Feather dusters and other critters in protein skimmer

[Marco333]

My protein skimmer is long overdue for a citric acid clean (it's been over 2 years). However, it is filled with tube worms, feather dusters, and other critters. My tank is currently running very well and I don't want to change anything to disrupt the balance. What is everyones thoughts on how beneficial (or detrimental) these critters are in the skimmer?

 

[Subsea]

I see nothing detrimental about biodiversity in your skimmer. I see this as a healthy bioindicator of system maturity & diversity. Do you have similar biodiversity in your sump?

 

[Marco333]

I don’t have a sump on this tank. It’s a HOB skimmer. My concern is the pump needs a good cleaning and there is detritus built up in the skimmer.

 

[Uzidaisies]

Can you separate the pump from the rest of the unit?

 

[Marco333]

Can you separate the pump from the rest of the unit?

Yes I can. Perhaps I can quickly clean the pump and keep the unit submerged in a bucket.

 

[Uzidaisies]

Yes I can. Perhaps I can quickly clean the pump and keep the unit submerged in a bucket.

If it were me I’d try to preserve the organisms in there, as long as the skimmer operated correctly. It’s like a fan worm reactor lol.