positive side effect of tuning protein skimmer reduced evaporation

[MalteseOne]

while i learned that modern protein skimmers adjust air flow , pump power, and water column depth it turns out skimmer depth is also important.

so what happens:
overflowing sputtering protein skimmer that spits water onto the power strip giving me an electric shock.

to prevent zapping myself again, i put a lid on the skimmer sump. the thinking was it would capture the water from shooting everywhere again.

it then clogged the air intake with high humid air crystalizing in the air intake.

also added level controller for the skimmer tank.

solution to my solution:
tubing to bring in fresh air plumed straight to the skimmer's air adjustment.

result:
never had a splutter problem again during tuning, no protein skimmer smell in my office ever again (even with a near full cup), and ... drum roll... my evaporation losses are now at 1 gallon a week for 200 gallon tank in an area with 20% RH. I was doing well over 5 gallons a week in top off.

the skimmer is inline after the bioreactor.

 

[Max_nano]

Interesting. I should have seen if my top off increased after adding my skimmer.

If you ever wanted to use a co2 scrubber that humid air would help make the media very effective. I believe that is the real benefit of the recirculating design people do, it’s for the humid air, not recycling the already scrubber air

 

[MalteseOne]

Is there a link to look into that you may be aware of?

 

[Brett S]

Do you not have a lid on your skimmer cup? I can’t understand why the skimmer is spraying water everywhere. The lid is important to the design of the skimmer to help capture the foam (and keep it from spraying water everywhere). It’s not an optional part.

 

[Max_nano]

Is there a link to look into that you may be aware of?

No link, but I learned it from a discussion in a local forum about a new co2 scrubber which included co2 and RH sensors to control air intake from either ‘wet’ air, dry air, or off.

Here was an explanation copied from a member of that forum.

“
The neutralization of CO2 involves a number of chemical reactions:

1. CO2 + H2O ⇌ H2CO3
2. H2CO3 + 2NaOH ⇌ Na2CO3 + 2H2O + Heat
3. Na2CO3 + Ca(OH)2 ⇌ CaCO3 + 2NaOH

Having a more humid environment provides availability of water to convert CO2 to carbonic acid to start the soda lime reaction to bind up CO2. Without freely available water, CO2 will not form carbonic acid and thus will not form the insoluble calcium carbonate salt in step 3 to lock up the CO2 for good.
“

 

[MalteseOne]

Do you not have a lid on your skimmer cup? I can’t understand why the skimmer is spraying water everywhere. The lid is important to the design of the skimmer to help capture the foam (and keep it from spraying water everywhere). It’s not an optional part.

During tuning of my generic skimmer, I had lots of troubles and the skimmer would overflow. When it would do that, spontaneously, while unattended it would continue splattering. The mess was quite exceptional.

Also it was my first time having a skimmer that could adjust so many parameters. . Water column height, air flow, and motor speed.