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.
