Need help deciding on a skimmer [Archive] - Canreef Aquatics Bulletin Board

Renegade

10-16-2005, 11:36 AM

ok, heres the deal. I had my heart set on a euroreef, b/c of how good everyone says they are, but there price is soo painful. I was talking to someone from a respected LFS and they were saying that i should be going with an ASM one instead. That euro reef has just become a "namebrand" product and are just all hype. They do an awsume job, but for there price the ASM does just aswell and there 2/3 's the price so i was wondering and whats everones opions.

I want something plug and play. Its going to be on a 120g with a 30g+ sump. what do you guys think.

Ruth

10-16-2005, 01:55 PM

I have never used a Euro Reef but have used an ASM G-3 amd am quite happy with it. My understanding is that the ER is a better constructed and of better quality material than the ASM however their performance is similar. I do know that ER recently downgraded their tank size rating for their skimmers and is apparently pretty close to accurate. ASM has not and I think a safe rule of thumb with most skimmers is to shoot for a skimmer that is rated for double the size of your system.

EmilyB

10-16-2005, 06:25 PM

Yes, remember the days of the Berlin skimmer rated to 250g... :rolleyes:

Are the ASM's the same design as the Euro-reef ? That is what sold me on getting into the ER - performance, plug and play and easy clean.

muck

10-16-2005, 06:34 PM

Are the ASM's the same design as the Euro-reef ? That is what sold me on getting into the ER - performance, plug and play and easy clean.
Pretty much Deb. I believe the ASM is made of Clear PVC and the Euroreefs are acyrlic. There are a few other minor differences in design but nothing major. Both are plug and play as far as I know.

guysmiley

10-16-2005, 07:43 PM

Same basic principle, just extruded acrylic instead of cell cast. Some Euro-reef's however use extruded as well. They both use the sedra pumps with the same intake and impeller. Good skimmers so I hear. I don't use one, I'm using an ETSS downdraft. Great skimmer, but it's loud. If you don't have a remote sump you'll hate it! Keeps the water crystal clear!

Garrick.

reeferaddict

10-16-2005, 09:18 PM

vanreefer

10-16-2005, 10:40 PM

I use an ASM G4X on a 77,g, display+40g sump

I love the ASM.... I have seen asm and eruoreef side by each... and they look exactly the same. The G4X is super easy to clean both the collection cup and the body (the neck comes off as well).

I am in the huge skimmer club... plus I got a skimmer that could follow my constant desire to go bigger and bigger

Got mine through a web site in the states... mailed to my mailbox just across the border then home for just less than $400

I say ASM all the way

Dan

trilinearmipmap

10-16-2005, 10:53 PM

I think it depends on what type of corals you want to keep.

For a softie/mushroom type of tank you will want higher nutrient levels so getting the best skimmer is not so important IMO.

For an SPS tank I am sure you would want the best (most efficient) skimmer.

I have a Euroreef CS-6-2+ on a 120 gallon tank and I am fairly happy with it. However if money were an issue I would have gone with the ASM which is functionally equivalent.

There are a few issues about the Euroreef that I am not thrilled about. It was shipped with a small part missing (an O-ring), I did not realize this for 4 or 5 months, I was surprised that EuroReef would not send me the part, it seems that they didn't believe me about the missing part. Fortunately the retailer (J and L) gave me the part for free.

Also the skimmer is a bit noisier than I would like. And also despite the DIY gate valve mod the skimmer needs adjusting up and down all the time, it won't seem to perform consistently without fairly frequent adjustment.

If you go EuroReef or ASM I would definitely add a gate valve to the outflow, the riser tube is too difficult to adjust.

If money is real issue I would suggest building the DIY Euroreef skimmer which was on RC about a year ago.

Abbyreefer

10-16-2005, 11:32 PM

I LOVE my asm G2 skimmer I have a 95 gal tank with a 25 gal sump and if I had to do anything dinnerently I would have gone with the G3 but even that extra 4 inches wouldnt fit or I would have gone that route...

If you have the room go with the G3 for the extra 50 bux its well worth it.

You can buy it from askskimmer.com for 220.00USD I think or oceansaquatic has then in stock. 1 good thing about askskimmer.com is you can buy then with the re circ mod or the gate valve mod already done for a nominal fee.
________
magic flight (http://mflbvaporizer.com)

Renegade

10-22-2005, 07:15 PM

so if there soo much the same whats the point in getting a euro reef, if there just more money ????

