Before you can decide whether a skimmer is right for you, you need to understand how it works. A protein skimmer uses air bubbles to collect and eliminate protein-based organic molecules.

We here at Living Art Aquatics have been designing, building, and servicing custom aquariums for over 20 years, so we’re just the right experts to give you that recommendation. If you’re building a home aquarium in Crystal Lake, IL or elsewhere in the greater Chicago area, give us a call at (847) 737-5151 and our aquarium professionals will match you with the skimmer best suited to your setup. We’re always here to help you turn your home aquarium into a work of living art!

At full operational readiness, the BC Wildfire Service operates a fleet of 20 airtankers and eight bird dog aircraft (in addition to its contracted helicopter fleet), with access to contract more if needed.

The Province can bring in additional contracted aircraft as needed. Depending on the level of wildfire activity in the province, the government may request assistance from other jurisdictions through the Mutual Aid Resources Sharing Agreement, which allows for the movement and sharing of firefighting resources (including aircraft) between B.C. and other provinces and territories.

The BC Wildfire Service uses specialized fixed-wing aircraft called "airtankers" to support wildfire crews on the ground. There are two types of airtankers used in B.C.

All airtankers work in groups that are led by a "birddog" plane. Air attack officers, highly trained and experienced firefighters, sit beside the pilot in the birddog and coordinate the other aircraft on the mission. These aircraft fly above the others in order for the air attack officer to observe them. An example aircraft is the Turbo Commander TC-690A.

The water in your home aquarium is run through a chamber in the skimmer. Inside this chamber, the skimmer is generating lots of tiny air bubbles. These microbubbles are always rising upwards in a column. Various particulate matter sticks to those bubbles and is pulled up along with them. At the top, these particulates form a foam, which is then pushed into a collection chamber.

Helicopters and airtankers are a vital part of wildfire response in British Columbia, but they can’t contain wildfires on their own. The main purpose of aircraft is to support the work of ground crews.

These airtankers are equipped with tanks that are specially designed to contain and drop fire retardant. They are capable of hitting multiple targets in one flight. Examples of these aircraft include the Convair CV-580, Avro RJ-85 and Lockheed L-188 Electra.

Once you’ve decided you want a protein skimmer for your home aquarium, it’s time to figure out which one is most worth the investment. However, unlike many other types of equipment, with protein skimmers this isn’t simply a matter of quality.

Yes, the Province's long-term contracted fleet includes several "heavy" type airtankers including 4 Electra L-188s and 2 RJ-85 580s.

The Martin Mars was an iconic aircraft and part of this province’s proud firefighting history. Mars aircraft were originally built during World War II and then retrofitted as water bombers in 1959.

Protein skimmers are extremely application-specific. Rather than one skimmer being better than the others across the board, different skimmers perform better in different setups. There are designs to fit every filtration style, and you have to match your skimmer to your filtration system and your aquarium’s size and design. To find that perfect match, you need a recommendation from an expert.

This also means that you don’t have to clean your aquarium as often. Eliminating a large portion of the organic waste from your water means there’s less for you to deal with in terms of maintaining water quality, so you can do less cleaning and perform fewer water changes.

Water-skimmers get their name from their ability to land on water and fill their tanks while moving. They are smaller in comparison to land-based airtankers and deliver water to support active firefighting operations. An example of this aircraft is the Air Tractor AT-802F Fire Boss.

The size and specifications of a helicopter determine the type of tasks it may be assigned. In general, larger helicopters can carry more weight, but cost more to operate. The BC Wildfire Service works closely with aircraft suppliers to use helicopters as effectively and efficiently as possible.

Does your home aquarium have a protein skimmer? If not, this may be an accessory you want to consider investing in. This handy device uses bubbles to eliminate protein-based waste in your aquarium, and reduces the maintenance load for larger tanks.

The B.C. Public Service acknowledges the territories of First Nations around B.C. and is grateful to carry out our work on these lands. We acknowledge the rights, interests, priorities, and concerns of all Indigenous Peoples - First Nations, Métis, and Inuit - respecting and acknowledging their distinct cultures, histories, rights, laws, and governments.

