Sepulatian is right.
Protein skimmers remove…protein. All of the other elements listed are the end result of having too much water flow going through the skimmer and therefore the bubbles are dragging with them other elements never intended to be removed through this process. The research shown says nothing about the controls used in the skimmer that gave them these results.
If you set your water flow too fast, then your cup will be filled to the top in no time with some slightly dark water. Within that water are a bunch of trace elements. But if you have your skimmer set correctly, then the “stuff” in your cup is very thick, dark and smelly. THAT is just protein and very little water….which in turn means very few trace elements.
As a scientist the first thing I question in someone’s research results is what process was used to monitor those results? Did they adjust the water flow of the skimmers and test and re-test the results, or did they simple set up a skimmers and test the water collected in the cup?
Mademperor, this is for you and your father – Proteins are created in your tank by fish waste, uneaten food and decomposing things in your tank. The proteins, if left in your tank, will break down into ammonia. Your bacteria in your tank will eat this ammonia and break it further down into nitrite. Your secondary bacteria will eat this nitrite and break it down into nitrate. The idea of a skimmer is to rid your tank of the proteins before they become toxic.
Protein molecules are attracted to the skin of bubbles. When a bubble rises in your tank, the proteins adhere to it. When the bubble reaches the surface and pops, the proteins fall back into the tank. A protein skimmer creates a lot of bubbles in a confined area so that a lot of protein can have something to hang on to. As the bubbles rise in your skimmer, so does the proteins. When they reach the top, the bubbles below are pushing the upper bubbles along with an accumulation of proteins, up into the neck of the skimmer. Once they reach the top, the bubbles break and the protein is forces over the lip of the cup and fall down into the bottom. The faster your water is flowing through the skimmer, the more water is being pushed up into the neck. If your setting is too fast, then more and more water is being forced into the neck and ultimately the cup fills up really fast. THIS is how trace elements can be lost. But if your settings are done right, and you have less water in the cup, but more dark smell “goo”, then ALL you are taking out of your tank is exactly what you WANT out of your tank…and that is protein!
Good luck man.
