Skimmer

[Tim Cuthbert]

my be a dumb question but what does a skimmer do?

 

[Flippers4pups]

my be a dumb question but what does a skimmer do?

Removes proteins from the water collum and oxygenates the water.

 

[Jesterrace]

Removes proteins from the water collum and oxygenates the water.

This and it can also help promote coralline algae growth (good algae). Effectively it takes the water from your tank in and through a bubbling action separates the protein waste (from food and other sources) and dumps it into a collection cup which you periodically dump and clean out. This keeps said waste from building up in your tank.

Here is a vid with an HOB skimmer in action:


And one in action in a sump config (at about the 4:45 mark):