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2. Theory
Protein skimming is a way of physical water treatment. It uses a phenomenon known from our
daily experience: the absorption of surface active substances to air water layers. If we give a drop
of oil on a water surface, it will form a thin film which is only one molecule thick. Surface active
components like proteins behave in the same way. The Turboflotor 750 with its air bubbles creates
a huge water surface where the waste substances can attach to.
These air bubbles are pushed into the reacton pipe in a way that they have a long retention time in
the counter-current. Enriched with organic substances, they rise to the top and form a strong foam
which is dehydrated and pushed into the collection cup. With this method, organic wastes can be
removed from the aquarium water before they are integrated into the biological waste treatment
cycle.
3. Set-Up
The AB Aqua Medic Turboflotor 750 is hung into the aquarium. If possible, put it into the back
corner of the tank and hide it with decoration. The skimmer should be placed in a way that the
pump is fully submerged and that the foam cup reaches the water level with its bottom. A 6 mm air
tube has to be connected to the air injection nozzle of the pump and raised above the water level.
At the end of the tube, a silencer can be connected.
Connection to the aquarium - holding system:
The strong holding system fits nearly every aquarium frame. To fix it, you have several
possibilities:
•
Tank with horizontal glass bar:
The horizontal clamp of the holder 1 is fixed to the glass
bar. To stabilize the Turboflotor, you can fix it with the delivered screws. Adjust it in a way
that the holding plate is supported at the glass.
•
Vertical glass bar:
The lower clamp of the holder is fixed on the vertical glass bar or on
the aquarium glass plate and fixed with 2 screws from the outside. The holding plate can
be adjusted with 2 short screws so that it is parallel with the aquarium glass.
•
Tank with plastic frame:
Here, you can use the extendable top of the holder. Extend it
so that it fits over the plasic frame of the aquarium and tighten the screws. Adjust the
holding plate with the long distance screws in a way that it is exactly parallel with the
aquarium glass.
4. Starting
Start the Turboflotor by plugging in the venturi pump. The rotation of the AB Aqua Medic impeller
causes an underpressure that sucks in air and water into the pump housing and pushes this
mixture into the reaction pipe of the skimmer. This air is cut into small bubbles by the rotation of
the impeller. The amount of air bubbles varies with the concentration of organics. If the
concentration is high, the reaction pipe is filled with more bubbles than at lower concentrations.
After the first start, it takes some hours or even days until the first foam is produced and pushed
into the foam collection cup. This is caused by a chemical reaction of the acrylic pipe with the
aquarium water - a change of electric loadings. After this time, the foam should be transported
equally into the foam cup. The total amount of removed organics depends of course on the organic
load of the aquarium.