Kyle

And i do plan on keeping all types of corals. i will probly be more softy's but i am trying to make this system possible to hold anything "within reason"

Ruth

10-22-2005, 07:56 PM

I have an ASM G3 and am quite happy with it. I also have an ASM G4 that I am not happy with at all. I think it is underpowered and probably needs some kind of mod to run with a bigger pump. From what I have read the Euroreef is far better constructed than the ASM series so while I believe they will probably skim similar you probably want to be careful not to kick the ASM around too much. I have also read that the Euroreef is a lot more realistic on the size of tank that their skimmers are rated for if even not a little conservative. I have always tried to shoot for a skimmer that is rated for at least twice the size of the tank I am skimming although with Euroreef this may not be necessary. I do not believe you can overskim a tank but that is a subject of some debate.

andresont

10-22-2005, 09:16 PM

Hmmm... sorry to complicate things, but...

I too was looking at ASM, EuroReef, and ETSS as a skimmer upgrade. I went to various stores in Vancouver to check out construction and see them in action if possible. It was at J&L that I got to see Euroreefs, Aqua C's, and then BULLETS... Bullets cost more, but the performance and construction are second to none. My wallet hurt a little at the time, but I sure am glad I went this way, (Bullet 2), on top of that, it runs quiet and you're not limited to running it in your sump. :mrgreen:

My vote is here with downdraft also , ER needs constant work, Go to "Coral Ocean" on Kingsway and see for yourself always plugged with salt on the air intake and needs adjustment or to be cleaned .
Re size take a look at New J&L's set up skimmer there, it is about x10 the rated size fo their tank. So Go ahead overskimm ! I do with my ETSs 700 i over drive it with Mag18 (it only needs 700gal/hr pump) And it is skimming even with almost empty tank! (One tomato clown, one clam, few star fish, live sand on 108 Gal Tank). I would not buy EuroReef it just became a hype , the name sounds good thats all.

vanreefer

10-22-2005, 10:32 PM

mark

10-24-2005, 09:44 PM

Just got my G3, but haven't hooked it up yet.

Caution about ordering from the States though, I'm looking a $67.45 invoice from Fedex for brokerage. Should have taken James up on his offer.

Abbyreefer

10-24-2005, 10:01 PM

I got my ASM from OA (G2) and LOVE IT. It's on my 95 gal tank.. If you have a 140 gal then I think I would go with the G3 as a minimum.
________
Yamaha YA-3 (http://www.cyclechaos.com/wiki/Yamaha_YA-3)

monza

10-25-2005, 08:25 PM

I may have a G4X for sale would you be interested?

Dave

reeferaddict

10-26-2005, 12:01 AM

It's all about balance...

Certain bioload levels combined with certain filtration components combined with certain lighting will require certain levels of skimming... Personally, I went with the biggest skimmer I could afford after buying 3 pieces of junk... but I guess we all have to learn for ourselves...

Like I said.... the Bullet is easier to adjust, is collection cup compatible, (No more OVERFLOWS - YAY!), and I run mine outside my stand, where it's easy to see, and get at to clean... Whereas before I used to get inefficient, inconsistent skimming, I now get as good as I have seen, anywhere, and it is consistent... my water isa crystal clear, and my calcium uptake DOUBLED after I installed this on my system... what does THAT say about how important good skimming is?

I've heard ASM's are comparable to the Bullet, but EuroReefs are run with riser tubes and are prone to clogging and underperformance if sump levels drop...

Johnny Reefer

01-14-2006, 03:10 PM

Greetings all,

I have a few questions for ASM skimmer owners, as I am seriously looking at buying one of these. [A G3 for a 180g system. (Net 205g with the sump)].

- I have read on ASMSkimmer.com some comments about the Sedra 5000 pump being rather noisy. I'm interested in hearing what CanReefers think about this. Would you agree? Is there an alternative, quieter pump that a G3 could be run on?

- What's the purpose of the gate valve mod? Easier adjusting?

- What's the purpose of the recirc mod?

- Are either of these mods really necessary?

- How do you adjust the skimmer without the mod(s)?
(I see in a picture of a G3 what looks like a knob way down where the airline meets the pump. Is this an adjusment knob? If so, that'd be kinda hard to reach!)

- Has anyone modified their collection cup to feed a seperate bucket? Any problems there?

Finally...
- Are you happy with it?

Thanx much and cheers,:smile:

PS....Kyle (Renegade)....what did you decide to go with?

Johnny Reefer

01-14-2006, 03:29 PM

Three more questions...:redface:.

Is there no flow adjustment without the gate valve mod? (I see nothing in the picture that resembles a flow adjustment).

Where does the water return into the sump from?

Where exactly is the needle wheel? In the pump?

