ASM Skimmers are unsung heroes of protein skimming

The ASM Protein skimmer is one helluva protein skimmer which has earned its day in the spotlight. All Seas Marine (ASM) started offering the ASM skimmers in the early 2000s and despite their lack of new tricks, they can still skim protein with the best of them today.

We’ve had wave after wave of new protein skimmer models introduced since the ASM G series. Even when I was a young LFS whippersnapper I always urged the buyers and customers to upgrade from an ASM skimmer. But now in my older years I can look back on how many tanks I’ve seen running just fine, with just an ASM skimmer churning out the skimmate under the stand.

sedra-needle-wheel-impeller — Many needle wheel designs have come and gone, yet the basic NW of the Sedra pumps used on ASM skimmers is still very effective.

ASM skimmers don’t have bubble plates, don’t have a controllable DC pump, don’t have a tricky needle wheel impeller, they don’t even have a website! Unlike nearly all modern protein skimmer models and brands, the ASM skimmer is made out of molded plastic instead of more durable acrylic.

The Sedra pump used on ASM skimmers is not particularly efficient, it’s kind of loud, impellers have a limited lifetime, and to add to the list of detractors of the ASM skimmers, they aren’t even especially cheap compared to what is available on the market today.

asm-protein-skimmer-1 — New ASM skimmer on the shelf of an LFS

But dang it, ASM skimmers are still powering thousands of successful reef tanks across the country, and we still see plenty of upscale shops and aquarium service companies swear by the reliability of ASM protein skimmers. While there are countless protein skimmers with more features, more performance, and quieter running, there’s something to be said for using a very familiar tool that is going to perform a certain way, tune a certain way, and simply just work.

Perhaps one of the most attractive things about ASM skimmers is that spare parts are readily available and there’s plenty of retired skimmers with an available Sedra waiting to be enlisted to skim protein again. Sure Euro Reef skimmers were always higher esteemed and better built, but when you have to replace an Eheim impeller for over $150 and a replacement Sedra impeller costs just $20, that ASM starts looking much more attractive.

asm-protein-skimmer-2 — If you can’t fit a taller model of ASM skimmer, simply add two smaller ones in the sump.

ASM dabbled in making a cone protein skimmer for a hot minute but this project never saw the light of day and they instead decided to stick with their tried and true design. The only change that ASM skimmers have enjoyed is the use of a Sicce pump in their smallest ASM Mini model.

We love bells and whistles as much, if not more than the next reefers, but we have to remind ourselves, what are these features really for? Sure in some protein skimmer models and designs, bubble plates and better pumps have led to much better performance. But dollar for dollar, the ASM series of protein skimmers is still a great value and likely to stick around for a long time to come.

asm-protein-skimmer-4 — This well used sump and ASM protein skimmer could be sighted in tanks all across the country. In this case it’s Vivid Coral that still relies on a battery of ASM skimmers.

(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});

Jake Adams

Jake Adams has been an avid marine aquarist since the mid 90s and has worked in the retail side of the marine aquarium trade for more than ten years. He has a bachelor’s degree in Marine Science and has been the managing editor of ReefBuilders.com since 2008. Jake is interested in every facet of the marine aquarium hobby from the concepts to the technology, rare fish to exotic corals, and his interests are well documented through a very prolific career of speaking to reef clubs and marine aquarium events, and writing articles for aquarium publications across the globe. His primary interest is in corals which Jake pursues in the aquarium hobby as well as diving the coral reefs of the world.