inline skimming

Has anyone heard of an inline protein skimmer? I started another thread but I think it would be best if entered here.

Definition:
NOT hang on.
NOT in sump.

A black box look is:
A tube starting from inside an aquarium, going out of the aquarium, then into a small black box and finally a line going back into the aquarium.
black box = protein skimmer

I would like to have a sump but I invested enough for now. My dream would be only one line coming out of my aquarium and one coming back in. (sump) Since I already have a inline filter… I might as well find an inline protein skimmer. (4 tubes L)

Zak



----
55 Gallon Glass Aquarium; 1-UV Sterilizer-(In tank ); 260 W Compact Fluorescent Lighting;Rena Filstar XP2; 2-Power heads;20 lbs live rock; 2-Ocellaris Anemonefish; 2-Fire Goby; 1-Royal Dottyback; 1-Blue Tang; 2-Banggai Cardinalfish; 1-Green Mandarin; 20 Blue Hermit Crabs; 8-Turbo Snails ; 2-Bubble Anemones; 1-Seabay Anemones; 1-Yellow Hand Coral; 1- Polyp; 5-Green Strip Mushroom; 2-Sandsifting Starfish; 1-Red Sponge; 1-Grub

 

Clear as mud now. There are "in-line" skimmers. They are older technology, air driven skimmers. Definitely not as efficient as needle wheel. They used a wooden airstone to produce the buubles. You could hook the output of a canister to it & then run it back to the tank. I have 1 for sale if you're interested. AMiracle was 1 of the manufacturers of them.

 

A lot of external skimmers are designed like that. With the skimmer a branch off the overflow line or the return from the sump. But in most cases the exit of the skimmer is just dumped back to the sump. I believe you would run into all sorts of problems if you had the skimmer exit under pressure. Even if it was only a little bit of head pressure. I believe you would just end up with the Skimmate cup overflowing. Water is going to go to the place of least resistance

J