Protein Surface

[kermit13sg]

Hi

Need some advice here.

I am currently using a set of lilypipe outlet, the thing here is when i raise it slightly above water level, it creates a lot of splashing sound. But if i submerged it too much, water agitation reduces and protein film forms.

I have tried to compromise on the position but i cannot seem to find a suitable quiet yet agitating water surface position.

Will an airpump and air stone solve my problem with protein film? Assuming i do not want to get a skimmer.

If yes to above, then where can i get a air pump that it quiet enough?

thanks in advance.

[Navanod]

The air pump can be quiet but the air bubbles may make even more noise than your lily pipe.

[kermit13sg]

Hi Navanod, thanks for your reply.

Sigh, never a one stop solution, right?

[Navanod]

Yes. And the air bubbles will get rid of protein film, but introduce calcium stains to your glass due to sprays. Hahaha!
If you see my thread in the equipment forum, I'm also just starting to venture into air pumps after hating it for years.

My concerns are with noise, and spray of water droplets. Unfortunately, the solutions to those would also prevent the bubbles from disrupting the surface protein film!
Truly no one stop solution!!

[kermit13sg]

really hard to strike that balance....

[tetrakid]

Popping air bubbles near the water surface can be heard a mile away, and stray water from it can shoot very high. lol.

[kermit13sg]

haha, tetrakid, you must be one of the ten brothers.

[tetrakid]

Seriously, jokes aside, you can try this :-

Get a small air pump with an air hose fitted and place the air outlet sideways near the water surface with a clip. Notice the loud bubbling sound and upward splattering of stray water?

I did it for my Daphnia culture tank during an experimentation. But the noise is unbearablly loud, so I abandoned the experiment.

haha, tetrakid, you must be one of the ten brothers.

[kermit13sg]

Seriously, jokes aside, you can try this :-

Get a small air pump with an air hose fitted and place the air outlet sideways near the water surface with a clip. Notice the loud bubbling sound and upward splattering of stray water?

I did it for my Daphnia culture tank during an experimentation. But the noise is unbearablly loud, so I abandoned the experiment.

Would it help if i attached an airstone? This will reduce the size of the bubbles, but will breaking protein surface still be effective??

[hencpu]

The lily pipe should have vortex that sucks the protein scum downwards. At least on mine it does.



In addition to that, I also run air stone at night. But I use the smallest air stone to avoid loud bubbles & violent splashing.



The flow from the lily pipe also disperses the bubbles into the middle of the tank, away from the tank glass wall. Never had issue with protein film issue.

[morning breakfast eat]

Why is protein film bad? is it harmful?

[Navanod]

hencpu, that looks like an elegant solution indeed!

[felix_fx2]

Wow. Huge vortex. Normally I see only small ones hee.

[tetrakid]

Protein surface happens very often. Use of a surface skimmer is one good solution. In certain hang-on filters, there is sometimes a built-in skimmer attached. For those who are using a top filter, it is advisable to get a separate surface skimmer attachment which is easily fitted to the vertical water inlet pipe.

A surface skimmer works by using part of the suction power of the filter to draw in the surface film, mixing it with the incoming water, filtered and discharging it back via the water outlet.

But with a hang-on filter properly used, there should be no need for any surface skimming, since there should be no skin to skim.

[kermit13sg]

Hey, where did you get these thin glass tubes, the one with the airstone?

The lily pipe should have vortex that sucks the protein scum downwards. At least on mine it does.



In addition to that, I also run air stone at night. But I use the smallest air stone to avoid loud bubbles & violent splashing.



The flow from the lily pipe also disperses the bubbles into the middle of the tank, away from the tank glass wall. Never had issue with protein film issue.

[alvinchan80]

The lily pipe should have vortex that sucks the protein scum downwards. At least on mine it does.



In addition to that, I also run air stone at night. But I use the smallest air stone to avoid loud bubbles & violent splashing.



The flow from the lily pipe also disperses the bubbles into the middle of the tank, away from the tank glass wall. Never had issue with protein film issue.

That is a very very nice air stone... Look very very 'atas'.. Must be not very cheap.. Haha...

I have used glassware before but when the algae, diatoms, etc all starts attaching themselves there.. It looks really really dirty... Any tricks for maintaining it 'clean look'?

[hencpu]

That is a very very nice air stone... Look very very 'atas'.. Must be not very cheap.. Haha...

I have used glassware before but when the algae, diatoms, etc all starts attaching themselves there.. It looks really really dirty... Any tricks for maintaining it 'clean look'?

Lol, thanks. That "not very cheap" air stone is in fact less than $1 only. The J glass pipe also very cheap, less than $4.

I usually just spot dosing with H2O2 or Excel, should keep them away for a few weeks. Having Otos or Nerites also help.

[kermit13sg]

Lol, that's cheapest air stone, I think less than $1? The J glass pipe also very cheap, less than $4.

I usually just spot dosing with H2O2 or Excel, should keep them away for a few weeks. Having Otos or Nerites also help.

where to buy the J glass pipe?

[hencpu]

where to buy the J glass pipe?

Should be able to get them in many LFS, else from local online shops. Brand is Dazs