21
Fig. 2: Venturi pump AQ 1200 with mesh wheel
1.
Motor housing
2.
0-ring
3.
Pressure fitting
4.
Rubber bearing
with washer
5.
Ceramic shaft
6.
Rotor
7.
Mesh wheel
8.
Pump lock with 0-ring
9.
Air inlet fitting
10.
0-ring
11.
Air injection nozzle
12.
Reduction
13.
Bayonet
3.
Theory
Protein skimming is a method of physical water treatment. It uses a phenomenon known from our daily
experience: the adhesion of surface active substances to air water layers. If we add a drop of oil to a
water surface, a thin film is produced with a thickness of only one molecule. Surface active compounds
like proteins behave in the same way. The Turboflotor Blue 1000 uses its air bubbles to create a large
water surface for the waste substances to attach themselves to. These air bubbles are forced into the
reactor-pipe in a such a way that they undergo a long contact time within the counter-current. Enriched
with organic substances, they rise to the top and form a firm foam that is dehydrated and pushed into
the collection cup. This method removes organic wastes from the aquarium water before they become
part of the biological waste treatment cycle.
The AQ 1200 venturi pump draws the water out of the aquarium through the filter chamber, mixes it in
the pump housing with air which is then cut into small air bubbles by the AB Aqua Medic mesh wheel.
This water/air mixture is pumped into the reaction pipe where the organic substances are taken up by the
air bubbles. Foam is formed and is pushed into the foam cup. The purified water leaves the skimmer via
the outlet (Fig. 1, No. 12) and is directed back to the aquarium.
4.
Setup
The Turboflotor I 400 is an inside skimmer that can be mounted in the aquarium in different ways.
It can be mounted:
1. Glued into the aquarium, at a side without stress bars.
2. Glued in the aquarium at a side with stress bars (up to 4 cm wide).
3. Fixed with rubber suckers in the aquarium.
- Mounted in the aquarium, at a side without stress bars.
This is the way of fastening we recommend. The outer housing (19) is not used in this case, also the feet
and the pipes (12) can be left off.
The skimmer body is glued to the wall of the aquarium, using the included special glue. Pay attention not
to cover the slits at the side of the skimmer. This is the water outlet. The skimmer is fixed in the height
that the medium water level in the aquarium is in the middle of the slits of the front plate (7). The
included glue hardes even under water so the skimmer can be mounted in a running aquarium.
If the standing pipes are not used, the skimmer has to be fixed in the final position for hardening of the
glue.
- Mounting in the aquarium at a side with stress bars.
In this case, the outer housing (19) is glued to the glass below the stress bars using the included glue.
After hardening of the glue, the skimmer body (8) can slide into the outer housing. The skimmer is now
placed in front of the stress bars.
