The heart of the modern reef external filter systems is the protein skimmer. Protein skimmers are used to remove dissolved organic carbons (DOCs), soluble proteins, peptides, complex carbohydrates, lipids, pigments and myriad of other substances released by the livestock. The chemical process that make it effective is based on the principle that certain molecules (organics & various pollutants) in the marine aquarium water are attracted to the surface of air-bubbles. Many are the differences between commercial skimmer but, the key one is for sure the air injection system.
Traditional Venturi skimmers operate by pushing water at high velocity into a reaction chamber through a "Venturi injector", they usually require a big water pump to provide the volume and flow rate necessary for drawing air into the water stream and they produces quite large bubbles.
Shredding impeller protein skimmers use smaller pumps fitted with a special air-shredding impeller to mix air and water. They normally produce smaller bubbles size than Venturi thus favoring a "larger surface area to volume ratio", to maximize protein adsorption but, with a significantly reduced water circulation due to the use of less efficient impellers.
After intensive test we introduce on the market a series of skimmers which set-up a completely new standard in protein skimming.
Elos Natural Skimmer is our interpretation of the Venturi-driven protein skimmer, with some modifications to drastically improve its efficiency thanks to the reduced size of bubbles, the significant increased contact time, a better water circulation and the implementation of the double counter-current chamber.
We have defined it "Top Down Injection System" (TDJ®), a patent of our company that have permitted us to achieve far better results than model with similar size available on the market.
TDJ® system base its superior efficiency on four key different moments:
Injection: polluted water is mixed with air though the special “variable geometry injector”. This is a calibrated injector specifically design to maximize the incorporation of the air into the water. So treated the water is than injected, from the top of the reaction chamber (not from the bottom as on conventional skimmers) in the Main Reaction Chamber where the reaction take place.
Secondary injection: thanks to the Top Down Injection, the pump generates an high pressure stream of water, injected downward into the Main reaction chamber where, again, it sucks air into the water and break the air up into thiner bubbles causing extra turbulence and, again inducing extra mixing of water and extra thiner bubbles like having a second injection.
Counter-reaction: proteins with lower specific weight than water are the first to flow upwards through the internal chamber. Solids become attached to the already protein-loaded gas bubbles and also flow upwards. Where, again, they encounter the water flowing from the Top Injector and so they can be picked up again and again by the gas bubbles and broken into smaller bubbles.
Expulsion: only after several contacts with air finally pollutants are passed into the collecting cup, as a highly concentrated foam.
This principle is much more effective than Venturi double chamber skimmers as well as modified impeller skimmers (of bigger size) not only for the protein expulsion but also due to the long remaining time of the substances and protein inside the skimmer which get faster oxidate.
HIGHLIGHTS:
Small size: if compared with competitor products
High oxidation capacity: thanks to longer bubble contact time
Practical: thanks to the possibility to position the pump and the exit as preferred
High efficiency: skim off more protein than any similar skimmer available on the market
Small consumption: thanks to the use of small pumps
Ozone safe: completely build up with acrylic
Easy to service: in contrast to needle wheel impeller models, it uses a commercial pump much easier to repair
Easy to clean: the collection cup can be removed with one hand
Easy to regulate: non need to carefully regulate the water/air flow
TECHNICAL DETAILS:
ELOS NS 1000:
Filtering capacity : 500-1.000 Lt (130-270 gallons)
Dimensions:
Height 530 mm (20.86 in)
Diameter Ø ext.chamber 120 mm (4.73 in)
Diameter Ø int. chamber 90 mm (3.54 in)
Base 140 x140 mm (5.51 X 5.51 in)
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