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Basics
Protein skimming is a way of physical water treatment. It uses a phenomenon known from our
daily experience: the adsorption 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 with a thickness of only one molecule. Surface
active compounds like proteins behave in the same way. The Turboflotor 1000 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
that is dehydrated and pushed into the collection cup. With this method, organic waste can be
removed from the aquarium water - before they are integrated into the biological waste treatment
cycle.
Working principle of Turboflotor 1000
The venturi pump of the Turboflotor 1000 sucks the water out of the filter chamber, mixes it in the
pump housing with air which is sucked and cut into small bubbles by the Aqua Medic needle wheel.
This water/air mixture is pumped into the reaction pipe of the protein skimmer where organic
substances are taken up by bubbles. So a foam is formed which is pushed into the foam cup. The
cleaned water flows out of the bottom of the skimmer and is led via two transparent pipes at the
outside of the skimmer into the entrance chamber of the post-switched trickling filter. From there,
the water flows via trickle plate and Bactoballs back into the filter chamber. The Bactoballs act as
biological filter. On the Bactoballs’ surface settle bacteria which reduce non-skimmed organic
substances as well as ammonium and nitrite.
Set-up
The Turboflotor 1000 is placed into the filter tank and has to be connected to the water circuit by
the tube included in shipment. As soon as the water circuit has been turned on and the skimmer is
fillled with water, it can be turned on. The pump is now pressing water into the reaction pipe of the
skimmer. At the same time, an underpressure is created at the suction side of the pump and air is
sucked in. If noises arise at the air suction pipe, put a silencer on it.
The air is cut into smallest bubbles due to action of the needle wheels. In addition, this constuction
eliminates a great portion of noise.
The quantity of sucked air should be adjusted so that 75 % of the reaction pipe are filled with air
bubbles. After the first start, it takes some hours before first foam is pushed into the collection cup.
This is due to a reaction between the surface of acrylic glass and aquarium water. An equilibrium of
electrical loadings must take place. After 24 hours at the latest, foam should be pushed evenly into
the collection cup. The quantity of liquid and organic substances depends on pollution of the
aquarium.
Maintenance
The collection cup should be cleaned regularly (daily or weekly, depending on organic load). The
reaction pipe of the skimmer needs to be cleaned only once or twice a year. Also the venturi pump
should be cleaned in those intervals. To do this, the pump has to be removed and the complete
pump housing and needle wheel flushed with clean water. The same procedure should be done with
air injection nozzle. The biological filter - the trickle unit including Bactoballs - is maintenance-free.
