Autres Skimmers

Autres skimmers: choosing the right skimming technology

This category includes skimmers from different brands and designs, suited to various needs: nano tanks, large volumes, compact sump systems, or the quest for silence. They all operate on the same principle: foam fractionation (skimming) removes some of the dissolved organic compounds by attaching them to microbubbles, then exporting the foam to a collection cup.

In terms of history, foam separation has long been used in industry, and skimming began to spread in marine aquariums from the 1960s. A frequently cited milestone is the commercialization of one of the first "consumer" fractionators in the early 1960s, and the practice became really popular with the rise of modern reef aquariums in the 1990s.

Depending on the models, bubble production can be ensured by venturi, needle wheel, or counter-current designs, each affecting the fineness of the bubbles and the air/water contact time to maximize efficiency.