Protein skimmer identification

[KingAlee]

I need help identifying and a “how to” on this protein skimmer! I’ve never seen one like this but I got it for free so no complaints here!

I know I’m missing a pump but what else needs to be added to this for it to work and how does it technically work?

Thanks in advance!!

 

[UncommonSense]

This appears to be of the style that requires either an air pump, or some sort of oddball Beckett injector/other Venturi… I will add that the outlet (second photo) usually has a gate valve on it to control water height within the skimmer!

 

[KingAlee]

This appears to be of the style that requires either an air pump, or some sort of oddball Beckett injector/other Venturi… I will add that the outlet (second photo) usually has a gate valve on it to control water height within the skimmer!

Is there any schematics? Or the name of the style?

 

[UncommonSense]

Is there any schematics? Or the name of the style?

I’m honestly not sure about the name of this specific style! The closest reference I have is an Environmental Tower Super Skimmer (ETSS) by AEtech…

I believe that would be a downdraft style though, as it fires high pressure water through a nozzle straight down into a tower of bio balls, with a passive air Venturi near the nozzle… everything after that component of the skimmer is effectively identical to the one you show above though!

Here’s a dual tower ETSS running at my LFS, it’s as close as I have to a physical example… (and yes, I moved that sketchy power strip for them shortly after getting this pic!)

 

[KingAlee]

Is there any schematics? Or the name of the style?

I’m honestly not sure about the name of this specific style! The closest reference I have is an Environmental Tower Super Skimmer (ETSS) by AEtech…

I believe that would be a downdraft style though, as it fires high pressure water through a nozzle straight down into a tower of bio balls, with a passive air Venturi near the nozzle… everything after that component of the skimmer is effectively identical to the one you show above though!

Here’s a dual tower ETSS running at my LFS, it’s as close as I have to a physical example… (and yes, I moved that sketchy power strip for them shortly after getting this pic!)

Looking up downdraft protein skimmers it’s pretty close to this but how would you go about it with this one?

 

[UncommonSense]

Looking up downdraft protein skimmers it’s pretty close to this but how would you go about it with this one?

This is purely speculative, given this skimmer definitely predates my time in the hobby…

But… what about using a standard pin/needle wheel skimmer pump to feed this contraption air and water?

Alternatively, what pipe size is the inlet? It’s possible that some sort of beckette injector or similar could be plumbed in-line, just before the skimmer inlet, from a traditional water moving impeller pump!

I guess you could also go the lazy route; just get a massive, noisy air pump with 3/8” outlet tubing, plus a nice big air stone… stick the air stone in the skimmer body pre-internal baffle (via skimmer neck, would be laziest!)… pump water into skimmer, let air stone bubble like crazy!


All the above options will operate the skimmer in essentially the same way, all options assume a gate valve on the skimmer outlet to control internal skimmer water height!

 

[mcarroll]

AquaC type direct injection. Did you ever get it running?

 

[KingAlee]

AquaC type direct injection. Did you ever get it running?

No, I ended up just giving it away to someone

 

[mcarroll]

No, I ended up just giving it away to someone

Understandable. Hopefully it made a good project for someone else! :)