A protein skimmers is a filtration device that removes surface active compounds from the system water. They work by introducing a large number of small air bubbles into the water, surface active compounds attach themselves to the water/air interface, the bubbles rise to the water surface taking with them the surface active compounds, a foam is formed (very much like the foam seen on the ocean in rough areas), the foam is then separated and removed from the system completely. The great advantage of a protein skimmer, which has made the keeping of many marine organisms easier, is that organics compounds can be removed from the water before they are broken and reduce the water quality. There is a large number of different designs and methods of introducing air into the water, but the principles of operation are the same for all of them. The more common techniques are; wooden airstone, venturi, foam jet, aspirated pump and downdraft. Each technique can perform on par with the others as long as it is designed correctly and for the same situation. Therefore a wooden airstone protein skimmer can perform on par with a downdraft. Typically, one may be a better option than others due to the constraints placed on its operation.

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