ReefGlass is a new company that has started offering a small glass protein skimmer for nano tanks. The ReefGlass is more or less an american-made copy of the Mame Glass protein skimmer that nano-reefers lusted over several years ago.
While manufacturers are busy cranking out ever smaller needle wheel nano skimmers, they’ve lost sight of the fact that air-driven protein skimmers coupled with a wooden air stone are so much easier to use, and more effective, especially for smaller tanks.
The ReefGlass is handmade in one size that is suitable for tanks up to 30 gallons. The ReefGlass kit includes a versatile acrylic mount that is compatible with a wide range of rimmed and rimless tanks, as well as a wooden airstone, rubber stopper and all the necessary connectors.
One nice departure from the original Mame nano skimmer is the inclusion of an air adjustment valve right at the rubber stopper so you can easily dial in air output and water height inside the skimmer. The ReefGlass does not come with the required air pump or a waste collector to drain the skimmate from this glass skimmer since it doesn’t really have a cup that requires cleaning.
At $85 with shipping in the continental United States, this isn’t the cheapest protein skimmer you can get and you’ll have to add another $20 to the cost to get a nice small quiet air pump to drive the thing. But if you’ve never used a small glass air driven protein skimmer on a small tank, especially an All in One aquarium where the glass fractionating device can neatly fit into one of the chambers, then you are truly missing out.
The foam production from a simple air-driven skimmer is so much more abundant, consistent, and lower maintenance than tiny needle wheel skimmers. We’ve used glass skimmers like the Mame for years and wouldn’t trade them in for anything, it doesn’t hurt that they look really cool and changing the wooden air stone every few months reminds us of our early days of saltwater tanks and mini reefs from back in the day. [ReefGlass]
