Meyeronfire!
New member
ASM skimmers anygood. anybody heard? Im looking at the G series. I wanted the octopus extreme 200 but there on backorder till 2040! lol jk
ASM skimmers any good?
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Meyeronfire!
New member
I also like the precision marine skimmers. Look like a solid build. But looks can be decieving
dots
Premium Member
ASM used to be a near copy of the EuroReef, which has a decient reputation.
To be quite honest, I am not going to fall into the fallacy of stating which is a good or bad skimmer.
In general, HOB are not as effecient as in-sump or inline skimmers, some are of lesser quality (coralife for example IMO)
There are some manufacturers considered to be high end for the SPS BB crowd.....Deltec, H&S, etc.....are some of those.
Personally I have a problem with some of the costs on them.......
This kinda illustrates what I am talking about here:
http://www.advancedaquarist.com/pdf/AdvancedAquarist-2009-01.pdf
Here is some more information:
http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2006-08/rhf/index.php
But to answer your question, for an all around "average" skimmer.....the ASM will be fine. I like to point out that to remember what a skimmer does......it extend/maintains the water quality of the tank so we can decrease the regularity of WC's for nutrient exportation..........you can buy a lot of salt for $1500......
(FWIW I have been using a EuroReef for 5 years now)
To be quite honest, I am not going to fall into the fallacy of stating which is a good or bad skimmer.
In general, HOB are not as effecient as in-sump or inline skimmers, some are of lesser quality (coralife for example IMO)
There are some manufacturers considered to be high end for the SPS BB crowd.....Deltec, H&S, etc.....are some of those.
Personally I have a problem with some of the costs on them.......
This kinda illustrates what I am talking about here:
http://www.advancedaquarist.com/pdf/AdvancedAquarist-2009-01.pdf
Here is some more information:
http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2006-08/rhf/index.php
But to answer your question, for an all around "average" skimmer.....the ASM will be fine. I like to point out that to remember what a skimmer does......it extend/maintains the water quality of the tank so we can decrease the regularity of WC's for nutrient exportation..........you can buy a lot of salt for $1500......
(FWIW I have been using a EuroReef for 5 years now)
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Meyeronfire!
New member
I really like the precision marine. ..... Would that be bad buy?
From what I understand the ASM skimmers have fallen out of favor recently. Not because they're no good, just because there is "newer" technology/designs available. I think the cone skimmers are popular know, but I'm definitely not "in the know."
I'm running a G3 on my 90 and am perfectly happy with it. It's a little (ok a lot) on the large size for my tank, but I did that on purpose and had to get a sump especially to accomodate it.
I ran it for two years, took my tank down for a year, and then started running it again in December. I finally did the gate valve mod when I set it back up and wish I would have done it back in the beginning, but otherwise, no complaints.
I have no idea on other skimmers. The day my G3 finally gives up the ghost, then I'll worry about what else is available. I'm not one to continually upgrade my equipment just because newer stuff is available.
I'm running a G3 on my 90 and am perfectly happy with it. It's a little (ok a lot) on the large size for my tank, but I did that on purpose and had to get a sump especially to accomodate it.
I ran it for two years, took my tank down for a year, and then started running it again in December. I finally did the gate valve mod when I set it back up and wish I would have done it back in the beginning, but otherwise, no complaints.
I have no idea on other skimmers. The day my G3 finally gives up the ghost, then I'll worry about what else is available. I'm not one to continually upgrade my equipment just because newer stuff is available.
kzickovich
Member
I have a precision marine bullet 2 I love this skimmer buy with confidence. Which one are you looking at getting?
stingythingy45
New member
I have an ASM G-2 that has the recirc. and gate valve mods.
The skimmer works great.But that's one of the downsides of the ASM.You need to do a few mods to get it working it's best.
The skimmer works great.But that's one of the downsides of the ASM.You need to do a few mods to get it working it's best.
IbanezIC300
New member
I use an ASM on my 220 and at first when it was brand new it was a little slow (lack of "stuff" in the water probably) but after a couple of months it started working great. I have no mods done to mine and I now have to clean out the skimmer cup every other week. I do not think the ASM is too cheaply made, although I do agree if you are going to buy new there are newer technologies out there as have already been mentioned.
loosecannon
New member
I have a mini-g in my sump, 40 gal. breeder. it works nice.
der_wille_zur_macht
Team RC
I've used their skimmers for years on big and small tanks. They might not be the "hot" item at the moment, but they work well, are reasonably priced, and are easy to modify if that's your thing.
Guygettnby
Well-known member
i have a ASM G1X and it is completely stock besides me drilling the venturi out alittle. i love this simmer and will contimue using it till the day it dies. i have not 1 single complaint about ASM skimmers. in stock form they are awesome skimmers, but mod them and watch out! i also completely diasagree with anybody who says they are made cheaply.
gsxunv04... you are compairing apples to oranges there bud... Octopus skimmers are great HOB skimmers. abd that would be my choice if i was buying a HOB skimmer. but they cannot be compaired to the ASM skimmers by anymeans. i had an octopus skimmer and my ASM outperfoms it any day of the week. you are corect about the acrylic being thinner though. but in no way is it a cheaper made skimmer.
gsxunv04... you are compairing apples to oranges there bud... Octopus skimmers are great HOB skimmers. abd that would be my choice if i was buying a HOB skimmer. but they cannot be compaired to the ASM skimmers by anymeans. i had an octopus skimmer and my ASM outperfoms it any day of the week. you are corect about the acrylic being thinner though. but in no way is it a cheaper made skimmer.
Mopar Reefer
New member
+1 ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
I also have a ASM G1X skimmer on my 100 gal, and its mod free and have no complaints. Awesome peice of equipment.
