with freshwater. But hey the more you have to keep the tank clean the better in my books. I see quite a few ads which say they are freshwater safe.

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by **S42K** on Thu Jul 26, 2001 4:03 pm

There just really isn't a call for protien skimmers in fresh water. They are used to remove waste via airbubbles; to remove the foam caused by the salt water and currents.

Bubbles in a salt water tank are more fine then bubbles in fresh water. A lot of skimmers use wooden bubble stones, these attract waste and are brought to the top via bubbles to be removed by your sump.

-S42K

by **Bean** on Thu Jul 26, 2001 8:02 pm

thanks. I was just confused because it looked like the foam carried the excess food and plant wastes off the top of the filter with the foam. However I wasn't completely sure because I'm not about to look through the waste it pulls up. I'm going to keep it operating as long as it's not harmful.

by **asmodeus** on Thu Aug 09, 2001 4:52 am

i dont think it would hurt having the skimmer going, if you live in the city like i used to , the city water had always had a scum on it

by **asmodeus** on Thu Aug 09, 2001 4:53 am

i dont think it would hurt having the skimmer going, if you live in the city like i used to , the city water had always had a scum on it.