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Foam fractionation is a chemical process in which hydrophobic molecules are preferentially separated from a liquid solution using rising columns of foam. It is commonly used, albeit on a small scale, for the removal of organic waste from aquariums ; these units are known as " protein skimmers ".
Protein skimming removes certain organic compounds, including proteins and amino acids found in food particles and fish waste, by using the polarity of the protein itself. . Due to their intrinsic charge, water-borne proteins are either repelled or attracted by the air–water interface and these molecules can be described as hydrophobic (such as fats or oils) or hydrophilic (such as salt ...
Water conditioners are formulations designed to be added to tap water before its use in an aquarium. [1] [2] If the tap water is chlorinated then a simple conditioner containing a dechlorinator may be used. These products contain sodium thiosulfate which reduces chlorine to chloride which is less harmful to fish.
The water trickles through the trays, keeping the filter wool wet but not completely submerged, allowing aerobic bacteria to grow and aiding biological filtration. The water returns to the aquarium like rain. [14] Alternatively, the wet/dry filter may be placed below the tank. In this design, water is fed by gravity to the filter below the ...
A foaming agent is a material such as a surfactant or a blowing agent that facilitates the formation of foam.A surfactant, when present in small amounts, reduces surface tension of a liquid (reduces the work needed to create the foam) or increases its colloidal stability by inhibiting coalescence of bubbles. [1]
Processes similar to continuous foam separation have been commonly used for decades. Protein skimmers are one example of foam separation used in saltwater aquariums. The earliest documents pertaining to foam separation is dated back to 1959, when Robert Schnepf and Elmer Gaden, Jr. studied the effects of pH and concentration on the separation of bovine serum albumin from solution. [2]
A typical glass-tube immersion style aquarium heater. An aquarium heater is a device used in the fishkeeping hobby to warm the temperature of water in aquariums. [1] Most tropical freshwater and marine aquariums are maintained at temperatures that range from 22 to 30 °C (72 to 86 °F).
The main advantage of having a sump plumbed into an aquarium is the increase of water volume in the system, making it more stable and less prone to fluctuations of pH and salinity, and also mitigating the effects of nutrient buildup or the unintentional introduction of foreign substances.