Problems with ASM G1X

[dwl]

Hello all,
I have a small 15H (20"lX10"wX18"h) AGA used as my sump, pretty small I know but that is all that will fit in my stand.

It is set up with 2 sections, the first is where the overflow enters and also where my ASM sits.
I have 3 glass baffles for a bubble trap, these are all 12" tall and spaced approximately 1" to 1 1/4" apart, with the center one being raised 1" to 1 1/4" above the bottom. The skimmer section is approximately 13"X10".

I have 2 problems with the ASM. First is noise, the second being microbubbles.

I thought the pump (Sedra) was making all of the noise, but it appears to only make the noise when the airline is connected to the venturi. It pretty much sounds like a dishwasher all the time. Is there any way to quiet this?

The second problem is much more of a problem. I cannot seem to get this thing set up right, either it is filling the cup with water, or it is filling the tank with microbubbles. Is there anything I can do to eliminate these bubbles? If I space the bubble trap baffles further apart will this help?




Thanks for any help.

 

[Wicked Punk]

I have about the exact same set up. Yes mine makes a the same noise sucking in air, but I dont notice it much under the stand. Your second question to micro bubbles, how much flow are you running through the sump? If it is too much it will not give the trap time to work and will pull the bubbles through. Sump flow should be 1X - 1.5x per hour. HTH

-Larry

 

[dwl]

Wicked,
Thanks for the reply, but to make sure I understand, you are suggesting onle a 1x to 1.5x turnover rate per hour though the sump? So you are running a 50 to 75 gph pump for your sump?

Sorry if I am bit slow...

I am running a 600gph pump, but I have over 5 feet ov vertical lift plus 4 90 degree elbows, so I think I am flowing about 150 gph through everything when all is said and done... that is with a total of 60 to 65 gallons.

Thanks.

 

[Wicked Punk]

You can actually go up some more 3 -5x the the volume. I am using a mag 5 throttled back about 25%. How old is the skimmer? brand new? Might just be breaking in, and it will resolve itself. I did use the gate valve mod to help control the level. It can be tough to adjust using just the pipe. If you can attach a picture of your sump, so we can take a look.

 

[dwl]

wicked,
I am not sure that you can see anything, but I have uploaded a pic into my gallery.
The stand is quite small and there is no room.

I threw together some pvc pipe to raise the skimmer off of the bottom of the sump since there is about 12" of water in it, hoping that I could eliminate these bubbles, but it does not appear to have fixed it. It might have helped a bit though.

Do you know what the water depth that these are supposed to be sitting in? It was at 12" now it is just below 8".

I am getting frustrated, I cannot seem to get this thing right, and I dol not plan to put anything into the tank until I do. So, right now, I only have water in the tank and sump, not in the fuge.

I should be able to set this up with and running right with just water, right?

Thanks

 

[asm481]

are you running salt in it now or straight water. If so it will not salt it will not operate correctly

 

[dwl]

asm481,
I am running salt water.
I should be able to set it up, right?

Thanks

 

[asm481]

Yes if you have salt water running it should work fine. Although, if it is a new set up you might not have anything for it to skim. maybe there is debris or something partially clogging the air tube which makes it hard to adjust. When I had my G1X it hardly ever needed readjusting.

 

[skwirl]

there are silencers for air lines that work like a charm. you can also diy one pretty cheap maybe $5 as far as the microbubble problem, and overflow problem, it almost sounds like your pump is not pulling the air it should. if its a new skimmer let it break in before you think its a problem.. alot of times skimmers act all kinds of crazy ways until they break in, and then settle down after a week or 2.

 

[dwl]

skwirl,
Are you saying that I should let it fill my display tank with microbubbles for 2 weeks?

asm481,
Thanks for the heads up on the airline, I will make sure it is clear.


I have had it running off and on for the better part of a week, and it just keeps putting microbubbles everywhere. It actually did pull some skimmate out of the mixed salt water that I bought at the LFS. If I try to keep the cup from filling with water, I just get the microbubbles.
How low in the chamber should the bubbles be? By that I mean, shouldn't there be some area at the bottom of the skimmer chamber where there is relatively bubble-free water? My bubbles go pretty much all the way to the bottom and fill the whole chamber.

I think I am going to try to raise it some more so it's water level in the sump is about 6" and see if that makes any difference.

I am getting very frustrated with this.