IceCap Nano 50 HOB Protein Skimmer
SKU: IC-NN50HOB
MSRP: $ 115.49
-
Available Through Authorized Retailer
- Remarkably Slim Profile Layout: Main body requires only 2 inches of clearance behind your glass panel, preserving your room space and wall clearances.
- Efficient DCair 700 Pinwheel Pump: Utilizes an energy-efficient 12V DC needle-wheel pump optimized to chop water and air into a dense matrix of waste-collecting microbubbles.
- Integrated Bubble Dispersant Chamber: Forces incoming fluid through an lower diffusion grid, maximizing water contact time while keeping microbubbles out of your tank.
- Submerged Quiet Output Valve: Equipped with a low-profile submerged outlet valve that allows for fluid height adjustments without creating splashing sounds.
- Built-In Overflow Prevention Tube: Built with a safety collection cup relief port that channels unexpected wet foam overflows safely back down into the filtration path.
- Solid Cell-Cast Acrylic Frame: Master-crafted using thick, high-clarity cast acrylic sheets that completely resist structural warping and salt-creep deterioration.
IceCap
Premium aquarium equipment without the premium price. Protein skimmers, pumps, reactors, heaters & more.
IceCap Nano 50 Hang-On-Back Protein Skimmer (IC-NN50HOB)
The IceCap Nano 50 HOB Protein Skimmer (SKU: IC-NN50HOB) is an authentic, high-efficiency mechanical filtration system distributed by CoralVue to bring advanced foam fractionation to marine reef and nano saltwater aquariums up to 65 gallons. In compact marine environments, organic waste elements—such as leftover fish food, fish slime, and metabolic wastes—quickly accumulate and break down into harmful nitrates and phosphates. Traditional in-tank filters often fail to fully export these compounds, leading to heavy nuisance hair algae blooms and compromised coral health. The IceCap Nano 50 HOB completely resolves this issue by pulling organic waste straight out of the water column before it can decay, safely packing it away into an easily removable collection cup outside your display tank.
The foundational design of the Nano 50 HOB centers on its Space-Saving External Profile. Traditional hang-on skimmers are often bulky and visually obtrusive, requiring significant space between the tank frame and your living room walls. The Nano 50 HOB uses an ultra-slim reaction column that sits flush against the rear panel, requiring just 2 inches (2in) of back clearance. At its core is the energy-efficient 12V DCair 700 Pinwheel Pump. This low-voltage pump blends incoming air and water into a fine mist of microbubbles. These bubbles attract organic compounds as they rise through the clear reaction tower, forming a dry waste foam that moves up into the collection cup. A precision submerged gate valve provides smooth water line tuning, giving you total control over dry or wet skimming preferences.
Key Features
Protects Sensitive Coral Tissue: Removes yellowing dissolved compounds and floating proteins, allowing maximum light penetration to support coral growth.
Zero-Tool Easy Breakdown Layout: The primary body blocks separate quickly, allowing you to easily perform routine vinegar maintenance and clean the impeller assembly.
Secure Rim-Mounting Installation: Rugged thumb-screw leveling mount easily clamps onto glass or acrylic aquarium rims up to 1 inch thick.
(Note: This retail box includes (1) Nano 50 HOB skimmer chassis with collection cup, (1) DCair 700 pinwheel pump with power transformer, (1) silencer assembly, and matching intake plumbing tracking. Filter media and replacement cup lines are sold separately).
IceCap Nano 50 HOB Bioload Rating Guide
Heavy Bio-Load Target: Optimized for high-density predator or heavily fed systems up to 20 Gallons (20gal).
Medium Bio-Load Target: Optimized for standard mixed reef populations up to 40 Gallons (40gal).
Light Bio-Load Target: Optimized for low-occupancy or macroalgae-focused systems up to 65 Gallons (65gal).
