The waste that is collected in a fish aquarium includes fish waste, decomposing particles such as unconsumed food and other particles. This is the reason why aquarium tanks in the absence of a filtering system tends to get cloudy and deposited with organic waste. Skimming is a popular method of removing residue from a tank. They are also known as foam separators, foam fractionators, or air-strippers.
The protein skimmers were originally used in the water treatment industries to remove residue and organic particles before water supply reached into factories. The technicality in the skimmer uses the mechanism of organic particles being attracted to water bubbles.
Particles that usually settle as residue:
- Primary and secondary amines
- Amino based sugars
- Alcohols and fatty acids
- Lipids or fats
A much more generalized term for all that is generated as waste in an aquarium is classified as Dissolved Organic Compounds (DOCs). It is generated basically due to breaking down of biological materials in the tank. They have a high composition of bacteria, algae and other solvents.
Process:
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Step 1: Waste water is processed in a column of air bubbles
Step 2: Residue is collected in the foam (Foam created by passing gas through liquid that has lot of surface particles)
Step 3: Residue disposed to collection area
Basic parts of a skimmer:
- The body: The body of the skimmer is where contact between the DOCs and water takes place.
- The foam separation area: This is where the organic laden foam is separated from the water.
- The collection cup: Collects the foam that spills over and collected as residue.
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