Skimmer for freshwater?

[kdogg85]

I have a leftover protein skimmer and would like to find a use for it. I have a 75g tank with 4 german rams, 2 double red apisto's, 3 oto's, and 2 dojo loaches. I have zero's across the board except nitrate which is at 30. The skimmer is a octopus 300f, would it be of any use on freshwater tank or is it a waste. For filtration I have 2 emperor 400's.

 

[mgamer20o0]

just a waste.

 

[kdogg85]

why not? aren't there doc's in freshwater too?

 

[thincat]

Your freshwater is not as dense as saltwater and your disolved organic mater can't get seperated as it would in a saltwater setup. So your using a skimmer in a freshwater setup would not work and therefore would be a waste of your time.

 

[BillD]

A skimmer will work in fresh water, but you won't get the gobs of brown syrup that you get in saltwater. I have seen a foam fractionator, about 15 feet tall used in a waste water facility, and it really brought down the CODs.
When you do a water chnage, sometimes you get a lot of crud floating at the surface. The dissolved air in the tap water is coming out of solution and attaching to organics.

 

[kdogg85]

Oh ok then, I have not found much on the subject on the internet. Even what I found agreed that it was a waste of electric. I guess I'll keep it in storage for an emergency then. As usual, thanks for the advice guys.

 

[DA fisherman]

Well there is a surface skimmer for freshwater tanks that do a great job ,I just got the one fro aquaclear /110 and it's doing it's job by taking that film looking thing from the top of the tank out and making it more clear/and natural for my fish to get Ox2 saltwater protein sikmmers really don't help much for freshwater ....

 

[the_fish_man]

Just a waste of your money. You don't need one for a freshwater.
The_Fish_Man

 

[DA fisherman]

That is not tru that's why they make surface sikmmers cause YES even in freshwater there is a film of oranic matter the builds up and does not let enuff ox2 in your tank ...

 

[the_fish_man]

Sorry I didn't realize that. I have something like a skimmer. But it isn't a real skimmer but it still clears it. So I was thinking of that

 

[thominil]

The film has nothing to do with DOC's, that is just the result of improper surface agitation. In SW, the skimmer actually removes dissolved compounds before they can break down and cause foul water.