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FRENCH DESIGN & FABRICATION

Protein skimmers
for professional aquaculture

From the Monaco Oceanographic Museum to Leclerc live tanks, including the Liège Aquarium, our MAELSTRÖM (external counter-current) and NAUTILUS (internal instant skimming) skimmers equip public aquariums, shellfish farming, wholesale and fish farming.

From 15 to 100 m³ treated, with our proprietary FOAMAWAY™ evacuation system

100 m³
Max. reef capacity
23 m³/h
Max. treated flow
×2.5
Modulable Boost mode
5 years
Mechanical parts warranty

FRENCH QUALITY

MAELSTRÖM and NAUTILUS skimmers: designed and manufactured in Brittany

Each skimmer is designed in our engineering offices in Brittany and manufactured by French industrial fabricators.

Made in France

100% French design and industrial thermoplastic fabrication

Food-grade quality

PP-H, PVC-U, marine-grade A4 stainless steel — food-certified materials resistant to marine conditions

5-year warranty

Mechanical parts warranted 5 years on all models, all ranges

Fully dismantlable

Each skimmer is designed for complete disassembly and easy maintenance

Direct support

Spare parts available, direct technical assistance from the designer

OUR RANGES

External or internal: choosing the right installation type

Two complementary ranges, one same standard. All our skimmers feature our proprietary venturi, the FOAMAWAY™ system, a 5 mm PP-H body, a transparent PVC-U cone and a 5-year warranty.

EXTERNAL RANGE — COUNTER-CURRENT SKIMMER

MAELSTRÖM

High-performance external counter-current protein skimmer. Full access for maintenance, maximum performance. Programmable Boost mode to modulate power according to the load of the medium and optimise water consumption.

Models
M10 · M20
Reef capacity
15 to 100 m³
Water flow
6.5 to 23 m³/h
Boost mode
Standard (M20) / Optional (M10)
Reef aquariumsShellfish farmingLive tanksWholesaleFish farming
MAELSTRÖM M20 — Liège Aquarium MAELSTRÖM M20 — Liège
MAELSTRÖM M20 — Liège (video)
MAELSTRÖM M10 — Monaco Oceanographic Institute MAELSTRÖM M10 — Monaco
MAELSTRÖM M10 — Trégastel MAELSTRÖM M10 — Trégastel
AMONG THE LARGEST INTERNAL AIR-DISPERSER SKIMMERS
INTERNAL RANGE — COUNTER-CURRENT INSTANT SKIMMING

NAUTILUS

The largest internal air-disperser protein skimmers in the world. Exclusive counter-current instant skimming technology. Direct installation in the tank or sump, on piping or custom support according to your constraints.

Models
N10 · N20
Reef capacity
Up to 40 m³
Technology
Instant skimming
Installation
Piping or custom support
Closed circuitRestricted spacesSumpReef aquariums
NAUTILUS N10 — Monaco Oceanographic Institute NAUTILUS N10 — Monaco
NAUTILUS N10 — Monaco (video)
NAUTILUS N10 — Trégastel NAUTILUS N10 — Trégastel
NAUTILUS N10 — Trégastel (video)
NAUTILUS N10 — Foam production
Custom NAUTILUS N20 — Cité des Sciences

FIELD RESULTS — LIÈGE AQUARIUM

Measured results : −51 % nitrites over 9 months of monitoring

Study conducted at the Liège Public Aquarium with a MAELSTRÖM M20: 49 physico-chemical analyses over 9 months. See the full curves →

TECHNICAL COMPARISON

Choose your skimmer

All our models share the same technical foundation. The table below highlights only what differentiates them.

Standard on all models

5 mm PP-H bodyTransparent PVC-U coneProprietary AS venturiFOAMAWAY™5-year warrantyAuto-rinse availableSICCE Dispergator turbinesFood-grade materialsFully dismantlableMade in France
  • CE compliant
  • Food-contact materials: PP-H, PVC-U, A4 marine-grade stainless steel
  • Designed & manufactured in France
  • Material certificates on request

EXCLUSIVE TO THE MAELSTRÖM RANGE

Boost mode : modulate power according to medium load

Boost mode adapts air injection to the organic load of the medium, and concentrates matter before flushing it. Standard on the M20, optional on the M10.

Air injection — MAELSTRÖM 20

Exclusive dual-regime system

STANDARD MODE
8 m³/h — continuous operation
BOOST MODE — Modulable & programmable
20 m³/h — ×2.5 · concentration + flush

Load-adaptive modulation

Adapt skimming power based on biomass and organic load. No oversizing: your skimmer operates at the right level.

Concentration + Flush

Boost mode concentrates organic matter then flushes it via a short rinse. Result: a significant reduction in water consumption.

Programmable post-feeding

Schedule an automatic boost after feeding to instantly eliminate suspended food residue.

REFERENCES & INNOVATIONS

Prestigious institutions trust us

Our skimmers equip public aquariums, scientific institutions and professionals in France and internationally.

In service

Monaco Oceanographic Museum

MAELSTRÖM 10 · NAUTILUS 10

Skimmers in operation for the museum's reef aquariums.

In service

Liège Aquarium

MAELSTRÖM 20

Removal performance measured and validated through dedicated technical monitoring.

Custom

Cité des Sciences

NAUTILUS N20 — Custom version

Design and fabrication of a fully custom skimmer for the specific constraints of the Cité des Sciences et de l'Industrie.

