ASM G-3 Skimmer

megelBeagle · Post by **megelBeagle** » Thu Feb 16, 2006 9:40 pm

Anyone have any experience with the ASM G series skimmer. It didn't come with any documentation and I don't know crap about setting this thing up. Also, I hear there are some modifications you can make to this thing to increase efficiency. Anyone tried?

Fishfood · Post by **Fishfood** » Fri Feb 17, 2006 6:44 am

Just get it in about 9 inches of water, I think, and plug it in. I did a mod to it but I'm not sure if I'm happy with it yet. I'm getting some good stuff out of the tank but I just don't know if its worth the hassle of having to adjust the raiser tube every time I clean the collection cup.

mykpoz · Post by **mykpoz** » Fri Feb 17, 2006 6:54 am

i have the asm g1x, and it seems to skim very wet ... not sure if there is anything i can do to correct that...

Redfish · Post by **Redfish** » Fri Feb 17, 2006 9:34 am

ASM are great skimmers. I ran a G-4 for a long time. Pretty much just plug and play. Sit it in 6-9" of water. Adjust the foam to about 3" below the top initially and dial it in wetter or dryer from there.

If it is brand new or your tank has been very underskimmed you may want to try a lower initial foam height or it may go crazy on you.

My G-4 was very stable once I got it where I wanted it.

I never had any reason to do any of the mods on mine. It worked great for me as is.

megelBeagle · Post by **megelBeagle** » Fri Feb 17, 2006 9:37 am

Redfish wrote:ASM are great skimmers. I ran a G-4 for a long time. Pretty much just plug and play. Sit it in 6-9" of water. Adjust the foam to about 3" below the top initially and dial it in wetter or dryer from there.

If it is brand new or your tank has been very underskimmed you may want to try a lower initial foam height or it may go crazy on you.

My G-4 was very stable once I got it where I wanted it.

I never had any reason to do any of the mods on mine. It worked great for me as is.

How do you adjust the foam

Redfish · Post by **Redfish** » Fri Feb 17, 2006 9:40 am

The discharge tube is a tube inside a tube. By raising the discharge tube you raise the foam level.

megelBeagle · Post by **megelBeagle** » Fri Feb 17, 2006 9:50 am

Redfish wrote:The discharge tube is a tube inside a tube. By raising the discharge tube you raise the foam level.

It's all coming together now

Thanks!
Are there alot of bubbles left in the discharge? Should I worry about it being too close to a return?

Fishfood · Post by **Fishfood** » Fri Feb 17, 2006 10:23 am

Well the mod I made was to the riser tube. This thing was really tight in my sump and the water coming out of the skimmer was coming out rather fast. The foam didn't help with lowering the noise and I was also getting water splash becuase of the size of the sump. I added some pvc to this and had it come back around and back into the sump so there was no noise and the water didn't splash outside of the sump. I have to lower the tube every time I empty the cup because of the back pressure which fills the cup with water. When the tube is lowered the cup is no longer the losest exit for the water. It did however eliminate the splash and noise and I marked on the riser tube and body where the height should be set when i have to clean the cup.

megelBeagle · Post by **megelBeagle** » Sun Feb 19, 2006 6:03 pm

I'm not sure where to set this riser tube? How do I know it's set right?

NM354 · Post by **NM354** » Sun Feb 19, 2006 6:39 pm

did anyone do the gate valve mod? I have been thinking about doing this to my G2

Fishfood · Post by **Fishfood** » Sun Feb 19, 2006 9:12 pm

NM354 wrote:did anyone do the gate valve mod? I have been thinking about doing this to my G2

mine is a modification of the gate valve mod but there is no gate valve.

Amphiprion · Post by **Amphiprion** » Mon Feb 20, 2006 3:59 pm

Ha! a gate valve mod-mod.

Fishfood · Post by **Fishfood** » Mon Feb 20, 2006 4:42 pm

yea well i had the pvc laying around and didn't think i need the gate valve for what i really wanted to do.... eliminate the water from splahing out of the sump because of the size and how i had to fit the skimmer in, so i just took the concept for the gate valve mod and it has worked so far. My only complaint is having to lower the riser tube every time I restart the skimmer after cleaning the collection cup.

Scott · Post by **Scott** » Sat Feb 25, 2006 4:09 pm

I am not sure if they are the same but I have an Euro-reef 8-2 with the gate valve mod and I am not all that impressed with it. I really think my Nautilus TE took out more gunk per dollar than the ER. I may be looking into a MRC or some of there Beckett skimmer and selling the ER.

Amphiprion · Post by **Amphiprion** » Sat Feb 25, 2006 6:19 pm

I'd get one of the becketts or downdrafts if I had the room for one (and its pump). Wouldn't mind a deltec, except for the pricetag.