Does my skimmer need to be cleaned? Never can tune correctly

[sassmastawillis]

I have an Aquamax FC-80 running in my sump for the past couple of years that I've never been able to tune and produce skim consistently. Does it need to be cleaned?
My sump is a custom 20g long, display 40 gallon.

 

[EnterName]

I think it makes sense to at least clean the parts that are required for flawless functionality:

• The pump
• The sieve or outlets where the water and air is pushed through to create fine bubbles. If those get clogged it won't work as efficiently anymore.
• The neck (upper part where the foam level is) to avoid detritus from accumulating and falling back into the tank.

The rest isn't as important in my opinion. The skimmer should operate just fine even if you haven't cleaned it in a long time.

 

[troublemaker]

If you took it out, you might as well soak it in vinegar. I have a terrible time getting mine fine tuned after, but it really only takes a few days.

What are the issues with yours? First and foremost is your water level steady in whatever chamber you keep yours in?

I’m not familiar with that brand, but it looks like a needle wheel skimmer, which is pretty standard.