Water Levels in Protein Skimmers
People often ask what is the perfect water level for a protein skimmer. The simple answer is that every protein skimmer is different from one to the next, and what settings works for one Protein Skimmer will not be ideal for another. There are however some simple steps that you can do to get the most out of your skimmer, and make sure you are using it correctly.
1)A Protein Skimmer will need up to 4 weeks to break in, which is a very frustrating time for the Aquarium keeper. Set up your skimmer and just leave it, do not try to adjust it for optimal performance just yet.
2) If you have your skimmer in a sump make sure it is in an area where water levels will not fluctuate. If a Protein Skimmer is placed in a compartment of the sump where water levels change, you will just find the protein skimmer collection cup fills up with aquarium water when water levels change, and the waste product initially collected in the cup will get filled with aquarium water and eventually overflow back into the sump.
3) As a rule of thumb most people seem to set their water levels 3/4 the way up the skimmer body. This works well for most people.
One important think to do to keep your skimmer working in top condition, is to clean it every 4 months. Especially the neck of the skimmer where all the bubbles go up. The dirtier this area gets the less well the skimmer will operate.
There are many different protein skimmers to choose from, some will be attached into the main aquarium, these are typically quite small and clip onto the side of the glass. If a sump is present then this is really the best place for a Protein skimmer. Go for a good size skimmer and do not go cheap on this area of fish care. A Protein skimmer is a very important piece of equipment.
For me one of the most interesting aspects of the hobby is all the equipment that comes with the hobby. I am always interested in what goes in peoples sumps, and over the years have seen dozens of great protein skimmer set ups in action.
Article by Regin
1)A Protein Skimmer will need up to 4 weeks to break in, which is a very frustrating time for the Aquarium keeper. Set up your skimmer and just leave it, do not try to adjust it for optimal performance just yet.
2) If you have your skimmer in a sump make sure it is in an area where water levels will not fluctuate. If a Protein Skimmer is placed in a compartment of the sump where water levels change, you will just find the protein skimmer collection cup fills up with aquarium water when water levels change, and the waste product initially collected in the cup will get filled with aquarium water and eventually overflow back into the sump.
3) As a rule of thumb most people seem to set their water levels 3/4 the way up the skimmer body. This works well for most people.
One important think to do to keep your skimmer working in top condition, is to clean it every 4 months. Especially the neck of the skimmer where all the bubbles go up. The dirtier this area gets the less well the skimmer will operate.
There are many different protein skimmers to choose from, some will be attached into the main aquarium, these are typically quite small and clip onto the side of the glass. If a sump is present then this is really the best place for a Protein skimmer. Go for a good size skimmer and do not go cheap on this area of fish care. A Protein skimmer is a very important piece of equipment.
For me one of the most interesting aspects of the hobby is all the equipment that comes with the hobby. I am always interested in what goes in peoples sumps, and over the years have seen dozens of great protein skimmer set ups in action.
Article by Regin
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