I also have a ASM G1X skimmer on my 100 gal, and its mod free and have no complaints. Awesome peice of equipment.
Tswifty
New member
ASM skimmers are good little skimmers for the price, but should not be compared to Euro-Reef or the Extreme Skimmers. They definitely are not the same design as a Euro-Reef either. I also agree that they are cheaply made, and did skimp on the materials to keep the price down though. The body and collection cup are made out of very thin clear PVC or something. If you doubt it... just compare it to any other cast acrylic skimmer.
A joke that was going around for a while was that you could wrap the ASM's collection cup in scotch tape to double the wall thickness.
You can mod them to get a boost in performance... they pretty much are the DIY guy's skimmer.
However, with the MSX Extreme and Octopus Extreme on the market, I don't see the appeal of the ASM anymore. Also, I've known 3 guys with regular Octopus NW skimmers that HATED them, and switched very quickly.
Cone skimmers look to be the next big thing, and a lot of places are just now beginning to release them, but at this point I think their prices are still a little high... give them a few months to fall.
FWIW... One guy upgraded to an MSX Cone Skimmer, the other went to an MSX Extreme, and the third purchased new Euro-Reef.
Good luck.
A joke that was going around for a while was that you could wrap the ASM's collection cup in scotch tape to double the wall thickness.
You can mod them to get a boost in performance... they pretty much are the DIY guy's skimmer.
However, with the MSX Extreme and Octopus Extreme on the market, I don't see the appeal of the ASM anymore. Also, I've known 3 guys with regular Octopus NW skimmers that HATED them, and switched very quickly.
Cone skimmers look to be the next big thing, and a lot of places are just now beginning to release them, but at this point I think their prices are still a little high... give them a few months to fall.
FWIW... One guy upgraded to an MSX Cone Skimmer, the other went to an MSX Extreme, and the third purchased new Euro-Reef.
Good luck.
der_wille_zur_macht
Team RC
Honest question - Do you know anyone who has broken one? I abused the several ASM skimmers I owned for many years, and none of them had a problem. I've sold them all off, and none of the people I sold them to have had problems.
Also, I'd be hesitant to label them as requiring DIY - they do perform better with modifications, but will run just fine out of the box.
ASM and similar skimmers (at the time, they were more or less accurate copies of another brand of skimmer) were quite popular two or three years ago, until newer designs came out. Then, all of a sudden, everyone was nit-picking at these designs. Well, in another year, everyone is gonna be nitpicking these current "hot" skimmers because they went off and bought the next big thing. That doesn't make ANY of these various skimmer bad. It just means that the hobby has changed direction as far as what makes a skimmer popular.
My least favorite aspect of this hobby is that it's often hard to separate hype and bandwagoning from reality. This becomes apparent when things follow cycles of popularity. There have even been hints lately that some big-name people in the hobby are switching to airstone-driven skimmers again.
That said, if I was on the market today, I probably wouldn't buy an ASM. But not because they're not "good" - rather because I'm not likely to be shopping in the market they target.
(Tswifty, please don't take this personally. I'm just using your comments to illustrate a point, and I think in the end we're more or less in agreement in regards to the OP's question.)
imcosmokramer
New member
I have a G1X on a pretty stocked 75 (someone on here will attest to that). I've used the G1X for over a year and it's done a good job. Let's just say that until you use something else, you really have nothing to compare it to.
I have three Euro-Reefs to compare it to (RS80, CS135, and CS400).
The build quality is not even worth discussing since compared to the Euro-Reef, the asm is made out of tissue paper. Having said that, it's all about what you're looking to get. I love the build quality of my ER's and will shortly be replacing the G1X with the C135.
Like Tswifty said, I'd get the best skimmer your budget allows for. I think if you see a higher end skimmer next to low end one, the difference is noticeable. I spend plenty of money on livestock, I don't mind spending some on creating a good environment for my fish and corals to live in.
I have three Euro-Reefs to compare it to (RS80, CS135, and CS400).
The build quality is not even worth discussing since compared to the Euro-Reef, the asm is made out of tissue paper. Having said that, it's all about what you're looking to get. I love the build quality of my ER's and will shortly be replacing the G1X with the C135.
Like Tswifty said, I'd get the best skimmer your budget allows for. I think if you see a higher end skimmer next to low end one, the difference is noticeable. I spend plenty of money on livestock, I don't mind spending some on creating a good environment for my fish and corals to live in.
der_wille_zur_macht
Team RC
That was a much more diplomatic way to say what I was trying to get out. Thanks.
Tswifty
New member
Yes I do know quite a few people who have cracked or broken the collection cup very easily. As that is the piece of the skimmer that is handled most often.
While I did not label them as requiring DIY, your above statement backs up why I stated what I did.
Once again... I think we are getting at the same thing. It may have been the latest and greatest at one point in time, but now there are skimmers that perform much more effectively and efficiently. Nitpicking is what is needed in order to fuel improvement, and I never stated that the ASM was a "bad" skimmer, and made a point to clarify that in the post that followed my original statement.
While I agree with you to a point (take "Purple Hornet Zoanthids" for instance), in this particular situation you are making an incorrect assumption. There is no hype or bandwagoning going on. It comes down to design and quality. Nothing more.
The skimmer is what it is, and modifications can boost its performance to compete with better designed skimmers. However, as I eluded to earlier... the prices of the Extreme skimmers have fallen considerably. So you don't need to break the bank to get an $800 quality skimmer anymore.
I really don't, and yes I think somewhere in there we are getting at the same thing. imcosmokramer just put it better than both of us were able to... which is why I asked him to comment in the first place.
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