All fish lovers and hobbyists know that marine life thrives in quality water. Since natural reefs reside in free open space under millions of gallons of seawater, they are regularly flushed clean by the moving water. below in this article, we will cover the Top 5 Benefits of HOB Protein Skimmers.
This is different from an aquarium, where fishes and other marine life, live in an enclosed space with stagnant water. Stagnant water allows waste to build-up, which is harmful to aquarium marine life. Protein skimmers are a viable solution to this problem.
HOB (hang on back) protein skimmers are aquarium filtration systems that rest on the back of an aquarium. It is one of the smaller protein skimmer models, which are sometimes referred to as foam fractionators. These devices are mainly used in water treatment facilities and large aquariums.
Still, the smaller versions are used in home saltwater aquariums. The best HOB protein skimmers help maintain good water quality by removing organic waste from the water. They are categorized by how they operate: co-current flow system or counter-flow current system.
Why Is It Needed?
Marine life produces a lot of organic waste materials. In the ocean, organic waste is washed away and recycled, but not in an aquarium.
Corals shed their mucous coating, algae leak oils, marine fish shed and reproduce their protective mucoprotein slime coat, some sea life produce solid and other waste, in addition to bacteria that live in the water.
All waste produced needs to be removed to maintain good water quality. If not, then all marine life would be at risk of deadly diseases and bacteria overgrowth in the water. The HOB protein skimmer pulls all the waste from the environment to remove those risks.
How Does It Work?
Protein skimmers work with the central filtration system to keep the aquarium clean. They use the adsorption process, which attaches dissolved solids, gas, or ions to a surface. In aquariums, the dissolved solids are protein and other organic matter.
Skimmers produce thousands of tiny bubbles that this protein and other organic matter attach to. It creates a film-like appearance on the bubbles that are pulled out of the water and stored in a collection cup.
Advantages of Using a HOB Protein Skimmer
- It allows mechanical, chemical, and biological filtration to work more efficiently.
- This skimmer design is more affordable than regular protein skimmers.
- It requires less room and is easier to attach to the aquarium than other models.
- HOB protein skimmers maintain good water quality. They remove protein and other organic waste from the water to maintain a healthy and clean aquarium environment.
- It removes the chances of waste re-entering the water. While other filtration systems remove organic waste from the water, they have no proper waste storage. Therefore, there is a possibility of waste returning to the water. HOB protein skimmers altogether remove organic waste from the water then stores it in a collection cup. The waste has no opportunity to re-enter the aquarium.
Disadvantages of Using a HOB Protein Skimmer
This device has many advantages, but there are disadvantages as well. The main disadvantages of HOB protein skimmer include cost, durability, maintenance, and noise production. The most durable protein skimmers that produce little to no noise and require low maintenance are the most expensive. However, the benefits are worth it.
Top 5 Benefits of HOB Protein Skimmers
- Clearwater with no yellow tint, which results in better light penetration in the aquarium.
- Little to no waste in the water.
- Clean water means the aquarium glass will stay cleaner, which extends the time between each cleaning.
- Improved photosynthesis for more colorful corals and underwater plant life.
- Fish stay healthy and corals quickly recover from damages.
