ASM Skimmer FAQ's

[NwG]

Hello everyone!
Seeing that the ASM club thread is over 100 pages a few of us have put togeather a few of the basic FAQ's to help speed things up. Much thanks to Tenshi, shawnz28 and others for your help.


-----++++ In the intrest of keeping this a quick refrance, please ask any questions in the ASM club thread. Trying to keep this one a "info only" thread! ++++----



Nate D

[NwG]

Here are a basic set of direction.. Being that ASM skimmer don't come with any!



1. Remove the skimmer from box and look to see that all parts are present and not broken or cracked.
-1.) Skimmer Body.
-2.) Collection Cup with Lid.
-3.) O-Ring on Simmer Body for Collection Cup.
-4.) Larger skimmers will have a seperate taper body section, unlike the smaller skimmers that are permanently attached to the collection cup.
-5.) O-Ring on Seperate Taper Body Section for Collection Cup on the larger skimmers.
-6.) Grey 90 degree PVC Socket Elbow.
(some older, smaller skimmers will not have the PVC elbow)
- 7.) Adjustable Riser Pipe.
(should be in the vertical PVC pipe on the skimmer body, i.e. skimmer outlet)
- 8.) Grey Foam Filter Tube.
- 9.) Needle-Wheel Sedra Pump with Venturi and Silicone Airline tubing.
2. With a moist rag, wipe any visible oil/manufacturing residue off all the parts.
3. Set up the skimmer dry to get a feel of how it should look. Use the diagram that came with your skimmer to accomplish this.
4. Fill a plastic container, large sink, bathtub or whatever else you can think of that will be able to hold the assembled skimmer in warm/hot tap water. Set the skimmer in the water and connect the Sedra plug to an electrical outlet. The pump will slowly fill the skimmer body.
(Attention - The skimmer will not produce fine bubbles in freshwater! Your skimmer will produce fine bubble only in saltwater!)
5. Let the skimmer run for 1 to 24 hours in freshwater to remove any oily manufacturing residue left from the manufacturing process. When you do this rinse, you cut down on your break-in period.
6. Unplug the Sedra from the electrical outlet and dry everything off.
7. Clear a space in your sump for the skimmer.
(ASM skimmers can not be run externally.)
8. Set the skimmer in your sump. Make sure the skimmer and pumps don't touch the walls of the sump, this can cause unwanted noise.
9. Set the riser pipe low and plug the Sedra pump to an electrical outlet. Make sure you have water drip loop on the Sedra's electrical cord to assure that water will not reach the electrical outlet.
10. Run the skimmer with the riser pipe at the lowest setting for half a day to allow the skimmer to start producing skimmate.
11. Adjust the riser pipe slowly so that the skimate produced is within an inch of the top of the skimmer neck that is inside the collection cup.
12. The skimmer needs time to break-in and this can take as long as a few weeks. During the break-in time a "slime coat" will form inside the skimmer body and adjustments to the riser pipe should be made in 1/8 to 1/2 inch increments. The skimmer won't be consistent until after it is broken-in.
13. Skim Away!!!! You can make adjustment to the water level in the skimmer adjusting the riser pipe on the skimmer output. Raise the skimmer riser pipe for wetter skimmate. Lower the skimmer riser pipe for dryer skimmate.

[NwG]

[NwG]

Gallon Rating Note: The suggested gallon ratings set by manufactures are just very good guess work at best. It's my own opinion that some manufactures under-rate their skimmers and others over-rate their skimmers. I'll give you an example, if we look at ASM G3 and compare it to a Euro-Reef CS6-2+, these two skimmers practically have the same dimensions and have identical pumps. ASM suggests that the G3 be used for a 250 gallon system, while Euro-Reef suggests the the CS6-2+ be used for a 125 gallon system. So who is right, Euro-Reef or ASM? I think the truth is somewhere in the middle. ASM over-rates their skimmers and Euro-Reef under-rates them.

Skimmer Footprint Note: So what is the actual footprint for the GSM fill in model# here? This question was posed at least every other page on the old ASM thread and I don't believe we ever got a consistent answer for any of the models. I think the reason for that is that the connection between the skimmer body and the Sedra pump is quite flexible in position. The fitting between the pump and the skimmer is just 45 degree PVC socket that is not glued to the pump or the skimmer body. This allows the pump to be turned about 45 degrees either clockwise or counter-clockwise from it's "normal position" without affecting anything. In my opinion, I would use the footprints in the table as the smallest area I would try to fit each skimmer, so that I could have about half an inch between the skimmer and the sump wall and avoid any any unneeded extra vibration noise.

Skimmer Height Note: Another frequent question we use to get on the old ASM thread was: How much space am I going to need to remove my skimmer's collection cup? The short answer is less than a 1/4th of an inch. The connection between the collection cup and the skimmer body is twist-lock connection. All you have to do is give the cup a 1/4 turn counter-clockwise, lift the cup a 1/4 inch up and off comes the cup. It's as simple as that.

