The NuvoSkim DC Universal is Innovative Marine's First Nano Protein Skimmer Built Specifically For Aquariums From Other Brands

Innovative Marine has released a third protein skimmer as part of their NuvoSkim Series called the NuvoSkim DC Universal. This new skimmer is a bit of a departure from what we're normally accustomed to seeing from Innovative Marine—namely aquarium equipment that is specifically built to fit and function perfectly inside their own brand of aquariums.

But watchful hobbyists may have noticed this isn't the first time Innovative Marine has tested the waters with this "universal" concept.

Following the successful launch of their AUQA Shield UV sterilizer line last year, Innovative Marine quietly released a universal version of their ultraviolet sterilizer which had this new nomenclature which we hadn't seen before.

For more context, most of Innovative Marine's aftermarket accessories (called AUQA Gadgets) come in two sizes: desktop and midsize. These desktop and midsize designations make it easy to know which products will fit inside your Innovative Marine brand aquarium.

It seems like the intent of this new "universal" classification is to let hobbyists that don't own an Innovative Marine tank know that they too can get in on the fun and cop some cool upgrades from the company for their aquarium.

We dropped by Innovative Marine headquarters in Cerritos, CA last week to see the NuvoSkim DC Universal Skimmer up close. We seized the opportunity to quiz IM's Director of Marketing, Royce Suzuki, about the new skimmer during our visit—and here's what he had to say!

Who did you have in mind when you built the NuvoSkim DC Universal Protein Skimmer?

The NuvoSkim DC Universal works with any Innovative Marine aquarium. It's important to note, however, that we didn't design this protein skimmer for our own tanks—we've already got desktop and midsize iterations for owners of our tanks.

The NuvoSkim DC Universal was created for all the other nano and all-in-one aquariums on the market. This isn't an all-inclusive list, but some popular examples would include JBJ Nano Cubes and Rimless tanks, AquaMaxx aquariums, Coralife BioCubes, the Red Sea Max Nano, the new Crystal Series from Lifegard Aquatics—basically any saltwater aquarium that is 30 gallons or less.

What are the dimensions of the new DC Universal Skimmer?

The dimensions of the body of the skimmer are 3.8" x 2.3" x 10.3". Our skimmer is one of the smallest skimmers on the market. I can pretty much fit it in any AIO aquarium's baffle system.

Can you tell us anything about the pump powering the skimmer?

All NuvoSkim DC skimmers including this one are powered by a nano DC 53 GPH 12V/5W needlewheel pump. The are a lot of awesome benefits about using a needlewheel DC pump, including run dry protection. In case, for example, the skimmer runs out of water—the pump will never burn out. Low power consumption: less power usage saves money on electricity. Consistent bubble production leads to denser foam production and drier skimate.

The DC Universal skimmer appears to be a hang-on internal skimmer. Is that an apt description?

Yes. The DC Universal skimmer is an internal hang on skimmer. Our skimmer uses an adjustable height hanger that is designed to be used on the internal baffle walls in an AIO.

We shied away from using a magnet because we wanted the user to be able to adjust the height of the skimmer cup with one hand. The first prototype we designed was with a magnet. We noticed that you needed both hands to hold the body and replace the cup.