If you’ve been following along with the Aquarium Tip Tank Podcast you’ve been listening to a lot of aquarium tips for starting and setting up a home aquarium. You may have also heard me say something like, “A protein skimmer is not necessary for the first few weeks of cycling your tank.” While this is true because you want to allow the organic compounds that the protein skimmer would normally remove to break down into nitrogenous waste to kick start your biological filter, a protein skimmer is one of the best ways to help filter the water and increase the water quality in your aquarium.
My 30 gallon saltwater aquarium had been up and running for about 2 weeks and I decided it was probably time to do some research and purchase a protein skimmer. You may have also heard that my API Nexx Canister Filter leaked. My tank had been cycling for 2 weeks without any kind of filtration and only the Hydor Koralia Evolution 550 Aquarium Pump being used for water circulation. Everything was going well and all of the water tests that I performed were showing me that the tank was cycling correctly, but it was definitely time to add some filtration to the aquarium.
I decided to go with the AquaC Remora-S Protein Skimmer. Protein skimming is a type of mechanical filtration that physically removes organic compounds from the aquarium water, but it is the only way of removing those organic compounds before they start to decompose. This improves the water’s redox potential and eases the load on the biological filter. There are many aquarium hobbyists that swear that a protein skimmer is the only filtration device they ever use to keep a smaller sized reef aquarium thriving and happy. My plan is to only use a protein skimmer, some chemical filtration with a phosphate reactor, the biological filtration of my live rock and live sand, and, of course, regular water changes.
There were a few things that I had to keep in mind when selecting a protein skimmer for my tank. The protein skimmer I chose had to:
- Hang on the back of the tank- I don’t have enough room in the tank stand for a sump to house the protein skimmer.
- Not be an eyesore – After all, it is going to be hanging off the back of the tank and everyone will be able to see that it is there.
- Be rated for at least 30 gallon aquariums, and preferably rated for larger aquariums.
- Be quiet – In the world of aquarium equipment quieter is always better.
- Be easy to clean and maintain – Isn’t this always a necessary feature?
The design of the AquaC Remora-S Protein Skimmer takes care of all of these concerns, and more! Some of the features included with the Remmora-S are:
- Hangs on the tank
- Compact Size and Profile
- Translucent Gray Acrylic Main Body to inhibit the growth of algae and marine organisms
- Rated for aquariums between 20 and 75 gallons
- Neoprene foam noise muffler
- Extended Collection Cup
- Optional collection water drain fitting
- Level adjustment screws at the base of the skimmer
- High Flow Spray Injector
- Nylon cleaning brush
- Cobalt MJ-1200 Pump
The reviews were great. The Remora-S had everything I needed. I went ahead and ordered one, and it arrived just a few days later!
AquaC Remora-S Protein Skimmer arrives in a 3′ tall box
The Remora-S Protein Skimmer arrived in a very large box despite the fact that it is only 19 inches tall. Its probably from all of the packaging that was used to keep my delivery safe!
Remora-S Packed for safe travels
As you can see, the Remora-S protein skimmer was packed to withstand the worst of shipping environments. I’m glad everything arrived safely!
All the parts and pieces were packed well inside the actual Remora-S Protein Skimmer box too
The body of the Remora-S protein skimmer, collection cup, Cobalt MJ-1200 pump, and cleaning brush were also safe inside the actual AquaC packaging. However, I figured all of the parts and pieces would look much better out of the box!
All AquaC Remora-S Protein Skimmer parts out of the box!
The only real assembly steps for the Remora-S Protein Skimmer are giving everything a quick freshwater rinse, and attaching the output of the Cobalt MJ-1200 pump to the flexible intake tubing of the Remora-S. Then, you are ready to hang the Remora-S on the back of the tank, adjust the leveling screw, and plug the pump in. Skimming has been started!
Skimming with the AquaC Remora-S Protein Skimmer
The full profile of the AquaC Remora-S Protein Skimmer
The AquaC Remora-S Protein Skimmer uses a spray injection system that produces a powerful, high-pressure air-induction spray to bombard the main skimmer chamber and generate an enormous amount of waste-removing bubbles. Protein skimmers work by using an air stone, aspirator, or spray induction to create a large air/water interface by injecting large volumes of bubbles into the water column. Organic waste molecules then collect on the surface of the bubbles in the collection cup. The more bubbles that are created, the bigger the air/water interface is, and more organic molecules can be collected. For a huge increase in performance, the Remora-S features a high flow spray injector for increased air and water flow, smaller bubble size, and thus, more bubbles and organic waste removal.
Are you using a protein skimmer for your aquarium? What kind? Where is it in your system? Leave comments below!
TJ
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