ASM skimmers any good?

Meyeronfire! · 04/08/2009, 12:20 AM

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

Meyeronfire! · 04/08/2009, 12:23 AM

I also like the precision marine skimmers. Look like a solid build. But looks can be decieving

dots · 04/08/2009, 12:28 AM

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/...st-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)

Meyeronfire! · 04/08/2009, 01:26 AM

I really like the precision marine. ..... Would that be bad buy?

Miasma_F · 04/08/2009, 05:51 AM

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.

gsxunv04 · 04/08/2009, 05:59 AM

i am very pleased with my octopus nw-150 on my 75 gallon tank. I think the octopus nw 200 would be a great choice for you, I hear ASMs are made of thinner cheaper acrylic than the octopus'

kzickovich · 04/08/2009, 06:00 AM

I have a precision marine bullet 2 I love this skimmer buy with confidence. Which one are you looking at getting?

stingythingy45 · 04/08/2009, 06:01 AM

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.

IbanezIC300 · 04/08/2009, 06:12 AM

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 · 04/08/2009, 06:33 AM

I have a mini-g in my sump, 40 gal. breeder. it works nice.

der_wille_zur_macht · 04/08/2009, 06:53 AM

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 · 04/08/2009, 09:02 AM

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.

Mopar Reefer · 04/08/2009, 09:16 AM

+1 ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
I also have a ASM G1X skimmer on my 100 gal, and its mod free and have no complaints. Awesome peice of equipment.

Toddrtrex · 04/08/2009, 10:47 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Guygettnby
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.

My thoughts exactly, and the drilling out of the venturi is the only "mod" that I have made the the 3 1GX's that I have.

Tswifty · 04/08/2009, 11:49 AM

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.

Tswifty · 04/08/2009, 11:51 AM

Also, if you're talking about picking one up used, or getting one for SIGNIFICANTLY less than the MSX Extreme or Octo Extreme then by all means, do what fits your budget. They're definitely not "bad" skimmers by any means.

der_wille_zur_macht · 04/08/2009, 12:23 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Tswifty
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.

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 · 04/08/2009, 12:44 PM

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.

der_wille_zur_macht · 04/08/2009, 12:46 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by imcosmokramer
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.

That was a much more diplomatic way to say what I was trying to get out. Thanks.

Tswifty · 04/08/2009, 03:48 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by der_wille_zur_macht
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.

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.

Quote:

Originally posted by der_wille_zur_macht
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.

While I did not label them as requiring DIY, your above statement backs up why I stated what I did.

Quote:

Originally posted by der_wille_zur_macht
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.

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.

Quote:

Originally posted by der_wille_zur_macht
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.

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.

Quote:

Originally posted by der_wille_zur_macht
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.

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.

Quote:

Originally posted by der_wille_zur_macht
(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.)

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.

dots · 04/08/2009, 04:41 PM

"All four skimmers were quite similar in the second performance
figure-of-merit, the total amount of organics removed. The
skimmers typically removed greater than 80% of the BSA. In
contrast, perhaps one of the more interesting observations to
emerge from these studies is the fact that all four skimmers
tested removed only 20 - 30% of the total organics present in authentic reef tank water."

http://www.advancedaquarist.com/pdf/...st-2009-01.pdf

If you read the article carefully, you will realize how little we know about what makes a skimmer "better" than another.

The construction arquements sound more like personal preference.....rather than a factor that effects performance or reliability.

My rationalizion for suggesting the ASM is without any other requirements/needs/wants listed......I avoid suggesting one spending more money than needed.

"bubbles are bubbles"

04/08/2009, 12:20 AM	#1
Meyeronfire! Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Texas Posts: 406	ASM skimmers any good? 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

04/08/2009, 12:23 AM	#2
Meyeronfire! Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Texas Posts: 406	I also like the precision marine skimmers. Look like a solid build. But looks can be decieving __________________ Theres only two things in this world that smell like fish. . .And one of em's fish. . . Current Tank Info: 25g IM Lagoon - AI Hydra HD 26 - MP10

04/08/2009, 12:28 AM	#3
dots Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Sacramento, CA Posts: 6,258	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/...st-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) __________________ ~Doug Last edited by dots; 04/08/2009 at 12:44 AM.

