Does protien skimmers work for fresh water?

Bous · 08/21/2007, 06:51 AM

I was tell a buddy of mine about my protien skimmer and the benefits of having one. He is a fresh water guy and was wondering if it would work for him? I think it would but do not know for sure. Will it work or not?

Henry Bowman · 08/21/2007, 07:21 AM

Not in fresh water. THe water is not as dense and the skimmer wont produce the bubbles to perform correctly.

luke33 · 08/21/2007, 07:25 AM

If they could make a FW skimmer it would completely turn that hobby upside down and that skimmer would be unreal for SW! But i dont see it happening anytime soon if ever.

kodyboy · 08/21/2007, 07:29 AM

http://www.schuran.com/freshwater/abschaeumer_e.html

apparently they do make them, I don't see how they are different from a normal schuran jetskim though, except the bottom one is fairly tall. My freshwater plants would not be happy if I put one of those on their tank

Henry Bowman · 08/21/2007, 07:32 AM

Well, I stand corrected. First time I have ever seen or heard of one. I know that when you take a traditional SW skimmer and run it in fresh water the bubbles are limited and dissipate very quickly.

glassbox-design · 08/21/2007, 07:46 AM

yes, there are FW skimmers. i believe schuran was the first...look at the skimmate pics for kb's link.

luke33 · 08/21/2007, 08:56 AM

WOW, those are cool!

Sk8r · 08/21/2007, 09:01 AM

Having lived on a lake, I can tell you when the wind is violent and the chop is high, you get nasty yellow froth on the rim the same as on the ocean shore. I'm thinking you'd need some real violence inside the skimmer and very hard jets to get the stuff to foam, but I'd think it ought to work.

manderx · 08/21/2007, 11:15 AM

yes, you *can* skim freshwater, but it's gotta be *nasty* freshwater with lots in it to skim. like a nasty koi pond.

08/21/2007, 06:51 AM	#1
Bous Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: St. Paul Park, MN Posts: 75	Does protien skimmers work for fresh water? I was tell a buddy of mine about my protien skimmer and the benefits of having one. He is a fresh water guy and was wondering if it would work for him? I think it would but do not know for sure. Will it work or not? __________________ I would consider selling a kidney to finance my reef addiction. Current Tank Info: 125 gallon reef tank, 65 gallon refugium, MRC 3 skimmer

08/21/2007, 07:21 AM	#2
Henry Bowman Reefing since '87 Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Allegheny Mountains of VA Posts: 2,162	Not in fresh water. THe water is not as dense and the skimmer wont produce the bubbles to perform correctly. __________________ Have a good'un Current Tank Info: 90 gl SPS dominant / upgrade in the works

08/21/2007, 07:32 AM	#5
Henry Bowman Reefing since '87 Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Allegheny Mountains of VA Posts: 2,162	Well, I stand corrected. First time I have ever seen or heard of one. I know that when you take a traditional SW skimmer and run it in fresh water the bubbles are limited and dissipate very quickly. __________________ Have a good'un Current Tank Info: 90 gl SPS dominant / upgrade in the works

08/21/2007, 07:46 AM	#6
glassbox-design Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: SF Posts: 3,041	yes, there are FW skimmers. i believe schuran was the first...look at the skimmate pics for kb's link. __________________ GLASSBOXDESIGN the modern reef blog LEDs are a 50,000 hr investment. Choose wisely. Current Tank Info: ...a new glassbox is coming

08/21/2007, 09:01 AM	#8
Sk8r RC Mod Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Spokane WA Posts: 34,628 Blog Entries: 55	Having lived on a lake, I can tell you when the wind is violent and the chop is high, you get nasty yellow froth on the rim the same as on the ocean shore. I'm thinking you'd need some real violence inside the skimmer and very hard jets to get the stuff to foam, but I'd think it ought to work. __________________ Sk8r Salinity 1.024-6; alkalinity 8.3-9.3 on KH scale; calcium 420; magnesium 1300, temp 78-80, nitrate .2. Ammonia 0. No filters: lps tank. Alk and cal won't rise if mg is low. Current Tank Info: 105g AquaVim wedge, yellow tang, sailfin blenny,royal gramma, ocellaris clown pair, yellow watchman, 100 microceriths, 25 tiny hermits, a 4" conch, 1" nassarius, recovering from 2 year hiatus with daily water change of 10%.

08/21/2007, 07:25 AM	#3
luke33 Moved On Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Indiana Posts: 8,375	If they could make a FW skimmer it would completely turn that hobby upside down and that skimmer would be unreal for SW! But i dont see it happening anytime soon if ever.

08/21/2007, 07:29 AM	#4
kodyboy Moved On Join Date: May 2003 Posts: 2,990	http://www.schuran.com/freshwater/abschaeumer_e.html apparently they do make them, I don't see how they are different from a normal schuran jetskim though, except the bottom one is fairly tall. My freshwater plants would not be happy if I put one of those on their tank

08/21/2007, 08:56 AM	#7
luke33 Moved On Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Indiana Posts: 8,375	WOW, those are cool!

08/21/2007, 11:15 AM	#9
manderx Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Christiansburg, VA Posts: 4,893	yes, you can skim freshwater, but it's gotta be nasty freshwater with lots in it to skim. like a nasty koi pond.