protein skimming in freshwater

[iwantareef16]

can i use a protein skimmer in fw i think i would help control the algae and give the tank good water quality levels

 

[Menagerie]

Algae is a product of excess nutrients. Excess nutrients are usually on the substrate. I'm not sure how well a protein skimmer would increase the water quality.

 

[Pufferpunk]

A skimmer will not work in FW. There is no foam.

 

[foma2000]

protien skimmers actualy do work in fw. just very very very ineficiantly. and i mean very ineficently. i cant stress enough how ineficient they are. with out salt the water has less of an ionic charge so the bubles have a hard time attaching themselfs to waist. its so ineficient that its just a wait of energy.

 

[joedarat]

so if i read that right, i could be worng, what your saying is, that it's... ineficent?

 

[tiptoptank]

I run a attachment skimmer off my fluval 304 at night. It keeps my co2 down and it make the surface sparkel. I would think that the excess stuff foating around would help a higher nitrate level but, not enough to matter. It just for looks

 

[CBRGuy]

I skimmer will not work on FW since the water will not foam like saltwater.

 

[iwantareef16]

can iuse in a brakish water with mollies that has salt in it or do i need the sw saltiny for the skimmer to work properly

 

[Pufferpunk]

Again, it will not work in BW either very well, unless it is high-end BW.

 

[foma2000]

it will work in fresh water. get this straight. it will work. just very very very very eneficiently. ive tried it out. it works. it just wont produce a cup of skimmate for a cupple of months. if you really want to do it, get a serface injection like the cpr remora. but its not going to work very well