04/08/2009, 01:26 AM	#4
Meyeronfire! Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Texas Posts: 406	I really like the precision marine. ..... Would that be bad buy? __________________ Theres only two things in this world that smell like fish. . .And one of em's fish. . . Current Tank Info: 25g IM Lagoon - AI Hydra HD 26 - MP10

04/08/2009, 05:51 AM	#5
Miasma_F Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Michigan U.P. Posts: 384	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. __________________ -Matt I didn't do it. If I was supposed to, well, sorry about that. Current Tank Info: Nada

04/08/2009, 05:59 AM	#6
gsxunv04 Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Western North Carolina Posts: 874	i am very pleased with my octopus nw-150 on my 75 gallon tank. I think the octopus nw 200 would be a great choice for you, I hear ASMs are made of thinner cheaper acrylic than the octopus'

04/08/2009, 06:00 AM	#7
kzickovich Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Zion Il Posts: 959	I have a precision marine bullet 2 I love this skimmer buy with confidence. Which one are you looking at getting? __________________ Ken Current Tank Info: 90 Gal mixed reef 55 Gallon basement pump up Sump 25 Gal fuge 2 Mp40 DIY led light fixture Bubble King Mini 200 Gen2 skimmer BRS Duel reactor

04/08/2009, 06:01 AM	#8
stingythingy45 Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: MA Posts: 3,296	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. __________________ Bob Current Tank Info: 90 gallon,mixed Reef,2-250 watt Optix 3 pendants(Phoenix 14K)2-54 watt T5 Super actnics ,ASM G-2 Gate/recirc mods,70 gal. basement sump,20L ref

04/08/2009, 06:12 AM	#9
IbanezIC300 Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Chicago, IL Posts: 51	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.

04/08/2009, 06:33 AM	#10
loosecannon Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: port kent Posts: 1,292	I have a mini-g in my sump, 40 gal. breeder. it works nice. __________________ I like getting WET! Current Tank Info: 44gal. 40 gal. 75 gal. 30gal. and working on a 75gal. rigt

04/08/2009, 06:53 AM	#11
der_wille_zur_macht Team RC Member Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: NY Posts: 17,749	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. __________________ Inconveniencing marine life since 1992 "It is my personal belief that reef aquaria should be thriving communities of biodiversity, representative of their wild counterparts, and not merely collections of pretty specimens growing on tidy clean rock shelves covered in purple coralline algae." (Eric Borneman)

04/08/2009, 09:02 AM	#12
Guygettnby Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: FL Posts: 3,050	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.

04/08/2009, 09:16 AM	#13
Mopar Reefer Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Fort Walton Beach Posts: 465	+1 ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ I also have a ASM G1X skimmer on my 100 gal, and its mod free and have no complaints. Awesome peice of equipment.

04/08/2009, 11:49 AM	#15
Tswifty Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: PA Posts: 14,022	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. __________________ "Enough light? Heck I could go barebottom and grow SPS in the stand!" - DiscoReefRover

04/08/2009, 11:51 AM	#16
Tswifty Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: PA Posts: 14,022	Also, if you're talking about picking one up used, or getting one for SIGNIFICANTLY less than the MSX Extreme or Octo Extreme then by all means, do what fits your budget. They're definitely not "bad" skimmers by any means. __________________ "Enough light? Heck I could go barebottom and grow SPS in the stand!" - DiscoReefRover

04/08/2009, 12:44 PM	#18
imcosmokramer Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Cleveland, OH Posts: 1,709	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. __________________ You can agree with me, or you can be wrong. You pick.

04/08/2009, 04:41 PM	#21
dots Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Sacramento, CA Posts: 6,258	"All four skimmers were quite similar in the second performance figure-of-merit, the total amount of organics removed. The skimmers typically removed greater than 80% of the BSA. In contrast, perhaps one of the more interesting observations to emerge from these studies is the fact that all four skimmers tested removed only 20 - 30% of the total organics present in authentic reef tank water." http://www.advancedaquarist.com/pdf/...st-2009-01.pdf If you read the article carefully, you will realize how little we know about what makes a skimmer "better" than another. The construction arquements sound more like personal preference.....rather than a factor that effects performance or reliability. My rationalizion for suggesting the ASM is without any other requirements/needs/wants listed......I avoid suggesting one spending more money than needed. "bubbles are bubbles" __________________ ~Doug Last edited by dots; 04/08/2009 at 04:54 PM.