Best Protein Skimmer for Biocube 29: The Organic Waste Cleaners

The fishes surely do love to eat their snack, but when they are done digesting, they leave a trail behind.

This stays in the tank and pollutes aquatic life. And what if you don’t have an aquatic cleaner in that aquarium?

Well, disaster will strike. Hence, the life of the fish and coral will be at stake. And they might even get dangerously sick.

That’s why you need a protein skimmer. And if you have a Biocube 29, then we have the best protein skimmer for Biocube 29.

Don’t worry; our researchers made sure that all the skimmers fit the nano aquariums that you have in your house.

Plus, we even made a buying guide for the things you should look out for when buying a skimmer for the Biocube 29.

That’ll help you understand the minimum requirements for a protein skimmer. However, our selected products have a lot more to offer.

So, if you’re curious about that, we can get started:

Comparison Table

Product Overview

At the top of our list, we have the AquaticLife 510114115 Mini Protein Skimmer. It falls in the premium category of our list, but it surely has a lot to offer.

And guess what? You’re about to find out what it has in store for you-

To start, we must let you know that this protein skimmer will not produce microbubbles when it works.

It might show a few during the first week, but once it settles in, there won’t be signs of microbubbles.

The microbubbles can be a bit harsh toward the fish and corals. They can get skin irritation from such things. So, it’s a good thing that this skimmer knows how to stop that from even happening.

Plus, the dimension of this protein skimmer is 3 1/2 x 3-1/4 x 10-5/8 inches. So, you can rest assured that it’ll fit right into your Biocube 29 nano tank.

And since the Biocube can support up to 29 gallons of water, this skimmer will work great. That’s because it’s designed to clean 30 gallons of water.

This is a bigger size than 29, which means all the water will be cleaned thoroughly.

Moreover, this protein skimmer has adjustable brackets that allow protein skimmer to be held inside the aquarium. Hence, it can fit right into the aquarium sump.

On top of this, the needle wheel impeller allows the protein skimmer to be quiet.

Thus you won’t have to deal with all the endless humming sounds that the skimmers are known to make.

Additionally, this protein skimmer has a quick-lock design. This feature lets you dismantle the skimmer and clean it thoroughly and quickly.

Thus, it’s easy to use, and even if you want to clean it regularly, you can do it without a hassle.

Plus, this skimmer also has an adjustable air-flow system. This ensures that the airflow is continuous so fresh air gets introduced to the water, and the fishes and corals get fresh water to breathe in.

Pros

• The fishes won’t get skin irritation
• It can adjust in the sump
• Doesn’t produce any extra sound
• You can clean it easily
• Cleans all the water thoroughly

Cons

• The water outlet side is a bit small

Product Overview

Moving on, we have the IceCap K1-Nano Protein Skimmer. This skimmer wasn’t number one because it lacks a few highlighting features the winner possesses. But it sure has a few tricks up its sleeves.

For instance, this protein skimmer has a pipeless output valve that allows the polluted water to get out through the side of the skimmer and below the water surface.

This ensures that there is no sudden splash in the sump.

On top of this, the pipeless outlet also saves a ton of space because there’s no outlet to hog up space. Thus you can put more water in your aquarium.

It also ensures that the protein skimmer doesn’t produce a lot of noise.

Plus, the overall design ensures a compact footprint. Thus this skimmer has tight compartment applications.

In other words, the whole design will ensure you save tons of space for the fish and corals in the aquarium.

Moreover, every single piece of the skimmer can be dismantled so that it can be separated and washed easily. Thus you can get the dirt out of all the places without a hint of struggle.

While discussing the design, you should note that its producers introduce the mounting magnet with it.

This ensures that the skimmer stays in its place and doesn’t slide over. Plus, it’s easy to mount in the aquarium.

On top of all these, the protein skimmer is made of Solid PVC & acrylic. This ensures that the skimmer is durable. Thus it can last long.

Pros

• Saves you a ton of space
• Doesn’t move around easily
• It works quietly
• It lasts long

Cons

• The hold-down bracket needs improvements

Product Overview

In third place, we have Coralife 100538604 Biocube Protein Skimmer. Now, this skimmer is the most budget-friendly one on our list. However, note that it has some amazing features that you can check out.

For starters, this protein skimmer has a slender design. That ensures you have a ton of space for the fish and corals. Plus, it fits right into your Biocube 29 nano tank due to its small size.

Plus, since this is an in-sump protein skimmer, it has a self-priming pump cone-shaped inner. This works to ensure that the aquarium gets thoroughly cleaned from the inside.

It also has an easily removable collection cup. So, you can actually remove the cup that stores all the waste and then clean them up in a short amount of time.

Moreover, this skimmer is designed to work with tanks of up to 32 gallons of water.

And since the Biocube 29 can store 29 gallons of water, this skimmer will fit perfectly in the nano tank.

Now, we are aware that the skimmer has a higher storage capacity than the actual tank. But this works in your favor.

You see, if you have a tank with lots of fish then the bioload will be more. So, this protein skimmer will be able to tackle that. And thoroughly clean up the extra organic waste.

Pros

• Fits Biocube 29 nano tank
• You can easily clean the waste
• It can remove extra organic waste

Cons

• Produces a lot of microbubbles

Product Overview

Next up, we have another of Corallife’s protein skimmers. And this one is called the Coralife 27778 30G Marine Filter Protein Skimmer. Now, of course, there are some differences between both skimmers. What are they?

Firstly, we have to mention that you get the option of buying a heater along with this protein skimmer.

