Cleaning Skimmer?

As I was looking at my skimmer today, I noticed that there is a lot of coralline algae and other brown crap that is in the skimmer. This made me think, how often do I need to clean out the skimmer?

I know if I completely clean the skimmer it will have to break in again. So how should I go about cleaning it? Just dumb out all the crap in it and refill it with water?

 

I do a 3-month cleaning with my aqua-c remora. I take it out and place it in a 50/50 water/vinegar mix and let it run for a few hours. Makes it really easy to clean off the coraline and other gunk. Yes, the break-in is worth it.

 

Okay. I have a HOB skimmer right now, so just run it in regular white vinegar and water for a while and then give it a good rinse? About how long does it take to break in again? Microbubbles drive me CRAZY!

Also, will this improve the skimming capacity once it is cleaned?

 

The only thing that needs cleaning usually is the collection cup. Once in awhile, I take the entire skimmer body out and just rinse out any detritus that may be in the bottom. Mine has never need another break in, it picks right up where it left off.

 

I have a coralife super skimmer, I clean the collection cup as warranted but nothing else ever….its been around for a long while now.

 

I never cleaned my Coralife's body either. For some reason with that design it seems to clean itself. The cup of course is another matter.

I wouldn't set a time table on cleaning it. If it looks dirty than a good cleaning will help so why not?

 

I believe there is detritus in the bottom of the skimmer. I just want to make sure that the skimmer lasts a while and does not crap out on me. Should I clean the pump and such as well. I do clean the collection cup with scalding hot water about twice a week.

With the vinegar cleaning method, do I then run clean RO water through the skimmer afterwards to rinse it out before putting it back on the tank?

 

Yes, clean the pump as well since it probably has some gunk in it's screen. Rinsing off is easy for me. I just hold it over the grass and pour ro/di over it. Vinegar isn't hard to rinse away.

 

Okay, thanks a lot. I am going to be doing this either today or tomorrow. I will let you know how it went once I get it clean. Thanks.

 

Wait you guys clean your collection cup? For what?
hehe j/k.
I have a coralife 65 and I clean the body every few month, same with pump. Take it apart and clean it out...