ASM g4x skimmer mods

[stephj03]

I have an ASM g4x skimmer and recently modded it. Thought I'd post some pics. I have a 240g tank with a lot of sps. When I first transfered to the 240 my bioload was quite low. But I have since added several fish some of which I feel the need to fatten up so for the time being I am overfeeding. My budget doesn't allo a bubble king at the moment so I decided to try my hand at diy to maximize the skimming potential of my current skimmer.
Fish immediately after transfer:
coral beaty
2 pajama cardinals
hippo tang
2 b/w osc
2 true percs
royal gramma

Fish added over the past couple of months
med unicorn tang (skinny but eating well)
small vlamingi tang
med tomini tang (skinny but eating well)
female blue jaw trigger
cbb

[stephj03]

This skimmer came stock with a sedra 9000. I had previously recirced it in an inverted position so that the input draws water from the higher bulkhead and returns air laden water to the lower uniseal. I did this b/c I noticed the bottom third of the skimmer was essentially void of bubbles. I decided to apply the same aproach to the second pump.
http://i358.photobucket.com/albums/oo25/jpstephe/KIF_4077.jpg

[stephj03]

Due to space constraints in my sump I mounted the second pump a little lower than the first so that I could fit the motor housings closer together. Since they are both inverted I used zipties to secure them to the skimmer body in an effort to limit strain ont he plumbing.
http://i358.photobucket.com/albums/oo25/jpstephe/KIF_4078.jpg

[stephj03]

In addition to the second pump I added 6 limewood airstones driven by a super luft pump. This was so easy it really doesn't count as a mod to me but made a huge difference. I simply drilled holes in the collection cup for the airline and hooked everything up. I did have problems with the airstones floating so I threaded the airline tubing through a section of 1/2" pcv pipe before connecting the airstones.
http://i358.photobucket.com/albums/oo25/jpstephe/KIF_4079.jpg

[stephj03]

Right now the skimmer is being fed from a 1" overflow restricted by a hose barb that fits 1" flex tubing. I am uncertain of gph but the skimmer has a 1 1/2" Gate valve on it that is completely open. I am estimating that the water level is about an inch above where the neck adapter meets the skimmer body.
http://i358.photobucket.com/albums/oo25/jpstephe/KIF_4082.jpg

[stephj03]

Overall I am pleased with the results. My goal was to be able to produce skimmate in the collection cup when the gate valve was open all the way and I have achieved that. Right now without restriction of the feed line this setup skims a little wet but I am fine with that. In the future I am going to add a similar skimmer run in concert with this one. When I do I plan to tee off half the flow from the air pump to the other skimmer which will fix this minor problem. Until then I am slightly cutting flow to the skimmer via a ball valve.

[Blaze]

Do work!