What’s Included:
(1) IceCap Nano 50 HOB Clear Acrylic Skimmer Body Chassis
(1) Removable Acrylic Foam Collection Cup with Lid
(1) DCair 700 Low-Voltage Pinwheel Skimmer Pump
(1) Low-Voltage Direct Current 12V Wall Power Adapter
(1) Air Intake Silencer Unit with Flexible Silicone Tubing Line
(1) Set of Nylon Stabilization Leveling Alignment Screws
Technical Specs:
Official Manufacturing Title: IceCap Nano 50 HOB Protein Skimmer
SKU / Factory Part Identifier: IC-NN50HOB
Overall Physical Height: 12.0 Inches
Chassis Base Footprint Profile: 4.75" x 2.0"
Total Operating Footprint (with pump and plumbing): 4.75" x 4.75"
Maximum Allowed Glass/Rim Thickness: Fits up to 1.0-Inch Rim Openings
Required Back-of-Tank Clearance Wall Depth: 2.0 Inches Minimum Space
Skimmer Pump Core Model: DCair 700 Needlewheel Assembly
Energy Draw Draw Metric: 12V DC at ~7 Watts (7W)
Volumetric Liquid Delivery Rate: 70 Gallons Per Hour (70GPH)
Air Injection Volume Metric: 200 Liters Per Hour (200LPH)
Warranty
CoralVue, Inc. hereby guarantees this product to be free from defects in material and workmanship for a period of:
- 1 Year
Warranty is activated on the date of purchase.
This Standard Limited Warranty applies and is limited as follows:
- To the product only as long as it remains in the possession of the original purchaser.
- To the product that has not been subject to accident, misuse or abuse.
- To the product that has not been modified, altered, defaced, or had repairs made or attempted by other than CoralVue, Inc.
- That CoralVue be immediately notified in writing within ten (10) days of first knowledge of defect by owner or his agent.
- That CoralVue, Inc. shall be given first opportunity to make any repairs, replacements or corrections to the defective construction within a reasonable period of time.
- Under no circumstances shall CoralVue and/or the Manufacturer be liable by virtue of this warranty or otherwise for damage to any person or property whatsoever for any special, indirect, secondary or consequential damages of any nature however arising out of the use or inability to use because of the product defect.
Unbox the skimmer. Rinse the acrylic body with warm fresh water to remove any transit dust. Warning: Never use alcohol, abrasive pads, or window sprays on high-grade acrylic.
Assemble the intake pipe tracks and connect the DCair 700 pump to the lower bulkhead union as shown in the manual. Attach the flexible air line to the venturi nozzle.
Hang the skimmer body vertically over your aquarium's rear rim. Hand-tighten the nylon thumbscrews until the mount is secure, then adjust the lower spacing screw to align the skimmer vertically against the back glass.
Fill the skimmer's reaction chamber with aquarium water to prime the system. Press the collection cup down firmly into the upper neck gasket.
Plug the low-voltage DC pump adapter into a standard GFCI wall outlet. The reaction tower will immediately fill with a milky mix of microbubbles.
Let the skimmer break in for 48 to 72 hours to clear manufacturing oils before final tuning. Use the easy-dial output wedge valve to position the internal foaming line right where the clear body meets the black collar section.
Pro Tips:
- Keep the Venturi Air Intake Nozzle Free of Calcified Salt Crusts. Over weeks of continuous operation, warm air rushing through the pump's venturi nozzle will evaporate tiny traces of salt water, leaving behind a hard calcium crust inside the air tube inlet. If this pathway narrows, air injection drops, causing the bubbles to coarsen and your skimming performance to decline. During your monthly cleaning routine, dip the end of the air line or the venturi nozzle into a cup of hot RO/DI water for 60 seconds to quickly melt away hidden salt dams.
- Never Submerge the Air Silencer Pod Beneath Your Waterline. The high-efficiency air silencer module must hang completely outside the tank, sitting high and dry above the display water level. If your tank experiences a temporary back-fill water spike (such as when your return pump turns off) and the silencer becomes submerged, the pump will pull raw water down the air line instead of air. This will flood the collection cup instantly and can cause water to drip onto your floor.
- Route an External Extension Line Out of the Collection Cup Overflow Port. The collection cup of the IC-NN50HOB includes an integrated overflow prevention drainage nipple at the base of the cylinder wall. To protect your room from unexpected overflows during the break-in phase, push a length of 1/4-inch flexible silicone tubing onto that nipple. Route the opposite end down into a secondary jug or storage jar inside your cabinet—giving you a fail-safe waste reservoir if your skimmer ever over-activates.