Myvirtue Posted October 31, 2010 Share Posted October 31, 2010 i have the asm g1x skimmer with the sedra 3500 pump. in the last week ive noticed when i turn the skimmer on it wont skim correctly or make bubbles unless i blow in the airtube. today i had to keep cycling power for it to work. has anyone owned this product or similiar. i really cant afford a new skimmer atm. i heard alot of bad news about these pumps. i dont know what to do. should i buy a new pump? is there better pumps for it? just worried and dont know what to do. i want to be prepared for when it does completely shut down Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gonzobob Posted October 31, 2010 Share Posted October 31, 2010 Most likely the pump and airline just need to be disassembled and given a thorough cleaning with a mixture of water and vinegar. Salt and other debris builds up and partially blocks airlines and decreases effeciency of impellers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Myvirtue Posted October 31, 2010 Author Share Posted October 31, 2010 i took it apart and cleaned it no major build up. ive only ran the skimmer for about 2 months so it wasnt that dirty. i still have to help it by blowing through the airline to get it start skimming. it will suck water into the skimmer by itself but not make bubbles until i blow into the airline Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NonSequitur Posted October 31, 2010 Share Posted October 31, 2010 I had the same pump on my Euro-Reef and it behaved the same way. At first all it needed was to be cleaned, as Gonzobob mentioned. Over time it went from what you described to not starting reliably, to randomly seizing up. I eventually replaced it when it started leaking a/c current into my tank. I know you mention you haven't had the skimmer long, did you buy it new or used? If you got it new, it would probably be worth talking to the manufacturer to see if they have any suggestions. If you end up replacing the pump, there are several very good models out there are good replacements for the sedra 3500. I'm currently running the pump from a red sea berlin skimmer on my ER, which works very well. When that one eventually fails I'll probably replace it with the Bubble Blaster HY-1000 (avaliable from PremiumAquatics). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
medi Posted October 31, 2010 Share Posted October 31, 2010 I still think this sounds like something that should be able to be remedied. What kind of impeller does your pump use? needle wheel? mesh? or just a standard impeller? It might also need to be cleaned as well as the housing around the impeller. I would start by pulling the whole pump and cleaning it all with vinegar and water. Also, are you sure the air intake side of your pump is clear? Might try getting a small drill bit and running it through the whole just to make sure there is no obstructions. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NonSequitur Posted October 31, 2010 Share Posted October 31, 2010 Medi's likely right, definitely try his suggestions before replacing the pump. Failing to start pulling air on it's own is usually a sign that either the venturi is clogged (soak in vinegar, poke a small, rigid object through the air hole to make sure it's clear) or the pump isn't pulling enough water to create enough of a pressure differential to draw air down from the surface (clean the impeller, impeller magnet and housing, volute, etc) The little holes on the intake of the pump (after the venturi) clog up very easily, reducing water flow significantly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Myvirtue Posted October 31, 2010 Author Share Posted October 31, 2010 im not sure how old it is. i only paid 60$ for the setup. imo which was a great deal. i cleaned everything out and took a drill and and redrilled through the hole to make it a tad bigger seemed to do ok. we will see what happens. i really like the simple design and seems to work very well. im thinking about getting the gate valve mod for it and maybe do the recirc mod, if i figure out how to do it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
medi Posted November 1, 2010 Share Posted November 1, 2010 Well, how's it working? Hopefully you got it all fixed up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Myvirtue Posted November 1, 2010 Author Share Posted November 1, 2010 its working but. i still have to blow in the airtube to make it start skimming. it will sucks water by itself though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+dapettit Posted November 2, 2010 Share Posted November 2, 2010 Once a month I let the tube suck up a cup of warm water. This will verify if the pump is sucking air and clean up any salt creep build up in the tube. You might check your impeller. I had a similar problem and found my impeller was missing half it's teeth and not spinning. Just my 2 cents. . . Dave- Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jessie Posted November 9, 2010 Share Posted November 9, 2010 Replace the air tube. Sounds like it's collapsing Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Myvirtue Posted November 9, 2010 Author Share Posted November 9, 2010 i bought a impeller, new airtube and a gatevalve... i recieved the impeller today and now its working great. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eel Keeper Posted December 18, 2010 Share Posted December 18, 2010 i bought a impeller, new airtube and a gatevalve... i recieved the impeller today and now its working great. I have the same pump, and had a very simmilar problem. It was very hard to see with the naked eye, but the impeller was bent. As soon as you replace it it should work. Bad news is Reef Dynamics (which I belive is the only place that sells that impeller) charges $60. Does anyone know where to get a cheaper one? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Myvirtue Posted December 18, 2010 Author Share Posted December 18, 2010 ill have to remember where i got mine.... i didnt even pay half that..... i think im going to mod mine soon and add the mesh to it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MSHROOM13 Posted December 18, 2010 Share Posted December 18, 2010 The pump may be too far under water for the venturi to suck air properly. you may have to block it up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Hydro Posted December 18, 2010 Share Posted December 18, 2010 The pump may be too far under water for the venturi to suck air properly. you may have to block it up. Very true, the skimmer produces more air the closer the pump is to the surface. The manufacturers have a recommended depth for the pump and if its too low you could definitely effect the performance. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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