Uv sterilizer and protein skimmer in freshwater tank?

  • We are currently upgrading MFK. thanks! -neo
duanes said:
The one in the Koiphen plans is quite large. I downsized it considerably in 3 versions.
The first Koiphen DIY I made (in my video) was about 4 ft tall X 4" in diameter.
I later made one half as tall and 3" in diameter that ran from an overflow of a 150 gal tank, into a sump below.
I then tried one 8" in diameter by about 3ft tall.

I don't remember exactly what the cost was, but PVC was no more than $30.
The ones made from "clear" PVC brought the price up because clear is about $20 per ft.
But clear PVC is not a necessity, I used it out of curiosity.

It is the water cascading over the lava rock the breaks (fractures) the air water interface and separates the pollutants.
I found the fractionation takes out proteins, free floating algae, and even some microbes.
I studied skimmer waste under the microscope and found a @10 to 1 increase of ciliates, nematodes, and other microscopic life compared to normal, straight tank water
I also used it on a kiddy pool I kept Tilapia in, catching the waste foam in a bucket, using zip ties to lash it to the fence.

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Do you feel as if the skimmers along with some sort of freshwater nitrate reducer would allow more time between water changes, or is it really more of a "keep the water quality as good as it can be between a regular amount of water changes?"

I ask because I have heard of some saltwater guys not doing any water changes because their skimmer pulls out all of the TDS and then macro algae, deep sand bed, etc, would keep their nitrates down. They then dose necessary minerals to keep the fish/corals/inverts healthy.
 
Yes I believe because water changes in a salt water tank (especially large ones) are reativly expensive and complicated compared to fresh, it probably does prevent or at least saves on WCs tremendously.
Because these skimmers do take TDS, DOC, algae and other nitrate precursors directly out of the water column it is also a possibility to reduce water changes in fresh water.
The first time I considered a protein skimmer was after reading an article in TFH mag by Joe Gargas, called (don't remember for sure, something like?) Foam Fractionation in Discus Hatchery, an issue of them from back in the 80s.
And next the article on how to build one Aquarium Fish Mag by Stephan Meyer (late 80s, early 90s)
With them running on my ponds I rarely did any water changes throughout the summer.
I didn't change my routine in tanks, and found that at times my fractionators inside wouldn't produce foam, maybe because, my tanks were so low in DOC (nitrate 2-5ppm).
The counter current ones are quite fiddly, and need daily adjustment to maintain perfect current rate to run properly.
The Koiphen version, although larger, is more forgiving in its flow rate needs.
It is my favorite mode of filtration, especially when combining the lava rock media as bio.
 
I'm using a protein skimmer on my tank .. just set up so still bedding in .. main purpose was to remove the denitrifying bacteria from my carbon biopellets fluidised reactor ... but already working well and starting to pull out darkish skimmate .. I'm using a full dose of aquarium salt to encourage foam
 
But the bigger bubbles mean you aren't skimming as effectively so u won't pull out as much organics so I def will still be doing water changes .. plus salt water is more stable and enriched .. fresh water needs refreshed
 
Tomt37 said:
I'm using a protein skimmer on my tank .. just set up so still bedding in .. main purpose was to remove the denitrifying bacteria from my carbon biopellets fluidised reactor ... but already working well and starting to pull out darkish skimmate .. I'm using a full dose of aquarium salt to encourage foam
Click to expand...
Are you using it on a freshwater tank?
 
Hence bigger bubbles than saltwater and less fractionation of organics .. but it def shifts some and it's clearing out the bacteria film coming from my biopellets reactor (to lower nitrates)
 
Tomt37 said:
Hence bigger bubbles than saltwater and less fractionation of organics .. but it def shifts some and it's clearing out the bacteria film coming from my biopellets reactor (to lower nitrates)
Click to expand...
I'll have to look into that. In combination with a nitrate filter, algae scrubber, ozone, I should almost never have to do water changes.
 
I like the biopellets .. they reduce phosphate too but u def need the protein skimmer to remove the film of bacteria they create as the pellets are digested ... keep the outlet close to your protein skimmer uptake and I'd generally put in the first chamber of your sump where it can hang around the surface until collected by protein skimmer .. def needs api aquarium salt in tank and give it time they need to bed in and to be tuned .. after a week or so I'll hit a sweet spot
 
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