ASM Help

[Seaweed88]

I have been using a ASM 2 for the past couple years. I did the overflow mod and the Mesh mod. I just finished the new sump and set it up last night. The ASM 2 uses a 3500 Sedra pump. I decided to try this Skimmer with a 5000 Sedra pump thinking it was bigger so it would work better. I plugged it in and set the modded overflow on the skimmer. My next problem is that the 5000 is pushing to much water. Even wide open I can not keep the bowl from filling. If I keep the overflow off the water does not overflow the cup. Any ideas?

[Hop]

How deep is the skimmer in the water? Try raising it a few inches. You may have to lower the gate valve (I'm assuming this is the overflow mod of which you speak)...

[Seaweed88]

I have the skimmer in about 10 inches of water. I have the overflow sitting on the black pipe comming out of the skimmer. Will raising the skimmer in the sump lower the water in the skimmer?

[Seaweed88]

Yes it is the gate valve mod.

[Jadinop]

Can you post a pic of how you did your gate valve mod?

Sometimes the valve is too restrictive, the internal gate is smaller than the pipes diameter. Using the next size up or two larger valve with some reducing bushings to bring it down to the right pipe size will allow more water flow.

[Seaweed88]

The overflow is made with an 1 1.4 t coming out of the overflow into a 1 1.4 valve into an elbow and into the sump. I do not have a camera here so Pictures might be difficult. I saw a g2 on ebay last night new with the 5000 pump but I dont know how to make it work. Thanks for any help.

[Hop]

See my post above Raise the skimmer and if that doesn't work, you have to lower the height of the pipe which will lower the water level in the skimmer...

[Seaweed88]

Thanks for reply. I went home last night and raised the skimmer so that the elbow from the pump was just under water. That did lower the water in the skimmer but only until I put the overflow on. I have the elbow for the overflow sitting on the black overflow connected to the skimmer. I do not know how to get any lower than that. If there is something I am not understanding please smack me in the back of the head and let me know.
Thanks

[Hop]

You need to cut the exit pipe height so that the T is lower. Go about 1" at a time. If that doesn't make sense I'll try to post pics later tonight.

[Seaweed88]

OK so if I raise the skimmer up I do understand how that will help. What I need to do next is cut the black overflow pipe from the skimmer itself down so the T will sit lower. Correct? I do believe I understand the logic of that also. Its not about the pressure of the water in the cylinder its about the height of the water in at the overflow.

[Hop]

Sounds like your onto it I would run the skimmer about 6-7" and see what that does before cutting. From there dropping the T 1" may be all you need to do.

[Seaweed88]

Cool, Thanks for the help. I had it about 7 inches last night but it was still to high in the cylinder. I will try cutting the pipe tonight and see what happens. I was very happy with the bubbles from the 5000 and I had not modded the pump yet. I had heard about someone wrapping the impeller with fishing line to cut the bubbles instead of mesh modding it. Do you have any thoughts on that?

[Hop]

Personally I got sick of all the meshing and stuff just because it was more maintenance. I finally went to an askoll 1500 so I don't have to mesh anything anymore

[Seaweed88]

I think if I can get it to work i might not need and mods. The 5000 had filled the skimmer with some very nice bubbles yesterday without the overflow on it.

[Jadinop]

Does your gate mod look like this? This works better than putting the valve directly on the output. Leaving the top of the pipe open will help alleviate the back pressure on the skimmer. I have found it works better than some of the other mods I have seen.



Mine is recirc'd so I only use a 1in gate valve due to the lower amount of flow.