I added a limewood airstone to my ASM G3?

[bbyatv]

I added a limewood airstone to my ASM G3?

 

It sure works a ton better. Any thoughts?

 

This was a brand new skimmer that seemed to be working good but I have been fighting a hair algae problem and so I am maximizing the skimming power.

 

I also added a second skimmer that I had lying around.

 

The algae is dying off so fast I can see it screaming in pain as it starves.

 

Here are some pics.

 

Added airstone line:

 

 

 

 

Additional little skimmer.

 

 

 

Both skimmers plumbed to a bottle with a float switch.

 

 

Man does my water look good and the algae really is dying very fast. I would say there is only 1/3 left after only a few days.

 

I have also cut back on the amouont of food in the tank and replaced the bulbs over my macro algae with bigger ones.

 

The corals seem brighter too.

 

Bruce

[treesprite]

did you have to drill a hole for the airstone? What type and size is the airstone?

[jamesbuf]

You should do the mesh mod on the pump. It'll draw alot more air into the skimmer and you won't need the airstone.

[bbyatv]

Yes, I did drill a small hole to feed the air line through. The air stones are Limewood Airstones made by Coralife. 3 inch long.

 

Bruce

 

 

I considered this, but air stones are cheaper than impellers. If you get an unballenced mesh mod things wear a little sooner. One very small hole and an air stone every 6 months does not bother me much.

 

Plus the air stone was a lot easier to install than a mesh mod.

 

Bruce

 

You should do the mesh mod on the pump. It'll draw alot more air into the skimmer and you won't need the airstone.

Edited June 19, 2008 by bbyatv

[jason the filter freak]

now this raises the question as to why skimmers use unaided venturies? Why not use an airpump to cram air into the venturie

[bbyatv]

My thoughts exactly. This is why I posted. I have the same question. Is there some engineering/scientific reason I should not have done this?

 

Bruce

 

 

now this raises the question as to why skimmers use unaided venturies? Why not use an airpump to cram air into the venturie

[GaryL]

i think it has to do with the water turn over rate.

 

sure you can move alot of water with airlifts but the size of the air pump and stones (if used) can be a problem IMO

[Brian]

Glad the ASM G3 worked out for you. Cool idea adding the air stone to get better air flow. A good mod for those that don't want to get into their pumps and do mods there.

 

Brian

[Larry Grenier]

So Bruce,

 

What air pump are you using and how far down into the skimmer is the airstone.

[bbyatv]

Larry,

 

I am using a Five Star Dolphin Aquarium Air Pump Adjustable 4 Port. I have the air spit off to two different skimmers. I use a valve to adjust the air flow to the smaller skimmer and then the rest (alot) goes to the G3. I have the airstone about 3" off the bottom.

 

I had to lower the riser pipe down about 3 inches to account for the extra air in the skimmer.

 

Bruce

 

So Bruce,

 

What air pump are you using and how far down into the skimmer is the airstone.

[Larry Grenier]

Thanks Bruce,

 

Seems like a logical, common-sense mod. Kinda combining two methods in one unit. I have a G2 and might do the same thing.

[treesprite]

I like this idea, but I'm afraid to drill a hole in the skimmer. I'm trying to figure out a way to get it in there without doing it.

[jamesbuf]

I like this idea, but I'm afraid to drill a hole in the skimmer. I'm trying to figure out a way to get it in there without doing it.

 

You could drill the hole in the top of the lid to the cup instead of the main chamber. Right in the middle of the lid so the air line can air tubing can hang down in the body. That way you can clean off the air stone everytime you empty out the cup.

 

Not sure how it would effect the skimmate bubble in the neck though. If it did have a negative effect, it'd be pretty easy to fix a hole in the lid though.

[dandy7200]

My thoughts exactly. This is why I posted. I have the same question. Is there some engineering/scientific reason I should not have done this?

 

Bruce

 

Not really, the main reason we got away from using airstones was maintenance issues, I really doubt you will get 6 months from your stone, more like 1 month. You will not however notice the decrease in performance because you also have a pump pulling air to compensate as the diffuser becomes clogged. Your setup will work really well if you keep the stones changed and clean though.

 

 

now this raises the question as to why skimmers use unaided venturies? Why not use an airpump to cram air into the venturie

 

Well designed venturis can pull more than enough air on their own, most pumps will cavitate if "crammed with air" so it is simply not needed unless you have some serious head pressure to overcome which most manufactures deal with in other (less expensive) ways as to avoid adding a air pump to the mix.

