Eshopps In-Sump Nano Protein Skimmer - Top FAQs

How many gallons is the Eshopps In-Sump Nano Protein Skimmer rated for?

Realistically, it will perform best on almost any tank up to about 25 gallons in size. With tanks larger than this, you should have the room to get something a bit bigger. 

What are the dimensions?

Dimensions: 4.5" x 2.5" x 11.5"

The magnetic mount spins around the skimmer body too which means you can position the magnetic mount wherever you need on your tank walls.

Does it work with AIO tanks?

Yes, as long as your AIO filtration chambers can accommodate the dimensions, it should work great for an AIO tank. Just be sure to physically measure the chambers on your tank first and compare them with the advertised skimmer dimensions. 

**Pro Tip: When it comes to skimmers and pumps, always measure the internal dimensions of your tank or filtration chambers first. Nothing is worse than getting excited about a new piece of equipment just to find out it doesn't fit.

How do you adjust the Eshopps In-Sump Nano Protein Skimmer?

The magnetic mount allows you to move the skimmer up or down vertically in the water column, this controls the water level inside the skimmer.

The included Sicce pump also has a flow adjustment which can help you dial in the air/flow ratio. As you increase water flow through the pump, more air is drawn into the skimmer. Fewer organics in your tank water require less air whereas more organics require more air to achieve a stable foam head. That said, most tanks will benefit from running the pump at the highest pump flow setting. 

How To Tune Your Eshopps Nano Skimmer:

1. Start with Sicce pump at the highest flow setting.
2. Move the entire skimmer body up or down so the top of the foam head is just under the bottom of the collection cup.  
3. If your skimmer starts to over foam within 24 hours, just raise the entire skimmer body for a lower internal water level.
4. The pump flow adjustment really doesn't make a huge difference in most cases just because the pump is so small. Only decrease the pump flow should you find the skimmer collects too much water even at the lowest water level setting or if you just can't get a stable foam head to form.

**Pro Tip: Connect a short 2" length of airline tubing to a small 1/4" ball valve. Attach the other end of that tube to the nipple on top of the skimmer's air silencer. Use the ball valve to make precision adjustments to the air.  This will prove to be a more effective adjustment method and you won't have to decrease the water flow on the pump.   

Does a nano tank even need a protein skimmer?

Great question and technically the answer is NO. A small tank can often be filtered efficiently with larger water changes and filter media like a sponge/filter pad and some carbon.

That being said, a functioning protein skimmer does provide some great benefits such as:

• Oxygenation
• Stabalize pH levels
• Nutrient removal
• Less frequent and/or smaller water changes

The key to having a skimmer on your nano tank is making sure it is working properly and that you clean it frequently. On a nano skimmer, the cup is small and the skimmer gets dirty fast. If you can make time to rinse that collection cup and skimmer body every few days, you're going to get far better performance than trying to clean it weekly or whenever the cup fills up. Removing that build-up from inside the cup and skimmer means it can collect more waste efficiently. Being such a small skimmer the body gets dirty along with the cup, and cleaning both at the same time is the best approach.

Beyond that, you have to be sure and tune the skimmer correctly. Put it this way, if your skimmer is not getting dirty and collecting brown, smelly mud every few days, the skimmer is not tuned correctly... or your tank just doesn't have any kind of nutrients to remove which is very rare if the tank has fish that are being fed daily.