Thanx much and cheers,:smile:

crusty1

01-14-2006, 04:20 PM

I have a G3 running on 180G DT 70g sump and 33g fuge here are my thoughts

- I have read on ASMSkimmer.com some comments about the Sedra 5000 pump being rather noisy. I'm interested in hearing what CanReefers think about this. Would you agree? Is there an alternative, quieter pump that a G3 could be run on?
The pump is under water I don't think its any noisier than any other pump, however I keep the skimmer in a fish room in the basement.

- Are either of these mods really necessary?
I have considered the mods but I doubted for the cost vs. amount of difference it makes would be small.

- How do you adjust the skimmer without the mod(s)?
There is no airline adjustment. To change the consistancy of skimmate, you just raise and lower the sliding discharge tube.

- Has anyone modified their collection cup to feed a seperate bucket? Any problems there?
I was thinking about this. What I thought was that it would be a pain disconnecting the feed line from the cup to a bucket when you wanted to clean. Probably prone to clogging as well.

- Are you happy with it?
Definetely, I probably have to consider upgrading soon, but overall its been great.

-Where does the water return into the sump from?
The gate valve is replacing a sliding tube and foam, which controls the level inside the skimmer, and overflows through the tube

-Where exactly is the needle wheel? In the pump?
Yes, the needlewheel replaces the standard impeller

HTH
Chris

Myanth

01-21-2006, 06:22 AM

I got an AquaC Remora for christmas. Skims tons and the water looks great. Aquarium Illusions told my wife that it was the best for my 90 gal with 33 gal undersump but I don't know much about skimmers.

Any opinions on this one?

Also prices?
She paid like $375 with the pump. Seemed high to me.

Mike

richtg

01-21-2006, 06:52 AM

I bought my ASM G3 a year and a half ago and love it. The only mod I did was to weld a nipple into the bottom of the collection cup, down to a sealed container, and a vent line running up over the sump. I just set it and forget it. It effortlessly skims my 120 gallons of water (medium bioload).

I think aquaria.ca has a decent deal on them if you want to check out some pics, etc. It is a breeze to clean, and if you don't wear iron gloves, don't worry about the lighter construction. Best bang for your buck, IMO.

P.S. I put a 10" baffle in the first stage of my sump and set it in there. The water level it sits in never fluctuates, and so I didn't have to modify the outlet as other people have. I have not found the pump to be too noisy either. I can't hear it over everything else running, anyways.

Good luck in your search.

Rich.

Johnny Reefer

01-21-2006, 08:37 PM

.....The only mod I did was to weld a nipple into the bottom of the collection cup, down to a sealed container, and a vent line running up over the sump. .....

I think aquaria.ca has a decent deal on them if you want to check out some pics, etc. .....

P.S. I put a 10" baffle in the first stage of my sump and set it in there. The water level it sits in never fluctuates, and so I didn't have to modify the outlet as other people have. .....

What's the vent line for?

aquaria.ca wouldn't open up. I don't think there is such a site.

The water depth in my sump is 12.5" , although that could be lowered by way of changing the position of the float on the top off float valve, so.....what is this mod you speak of? A water level of higher than 10" requires some sort of modification? Lower than 10"?

Please explain and thanx much,:smile:

Ruth

01-22-2006, 09:46 PM

It's Aquaria Canada. http://aquariacanada.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?s=&forumid=8
I have an ASM G4X with mods that skims my 230g tank although with the bio load I think I am going to upgrade in the future. I have also run it with a G3 which I found to be a little small for this tank so I sold it. ASM are great skimmers and are basically plug and play (Except the gate valve mod :twised: ) and I wouldn't hesitate to recommend them

mark

01-23-2006, 02:36 AM

What's the vent line for?

aquaria.ca wouldn't open up. I don't think there is such a site.

The water depth in my sump is 12.5" , although that could be lowered by way of changing the position of the float on the top off float valve, so.....what is this mod you speak of? A water level of higher than 10" requires some sort of modification? Lower than 10"?

Please explain and thanx much,:smile:

Guessing the vent line is the venturi. As for water depth, lot's of posts around that 10" is the sweet spot. Don't have the baffles in my sump yet but thinking keeping them high and the skimmer on a eggcrate platform for 10'' water level.

untamed

01-24-2006, 11:44 PM

I purchased the Euroreef. There is a substantial build quality difference between the Euro and the ASM. The design is sound in both cases, the Euro is just built sooooo solidly.

I haven't adjusted mine at all...just plugged it in. It eliminated a cyano algae problem that I had been fighting for a long time.