[bbyatv]

Thanks Dan. I was hoping you might pop in on this thread. This is just the answer I was lookiing for.

 

I will keep an eye on the air stone and replace it when required. The cool thing is that I can see it through the clear skimmer body and there is no guess work.

 

Another cool thing that you pointed out and that I kinda figured as well is that when it does start to clog I do not lose the skimmer totally because it is still pulling air through the venturi.

 

As far as replacing the stone being a maintenance issue, it is no different than having to run a drill bit down the venturri once in a while to clean out the build up.

 

So in my situation these two methods of adding air seem compliment each other.

 

Bruce

[Larry Grenier]

these two methods of adding air seem compliment each other

 

[jason the filter freak]

You going to start producing your own air stones? Or just keep buying them?

[bbyatv]

I plan on buying them. I can get them 2 for $4. It would cost me more in my time to make them.

 

Bruce

 

You going to start producing your own air stones? Or just keep buying them?

[kngfisher]

so what about pumping air right into the venturi instead of relying on the pump pulling air in on it's own? would you not get a more steady amount of air into the skimmer this way? I know with my mesh modded octo NW-150 recirculating the air into the venturi seems to very at times.....

[Larry Grenier]

Could this cause too much cavitation and possibly damage the pump?

 

so what about pumping air right into the venturi instead of relying on the pump pulling air in on it's own? would you not get a more steady amount of air into the skimmer this way? I know with my mesh modded octo NW-150 recirculating the air into the venturi seems to very at times.....

[JMsAquarium]

Could this cause too much cavitation and possibly damage the pump?

 

Well, you guys got me curious. So last night I added a small air pump to force more air through the venturi. Basically, there's too much air coming through the venturi and the needle wheel (Sedra 5000) on my G3 could not chop them all. Result was more air but the bubbles were way too big. Basically it decreased the performance.

Perhaps due to the cavitation that Dan mentions.

 

So, it seems that if you want to increase the performance on a needle wheel pump, you can either do the mesh mod or add an air stone as Bruce did. Whichever solution you prefer.

[treesprite]

I adapted this a little, for the Sea Clone at work for which that mod I tried did not help. The skimmer FINALLY works, so thanks for the idea! I did something a little different using one of those flexible bubble wall things.

 

Having had an airstone-driven skimmer, I know for a fact that anything in it that will force water to re-route around it will make it work better. What I did for the Sea Clone was make as wide of a spiral with the bubble thing as would fit in the chamber. I put the spiral in so it goes the center 2/3rd of the height of the skimmer (couple inches top and couple on bottom not covered). I put an airline through the cap (has a "built in" hole) down through the riser and connected to bubble thing (I need a decent air pump because this old thing is very weak). Now instead of just the Sea Clone's "cyclone" the water is forced to swirl around the spiral with the bubbles.

 

I am FINALLY getting foam out of this skimmer. Anyone else who has one of these useless Sea Clones should try the airstone mod using a spiral.

Edited June 23, 2008 by treesprite

[Integral9]

So, it seems that if you want to increase the performance on a needle wheel pump, you can either do the mesh mod or add an air stone as Bruce did. Whichever solution you prefer.

I had no idea there were mods for asm skimmers before reading this. Did a little research and found a few more mods that weren't mentioned yet. There is a gate valve mod that looks promising and easy to do. There is also a recirculation mod, but it looks pretty serious and requires a source of water.

 

here's a pic of both in this forum:

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthre...threadid=608439

[JMsAquarium]

I had no idea there were mods for asm skimmers before reading this. Did a little research and found a few more mods that weren't mentioned yet. There is a gate valve mod that looks promising and easy to do. There is also a recirculation mod, but it looks pretty serious and requires a source of water.

 

here's a pic of both in this forum:

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthre...threadid=608439

 

 

Hehe, I already have both mods done. The gate valve is a very easy one. The recirculation mod, is easy to do but takes more detail and measuring. Not overly difficult but you have to be careful. As for the source of water, either hooking the return of your display tank or a small powerhead will do. In my case I use a maxijet to feed the skimmer.

[bbyatv]

I just wanted to update anyone following this thread. I finally changed out the airstone I added to my ASM G3. It lasted 3 months. I normally get about 1 liter of skimmate a week with the airstone mod. I was down to about 1/3 of that so I changed it out. So it only cost me $2 for the three month period. Not too bad? I will keep using the mod.

 

Bruce