Why do you need a skimmer for a marine aquarium, how to make it yourself

For the happy owners of a marine aquarium, I think it is no secret that filtration in an aquarium is a fundamental factor for the well-being of marine inhabitants. And if in small aquariums with a volume of up to 50 liters, you can get by with substitutions, then in larger systems it is necessary to build a good filtration system, since given the cost of salt, frequent substitutions hit the aquarist’s pocket very hard.

The main filter in a marine aquarium is a skimmer (it is also called: skimmer, skimmer, skimmer, flotator, flotator, etc.). The essence of the skimmer's work is that when air and water bubbles are mixed, all the organic matter accumulated in the aquarium is formed into foam and discharged outside (into the bowl).

For aquariums with a small aquarium volume, you can use pneumatic foam foams, which is what I did. But over time, the nozzles become overgrown, the performance of the compressor drops, and as a result, imperceptibly, the skimmer’s performance deteriorates.

Having seriously thought about the issue of filtration in a marine aquarium, I decided to change the pneumatic foamers to a standard one with a pump. Well, since their prices are not low, I decided to make a skimmer with my own hands.

When making a skimmer, the first thing we need to do is deal with the pump, namely, we need to remake the pump so that at the outlet, in addition to a stream of water, it produces bubbles (and the smaller the bubbles, the better).

Aquarium skimmer (foam) - why is it needed?

An aquarium skimmer also has other names: foam skimmer, skimmer and skimmer. Because of this, there can sometimes be misunderstandings about what is being said. A skimmer is a device necessary for a marine aquarium, which is an integral part of the filtering system of the aquatic world. This device removes from the water products that are released during the metabolic process and do not settle out sufficiently to be removed from the aquarium by other cleaning systems. A high-quality device removes up to 80% of organic compounds from water, including protein.

Role performed by a flotator in an aquarium

A skimmer, also often called a skimmer, skimmer, skimmer, or protein skimmer, is one of the most important filtration devices for a saltwater aquarium. If you have ever seen the seashore during a strong wind, you could observe how the foam formed due to the churning of water, air and organic matter is driven towards it. The foaming agent works on the same principle.

With the help of a skimmer, organic substances and contaminants are removed from the water due to the formation of foam from the bubbles rising inside. It is thanks to organic substances that the foam is “whipped” and when its certain level is exceeded, all contaminants of organic origin enter a special receiver-container. There they form a sediment that looks like a coffee-colored slurry. In addition, algae growth is significantly reduced by removing phosphates and proteins.

What is a skimmer used for?

Any aquarium is a closed system, the processes in which occur in a special way. Most often, a significant overpopulation is observed in a home pond, since the aquarist wants to see several species of fish in it at once.

Organic residues are not absorbed in the aquarium, as is the case in the wild, and gradually accumulate. Their main source is excrement left by pets, excess food that went unnoticed and not removed from the water, dying plant fragments and dead fish and shellfish. If the water is not cleared of organic matter in a timely manner, its excess can lead to a sharp increase in the level of ammonia in a home pond, which poses a danger to fish.

The foam resulting from the operation of the skimmer is collected in a special container.

The inhabitants of a freshwater aquarium are quite easy to maintain, and to maintain their normal condition, cleaning the tank once a week with replacing ¼ of the volume of water is enough for them. This is not enough for saltwater fish, and you cannot set up a marine aquarium without equipping it with a skimmer.

The device allows you to remove organic compounds and various contaminants through bubble cleaning, when foam is formed, which is collected in a special container and removed from it regularly.

An aquarium foam bottle works on the principle of sea surf, in which water is churned to form foam filled with organic compounds. In the cylinder of the device, after it is filled with water, small air bubbles pass through, which can sometimes be supplemented with ozone.

Diagram of the operation of an aquarium foam tank.

Purpose and principle of operation

A skimmer for a marine aquarium performs the following functions:

Removes accumulations of dirt and remaining organic matter from water.
Reduces protein and phosphate levels.
Slows down the reproduction and development of algae.

The device uses a bubble cleaning system. It works on the principle of sea surf. In the natural environment, dirty foam can be observed along the coastline. It is formed due to the surf, which churns up the water. The foam contains organic compounds and other contaminants. The same principle of operation of a skimmer. The compressor supplies bubbles to the device body. They absorb dirt, phosphates, proteins. In this way, water flows are filtered. This is for salty sea water. And in fresh water it removes ammonia and nitrates.

The quality of water purification depends on the bubbles. The smaller they are, the cleaner the water will be. By collecting water molecules, the device removes them from the container in the form of liquid with an unpleasant odor.

Advantages and disadvantages of equipment

Like any equipment, this filter device has both advantages and disadvantages. They need to be assessed when deciding on the purchase of a device. Skimmer strengths:

removal of contaminants before they begin to decompose, which helps prevent poisoning of the inhabitants of the home pond;
reducing the load on other filters and activating redox processes in the reservoir;
maintaining the correct acidity of the water in the aquarium.

Among the disadvantages of this aquarium equipment, the following should be noted:

when the skimmer operates, part of the bioplankton is lost, which is necessary for feeding many marine life and maintaining a stable balance in the aquarium;
when filtered, water loses vitamins, mineral compounds and amino acids necessary for corals to maintain their normal condition;
a decrease in the effectiveness of a number of medicinal compositions for fish, since some of their surfactants disappear with the foam;
a decrease in the concentration of salt in water, as it is removed during the filtration process. Because of this, constant monitoring of standing water and regular addition of salted water rather than fresh water is required.

Having assessed the advantages and disadvantages of the device, decide whether it is necessary or something else is needed.