This heater can be used to keep the fish and corals warm during cold winter times.

But if you don’t want that, then you can save a few bucks and buy only the protein skimmer. That’ll work great to clean the aquarium thoroughly.

Moreover, did you have a look at its dimensions?

This protein skimmer has a dimension of 8.25″L x 5″W x 7.5″ H. This site is quite small and it’s compatible with the Biocube 29 nano tank. It’ll fit right into the aquarium and skim off the organic waste.

Besides this, this protein skimmer has a motor equipped with a needle wheel impeller. This little divide ensures that the skimming process is optimized.

Plus, it has multiple layers of filtration. Hence, even if the skimmer produces microbubbles, all of them will be diminished by the layers of filtrations.

Thus, your fish and corals will live a healthy life inside the Biocube 29.

Even the collection cup is designed to be optimum. Hence, you can remove the waste from the skimmer once it collects the maximum waste from the aquarium.

And then, clean the skimmer thoroughly so that it can operate again in full force.

At the very end, we will like to mention that skimming is not affected by the level of fluctuation in the water. It carries on even when the water level is rising or dropping.

Pros

• Comes with a heater to keep the fishes warm
• The skimming process is optimized
• You can easily clean the collection cup

Cons

• You have to clean it regularly

Product Overview

By now, if you didn’t meet the perfect protein skimmer for your Biocube 29 tank, then we have another product. This is Comline DOC Protein Skimmer 9001.

This might not be our first choice, but it might be yours. Let’s check it out-

First, we have to talk about its compatible size. This little protein skimmer can work fine with a tank that ranges from 5.7 to 37 gallons of water.

The Biocube has a maximum capacity of storing 29 gallons of water.

So, this does fall in the range that this protein skimmer can handle. However, it can handle a bit more gallons of water. So, this is a good thing for you.

Thanks to this feature, you can rest assured even if you have a lot of fish in your tank. That’s because the more fish you have, the more bioload you’ll produce.

Hence, this protein skimmer can handle the high load of organic waste and clean them. Even the size is quite compact, so you won’t be wasting a lot of space.

At the very end, we want to mention that this skimmer comes with a magnet mount.

So it won’t get swayed by the rush of water when it’s in working mode. Plus, it’ll fit right up when you’re installing it.

Pros

• It can handle a lot of bioloads
• Saves a ton of space
• Easy to install

Cons

• Needs improvement with the mounting
• The plastic tabs can’t support the engines properly.

 

Buying Guide

Hey there, reefers; you must be tired from the lengthy features and benefits section.

However, you might still be confused about what you truly want. Well, that’s where we step in.

You see, we have gone the extra mile to prepare this segment. Here, we will enlighten you with everything you need about protein skimmers. So, let’s dive into it-

Size of The Protein Skimmer

The first and crucial thing to notice is the size of the protein skimmer. You see, if they are simply too small or too big for your tank, then they won’t be able to perform.

Now, if they are too small, these protein skimmers will not be able to clean the tank properly.

And you’ll see a lot of mess still left to be cleaned. That’s because the skimmer will be full in a short amount of time.

On the other hand, if the tank is too big, enough foam won’t form for the skimmer to get started.

So it won’t break in and will be ineffective. That’s a bigger problem if you ask us.

So, when buying the protein skimmers, we suggest that you see the amount of water they can handle. In other words, you should check whether the skimmer can deal with the size of your aquarium.

And since you’re looking for a skimmer for Biocube 29, buy a skimmer that can handle 29 gallons of water.

However, that’s the base requirement. We would suggest you buy a skimmer that can handle a bit more water.

The best thing would be to buy a skimmer built to deal with 30 to 32 gallons of water. This will keep you on the safe side.

Size of Bioload for Your Aquarium

Next up, you should be aware of the bioload in your aquarium. This is the size of the organic waste present in your aquarium.

Now, if you have more fish or organic life living in your aquarium, then obviously your bio load will be more.

So, to tackle more waste, you simply need a bigger-sized protein skimmer. Buy the ones that can handle approximately 35 gallons of water. They will be able to clean the aquarium more efficiently.

Available Space in Your Aquarium

One more thing to look into before committing to an aquarium is the available space. Now, if you buy a skimmer that won’t fit into your aquarium then you’ll have to get it replaced.

This ensures that you have enough space in your Biocube for the skimmer.

If you don’t have a lot of space, then buy the skinny ones that don’t take up a lot of space.

Building Material

Now, it’s also important to look into the building material of the skimmer. Try to ensure that they are not made of cheap materials like acrylic.

They can be too thin, and because of this, the protein skimmers won’t last long.

FAQs

Question: Does Biocube need a protein skimmer?

Answer: Now, Biocube doesn’t need to have protein skimmers. You can get by it if you’re willing to clean the tank manually.

It’s a small tank either way. But it’s always efficient to have a protein skimmer by your side.

Question: Does the protein skimmer need to start working?

Answer: At times, the protein skimmer needs time to break in. Now, this may take about 1 to 5 days, depending on what type of skimmer you’re using.

However, it needs time for the foam to form so it can get started fully.

Question: Where do you put the protein skimmer in Biocube?

Answer: You can put the skimmers in the inner part of the Biocube. Or you can always place the external skimmer on the outer side of the aquarium.

They even have hang-on skimmers that can stay attached to the Bio cubes.

Conclusion

To wrap up, that is all we had for the best protein skimmer for Biocube 29. Now, we did go on and on about the features but remembered; the best ones are the ones that fit into your aquarium and give a great result.