Cleaning a skimmer

[robharold]

How often should a skimmer be broken down and cleaned? I don't mean the basics of cleaning the cup when you empty it. Do you break it down clean the pump and housing and such?

thanks,
R

 

[patent]

I believe you should clean the neck when it gets a coating of crud on it, though to be honest I've never managed to be that consistent. For the pumps, it depends a bit on how fast they get coated, which depends on lots of things like how high you keep your alk and ca. Every 6 months isn't a bad idea.

 

[Troylee]

Agreed 6 months should get a vinegar bath and good cleaning to keep it at it's optimal performance...

 

[Viva'sReef]

I do my Skimmer PM every 6 months. I actually keep it scheduled in my phone so I don't forget these things LOL

 

[robharold]

Interesting. My biggest problem with cleaning the skimmer is the fact that the body cannot be removed from the sump(poor design I know). So I have to attempt to clean it in place.

I do notice a lot of the little worm skeletons and such inside the skimmer body. Guess I will be doing some cleaning as well as a mesh mod redo in the near future.

thanks

 

[btkrausen]

I clean mine every 3-6 months, as I do all my equipment. I take it upstairs into the sink, scrub it all down, and it keeps it looking new and running efficiently.

 

[patent]

I actually keep it scheduled in my phone so I don't forget these things LOL

I have that same problem. I use an aquatronica on the system and it has a place for recording scheduled events I'm trying to use more and more, but I'm still pretty bad about it.

 

[patent]

My biggest problem with cleaning the skimmer is the fact that the body cannot be removed from the sump(poor design I know). So I have to attempt to clean it in place.

I do notice a lot of the little worm skeletons and such inside the skimmer body.

I don't clean the body as often, FWIW, but you shoudl probably do it every now and then.

Can you make the body water tight, e.g., that it won't leak into the sump when you fill it with something? I'd probably take off the parts you can take off, and then fill it with a partial vinegar solution. IF you can keep it water tight, I'd fill it with muriatic acid (diluted of course, nasty stuff) and that should clean off anything inside. If you can't keep it water tight vinegar would be better, though more expensive if its a large skimmer and slower. Drain either with hose/siphon when done and then the residue should scrub out. Keep in mind if you use the acid you need to be very careful, not make a mess, and don't swallow any on the siphon. ;-) Just like "if at first you don't succeed, skydiving may not be for you" if you can't work neatly in the space you have, muriatic acid isn't the best choice.

 

[Troylee]

I wouldn't even bother if I had that much of a hassle lol... Just get a white acrylic scrubbing pad and scrub the body real well or a mr clean magic eraser... Take the pump out run it in a bucket of vinegar and be done...