Retail

E.Leclerc — Saint-Grégoire & Plérin

MAELSTRÖM 10

Wholesale live tanks in retail. Optimal water quality for fresh seafood products.

RETAIL & WHOLESALE

Protein skimmer for retail and wholesale live tanks

Water quality in a display or storage live tank directly drives shelf life, product presentation and sanitary compliance.

Custom shellfish live tank — E.Leclerc Plérin
Shellfish live tank — E.Leclerc Plérin
Display live tank — E.Leclerc Saint-Grégoire
E.Leclerc Saint-Grégoire

Real case study: E.Leclerc Plérin

Aquaculture Solutions designed and installed the custom shellfish live tank for the E.Leclerc shopping centre in Plérin (Côtes-d'Armor), integrating the MAELSTRÖM skimming system, real-time supervision and product display lighting. A second installation was delivered to E.Leclerc Saint-Grégoire.

These installations address the specific requirements of food retail: constant water quality in closed-circuit operation, low water consumption (Boost mode concentrate-and-flush cycle), accessibility for cleaning, parameter traceability and a 5-year warranty on mechanical parts.

For wholesalers and seafood industrials, the same technical foundation applies: continuous skimming to maintain water at required quality levels during long-term storage, with no chemical intervention.

Key challenges in retail & wholesale

  • Constant water quality — reduction of toxic nitrogen compounds in closed circuit
  • Product presentation — clear water for the display window
  • Sanitary compliance — food-grade materials (PP-H, PVC-U, A4 marine stainless steel)
  • Low operator maintenance — fully demountable design for quick cleaning
  • Standard lead time 8 to 12 weeks — between quote validation and delivery

As featured in

Independent press coverage of our work in aquaculture engineering.

CASE STUDY — REAL-WORLD DATA

Liège study: protocol and curves over 9 months

REAL-WORLD MEASURED DATA

Cold-seawater circuit · 67 m³ — Monitoring from March to December 2025, 49 analyses including 12 with the MAELSTRÖM 20 protein skimmer. Three phases compared: no filtration, biological filtration (socks + bioballs), then skimmer.

Note: the skimmer runs in economy mode (boost 1×/h). These results do not represent the maximum of its capabilities.

−29%
Ammonia
vs biological filtration
−51%
Nitrites
vs biological filtration
×2.9
More efficient
on NH₃
×4.6
More efficient
on NO₂

The MAELSTRÖM 20 in operation at the Liège Aquarium

FROM STUDY TO COMMISSIONING

Five steps, one point of contact

Design, fabrication and installation are delivered by the same teams, without industrial subcontracting. The client benefits from a single point of contact from sizing to commissioning.

  1. Needs assessment

    Analysis of the existing installation, target biomass and water-quality objectives.

  2. Sizing

    Custom study by the engineering office, model selection, hydraulic drawings, Boost options.

  3. Validation

    Detailed quote, plan validation with the client, signature and deposit.

  4. Fabrication

    Thermoplastic fabrication in our Trégueux workshop (Brittany), PP-H / PVC-U / A4 marine stainless steel.

  5. Installation

    On-site commissioning or guided remote setup, 5-year warranty on mechanical parts.

Standard lead time: 8 to 12 weeks between sizing validation and delivery.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Your questions about our skimmers

Operation, sizing, performance, fabrication: technical answers to the most frequently asked questions.

How does a protein skimmer work?

A protein skimmer physically separates dissolved organic matter by injecting very fine air bubbles into the water column. Surface-active molecules (proteins, lipids, peptides) attach to the air/water interface, are carried upward as foam, then evacuated outside the circuit. This is mechanical filtration before bacterial mineralisation, which drastically reduces the bioavailable nitrogen load.

What is the difference between the MAELSTRÖM and NAUTILUS ranges?

MAELSTRÖM is an external counter-current skimmer: installed outside the tank, accessible for maintenance and suited to installations with a sump. NAUTILUS is an internal air-disperser skimmer, designed to operate directly in the tank or sump, in instant skimming mode. The choice depends on available space, hydraulic configuration and the volume to treat.

Which capacity should I choose for my aquaculture installation?

Capacity depends on the volume treated, biological load (density, species, feeding) and target water quality. Our models cover 15 m³ to 100 m³ of equivalent reef capacity. We systematically carry out precise sizing before quoting, based on a detailed technical questionnaire.

What do the results of the Liège Aquarium study show?

Over 9 months of monitoring (49 physico-chemical analyses), the MAELSTRÖM M20 installed at the Liège Public Aquarium reduced nitrites (NO₂) by 51% and ammonia (NH₃) significantly compared to biological filtration alone, with stable operation and no major intervention. The full curves are available on this page.

Are your skimmers really Made in France?

Yes. Designed in our engineering office in Brittany, industrial thermoplastic fabrication in France, French or European materials (PP-H, PVC-U, marine-grade A4 stainless steel). All our skimmers are assembled in France and come with a 5-year warranty on mechanical parts. We provide material certificates on request.

What are the lead times and delivery method?

Standard lead time is 8 to 12 weeks after sizing validation and deposit, depending on the range and option chosen (Boost mode, custom version). Commissioning can be carried out by our teams or done remotely with support.

A skimming project?

Let's talk.

Free personalised study — We size the right skimmer for your installation and constraints.

Request a quote
+33 2 57 18 09 03 By appointment