[NwG]

Mods, recomended water level and other fun stuff to come soon!

[tenshi]

This is a list of online vendors, I'm sure there are others, but this is a good start for those who looking to buy an ASM Skimmer. I've also added if the vendor is a Reef Central sponser and if they offer RC members a discount. Enjoy.


Captive Raised Corals

Captive Reefs Offers 6% discount to Reef Central members with coupon code #RC.

Champion Lighting & Supply Reef Central Sponser.

Custom Aquatic Reef Central Sponser. Offers 5% discount to Reef Central members with coupon code #RC0803.

eBay

Fish Supply Reef Central Sponser.

Global Aquarium Supply Reef Central Sponser.

Premium Aquatics Reef Central Sponser.

Reefdom E-mail vendor for current prices.

Reef Science Reef Central Sponser.

Roe's Marine World

Salty Critter

Something Fishy Reef Central Sponser.

Vivid Aquariums Reef Central Sponser.

Your Reef


** The list in alphabetical order for fairness to all vendors. **

[gurumasta]

i just ordered a g2 from


www.asmskimmer.com.

best prices and good customer service.

[Tras]

Originally posted by gurumasta
i just ordered a g2 from


www.asmskimmer.com.

best prices and good customer service.

Ditto. Arrives tomorrow!

Rob even test fit a G2 into a 10g tank to answer my question on if it would fit. The official dimensions would theoretically make this impossible.

Even snapped a pic for me!

[bennyinca]

Lots of good info there nwg. I was eager to post in the ASM thread after I got my brand new ASM G2. But then last week I had a great deal I could not turn down, and end up getting an ERCS6-2 from a fellow reefer. Is that equivalent to the G2 or G3? Sorry if this is off topic.

[tenshi]

bennyinca, please look at the table I made up for NWG to post above; your answer is there.

[bennyinca]

I saw that table, nice work BTW
It looks like there is no corresponding ASM model for the CS6-2, it is between a G2 and a G3 - good enough for me

[Reefugee]

Tras,

Taking a look at the picture, the foam appears to be touching the side of the glass. You may have some issues with water overflowing to the side of the tank. You might want to do a gate valve mod. I think this will solve the problem

Minh

QUOTE]Originally posted by Tras
Ditto. Arrives tomorrow!

Rob even test fit a G2 into a 10g tank to answer my question on if it would fit. The official dimensions would theoretically make this impossible.

Even snapped a pic for me!

[/QUOTE]

[20 20]

I've got a question on the G2. The inside height of my stand is 26.5 inches, and that's right up to the tank bottom. The G2 is 21.25 inches tall. If I put the G2 inside a 55 gallon sump tank, that's aproximately .5 inchs used. That leaves 4.75 inches. Now, I've seen pictures of skimmers raised up in the sump, sitting on pvc stands, etc. Would the G2 need to be raised up, and would the 4.75 inches be enough for that?

[Tras]

Originally posted by mn95616
[B]Tras,

Taking a look at the picture, the foam appears to be touching the side of the glass. You may have some issues with water overflowing to the side of the tank. You might want to do a gate valve mod. I think this will solve the problem

Minh

Ordered the gate valve mod with it.

[daytonreefRob]

20 20-
You have plenty of clearance to remove the collection cup for cleaning, however, it will be a little tight if you want to remove the entire unit for some reason.

[daytonreefRob]

Here is a picture of a G2 with a Gate Valve Mod and a Recirc Mod, all squeezed into a 10 gallon tank.

With a sump this small, you would have to use some sort of a mod on the exhaust from the skimmer, otherwise it would likely flow over the edge of the sump.

[20 20]

So I don't have to worry about the water level in the sump, and raising the G2 if that water level is too high?

[tenshi]

I'd like to remind everyone that this thread was intended as a FAQ page about ASM SKimmers. If we start troubleshooting each individual skimmer on this thread, the thread will soon be as long as our ASM Club thread and will not function as a quick reference anymore. Please consider the purpose of this thread before posting to it. If you want to add information to the thread that you think that other ASM owners would find helpful please do so, but please refrain from asking questions here and ask them on the ASM Club thread. Thank you.

[firstcycle]

So whats the water depth range for the ASM G3? I could never find that spec.

[tenshi]

The ideal water depth for all the ASM and Euro-Reef skimmers is 6 to 8 inches, but I've heard of other users keeping it in 12" water succesfully. As the water depth gets deeper the venturi is less able to pull less air in.

[chriscobb]

I'm considering a ASM for my new setup which is a 240 gallon main tank and a 125 for my sump and 125 for a fuge....what size ASM would you recommend?

[GoldStripe]

I'd go for the g6 for that size system

[Klever]

anyshop in australia sell ASM skimmer?

[tenshi]

ASM skimmers are not sold outside of the country. Your best bet is to purchase it from a US online store and have it shipped to you. Sorry.

[tenshi]

Dubge, thanks for the vendor addition. When are you going become a Reef Central Sponser?!?!