Surface skimmer

[eGGS]

Hello,

I'm getting a skimmer tml to help remove the layer of protein flim on the surface. Any brands to look out for and also, things to look out for?


Will the skimmer pose a danger to fishes(like trapping fishes)? Also, how far below the water must I position it? What ever loose plant on the surface will be sucked into the canister filter by the skimmer?

Tks

[chua]

I knew two brands.
One is the most commonly used Tom and the other one is Cosmo.

I think that most shops are selling Cosmo at a higher price. Only C328 is selling Cosmo at a much lower price.

Anyway for skimmer,the brands do not really matter. It is because both work the same. The most important thing is your filter cause that is the once that actually remove the proteins.... The skimmer only provides the openings. That's all.

[theodore]

Perhaps you can consider a couple of guppies or mollies (mickey mouse any1?). All natural solution to your protein film.

[subxero]

I got mine from PetMart, Tom surface skimmer for $9.90.. Will the mollies and guppies get bloated stomach[:0] from taking in too much bubbles??

[eGGS]

$9.90 is cheap, most LFS selling @ ard $13.

[notebook]

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On 7/26/2003 5:54:13 PM

Perhaps you can consider a couple of guppies or mollies (mickey mouse any1?). All natural solution to your protein film.
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mm... does guppies really eliminate the protein flim? cos i avoiding the use of skimmer becos of my cherry shrimp.

[eric_kclee]

eggs and notebook,
Skimmer will be unsightly if for small tank.

Will you like to try the following? I tried and was effective but cannot explain why. (mine is a 14inch cube)

1. Buy a small air pump(smallest you can find) ($4)
2. Buy a diffuser or air stone ($0.50)
3. Buy a plastic throtle valve ($0.50)
4. Buy a small length of air hose ($0.80)
Total $5.80

Connect it up and bubble it 24hr, throttle it to the smallest, (imagine bubbling CO2 at 1bps, that small, maybe more for bigger tank). This will not affect the PH and CO2 level in planted tank...trieded.

Connect it up and observed the diff tomorrow. I have been doing this for 4weeks already (I hide it in the IOS very neat), No more protein or scum or slim on the surface. I realised this accidentally, me cannot explain also.

rgds

[geoffrey]

Eric, your method only remove proteins. In fact, that is how a protein skimmer works in a SW tank. As for eGGS and Notebook, they may also want floating leaves to be skimmed too and that method won't work.

[theodore]

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On 7/28/2003 2:53:48 PM

mm... does guppies really eliminate the protein flim? cos i avoiding the use of skimmer becos of my cherry shrimp.


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Guppies do feed on the protein film ... However, with their unsatisfiable appetities, they will also gobble up all the baby cherry shrimps they can find. []

If yours is a shrimp-only tank with low light plants, just introduce some surface turbulence and the film will be gone.

[fastlee84]

hi im a newbie at this forum. may i noe the address of some of the fis shops u guys fequent? such as petmart, c328 n teo's..thanks in advance

[PeterGwee]

Check the LFS list on the middle top right hand corner of the forum.

[crazzz]

I believe tat e $9.90 Tom surface comes w/o e accessories which include a flexible tube n some others...
Suface skimmer comes in 2 parts...
e base is stuck to a sucker while e other a mobile
which will adjust wif e height of e water level...

[subxero]

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On 7/28/2003 9:15:05 PM

I believe tat e $9.90 Tom surface comes w/o e accessories which include a flexible tube n some others...
Suface skimmer comes in 2 parts...
e base is stuck to a sucker while e other a mobile
which will adjust wif e height of e water level...
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Actually the $13 one and the $9.90 one is the same.. just that the shops priced it differently...

[stressed]

notebook,

any reason you link the surface skimmer to the cherry shrimps? fear they get sucked in ??