The reason the unwanted particulates stick to the bubbles is because most waste in a home aquarium is protein-based. Most proteins, like most organic molecules in general, are amphipathic. This means that parts of them are hydrophilic (attracted to water) and other parts are hydrophobic (averse to water). Because part of the protein wants to touch the water and another part wants to get away from it, the protein easily sticks to spots where air and water meet—including bubbles.

Of course, fewer water changes is more convenient for you, but it’s also better for the health and stability of the environment in your home aquarium. Consider, for example, if during a water change you accidentally dump out too much water. This produces a sharp change in the water parameters and living environment, and could be harmful to more sensitive organisms in the aquarium. An aquarium that doesn’t need water changes as often is more resistant to these dangerous fluctuations.

Besides salinity, the other factor that greatly influences the usefulness of a protein skimmer is the size of your home aquarium. The larger the aquarium is, the more beneficial the skimmer is. This is because with larger tanks, it’s a bigger deal to be able to change the water less often. With especially large tanks, a skimmer becomes an absolute must-have.

Removing particulates from the water in a home aquarium improves how clean and clear the water looks. Your aquarium doesn’t just look better aesthetically, it looks healthier. In effect, having a protein skimmer is like having an additional method of filtration on top of your existing water filter.

The second reason is that skimmers form smaller bubbles in saltwater than in freshwater. Why exactly this happens is still up for debate. Regardless though, a lot of smaller bubbles is better than a few larger bubbles, because it means more surface area for the organic molecules to cling to.

Aircraft are frequently used to drop fire retardant and foam on or near a wildfire. Fire retardants, foam and water can help suppress a fire by cooling it down and smothering it. Learn more about what these materials are made from and how they work.

BC Wildfire Service staff work continually to ensure that the most appropriate aircraft resources are available to respond to wildfires. This includes having aircraft stationed strategically around the province. The type of aircraft assigned to wildfires is based on need and availability. The number of aircraft being used from day to day and from week to week can fluctuate significantly, depending on the current wildfire situation.

Watch videos about different helicopters used by the BC Wildfire Service: medium-lift helicopters and light utility helicopters.

The BC Wildfire Service has a fleet of around 40 aircraft with access to many more if needed. Aircraft are deployed based on needs of crews in the field. They perform a variety of functions like:

The BC Wildfire Service also maintains exclusive access to a specialized fleet of helicopters designed to work with Rapattack crews. These helicopters are equipped with rappel and hoist equipment.

The BC Wildfire Service also uses other fixed-wing aircraft to transport crews, conduct fire patrols and provide logistics support. Below are two examples used as jumpships for parattack crews.

The BC Wildfire Service has provincial contracts for five rotary wing aircraft. The remaining aviation resources are solicited in early spring through BC Bid.

As a result, most organic waste in your home aquarium can be picked up by a protein skimmer’s bubbles and extracted from the water.

Here’s a more detailed breakdown of what a skimmer does, what benefits it provides, which aquariums it’s most beneficial for, and how to select the right one for your home aquarium.

By filtering out organic particulates, a protein skimmer helps reduce water changes, maintain a more stable environment in your home aquarium, and mitigate negative health impacts for your fish.

If you have a small 20-gallon tank, numerous smaller water changes are easy to perform, so a protein skimmer isn’t quite as important. Imagine if you have a larger 600-gallon tank, though. Without a skimmer, you may have to perform a 100-gallon water change every week. With a protein skimmer, you may be able to reduce that to just two 80-gallon changes per month. That’s a huge relief in terms of time and effort to perform routine aquarium maintenance.

There are several reasons why a protein skimmer works far better in saltwater than in freshwater. The first reason is the difference in solubility. A lot of organic molecules dissolve much better in freshwater than in saltwater. This makes them harder to squeeze out of the water with the bubbles. The reverse is true in saltwater; because it’s harder for the organics to dissolve, they stick to the skimmer’s air bubbles more easily.

However, newer designs are making protein skimmers increasingly more affordable. As a result, skimmers are becoming more prevalent, and since there aren’t many disadvantages to having one, they may soon become an industry standard even for smaller-sized aquariums.

A skimmer provides a lot of benefits, but is it beneficial for all aquariums? Not equally. Protein skimmers are most useful in large saltwater aquariums.