Lily Pipe Skimmer Taking in Shrimp.

[si walker]

Anyone else have issues with their skimmers catching shrimp?
I have recently (4 weeks) installed an Ista Mini Glass Inlet/ Skimmer from Horizon. It has the addition of a clear plastic skimmer that floats on the surface taking off the film etc. Standard i guess.
Anyway I was interested to see how the filter looked inside after 4 weeks, compared to my previous set up of the Oase 100 plastic filter Inlet and pre filter sponge cover.
Internally the filter was way more clogged due to the lack of pre filter sponge, along with about 15 Shrimp of varied size swimming about in the dark.
I spent longer rescuing Shrimp than filter cleaning!
The next day I saw a trapped Shrimp where the the floating skimmer tube goes into the glass Lily pipe.
Are there any hacks for stopping this? I have Mosquito net wrapped around the inlet slots and also the skimmer bowl. This works really well but theres always one more thing!
Thanks!

 

[Tim1343]

I’ve had the same issue with my EA lily pipe skimmer, tried and failed to stop it and same as you, spent ages on shrimp rescue duties when cleaning the pre-filter! Ended up swapping it to a non skimmer inlet, and added an Oase surface skimmer instead. Aesthetically it’s nowhere near as nice, but no more stuck shrimps since.

 

[si walker]

Oh well at least I'm not alone on that one!
Does anyone design and make anything in this hobby that works perfectly? Sponge filter maybe..

 

[Ulster Aquarist]

Same issue here exactly. I removed the plastic skimmer bit and replaced it with an off cut of nylon tights to act as a fine strainer. Also used this method to cover the horizontal inlet slots at the bottom. Doesn't look great but well disguised by plants. Skimmer replaced by separate Oase unit. A bit of a faff I know but saves the baby shrimp.

 

[Conort2]

roll up some plastic mesh into a tube and poke it into the skimmer inlet, Doesn’t seem to restrict flow too much.

 

[Andy Pierce]

Oh well at least I'm not alone on that one!
Does anyone design and make anything in this hobby that works perfectly? Sponge filter maybe..

@22802 you were looking for an innovative business opportunity to bring the hobby forwards. This could be it!

 

[si walker]

roll up some plastic mesh into a tube and poke it into the skimmer inlet, Doesn’t seem to restrict flow too much.

Yeah I tried but later found out that isn't where they are getting in. It's the gap between the glass pipe and plastic pipe of the skimmer. The shrimp sneak in the gap as the skimmer bobs up and down.

I'm actually quite close to going back to the original Oase Inlet and using an air stone in non Co2 times to break up the surface film instead.

 

[Qwedfg]

I use a eheim surface skimmer and turn it 55 min on and 5 minutes off each hour. The shrimp that get in don’t seem to mind and will escape during the 5 min off period. I’ve only had one shrimp death in the surface skimmer since I started doing this and it’s been at least 6 months now.

The other option is one of those neo aqua surface skimmers that work on the outlet vs the inlet. I have one but haven’t used it yet since I have an eheim unit. I heard they are more finicky though.

 

[drsteeeve]

I also have the eheim skimmer, have it on a timer 5min on and 5 min off in daylight hours.
I have made a extra skimmer out of a small plastic pot that I slip over the skimmer head, I'll take a pic later and post, basically I snip the plastic all the way round the pot ever few mm and bend one inwards and one outwards so the flow is going through loads of fine slits.

 

[drsteeeve]

I need to make a new one as this is a bit rough, I think this was originally a chutney pot from a Indian takeaway 😅
Only problem with trying to stop shrimp getting in is it makes it harder for them to get out.
I have also put a much larger bit of foam in the body of the skimmer and with 5 on 5 off they wouldn't be harmed spending a few minutes in the skimmer till then can climb out, I used to have to collect babies out of my fluvial filter, found 40+ in there every monthly clean and the seems pretty happy eating muck in the dark.