removing hard film in skimmer

I have a Prizm (no booing, I'm buying a better one in the near future).

There's either a hard buildup the consistency of slightly softened plastic, or else it IS plastic that I can almost peel off with several swipes of a thumbnail. I rinse/clean the skimmer twice a week, but I don't know how to get rid of this hardened buildup. Any advice?

 

Is it build up that keeps getting thinner (aka - it's the plastic degrading)
or is it build up that keeps coming back, like it's something else that is being deposited on the skimmer?

 

Vinegar will clean it if it's water deposits.

 

I can't tell for sure, but it looks like plastic that's degrading

I'll try that, if it is indeed plastic degrading, then I'll have an excuse to buy a real skimmer.

On that note, what's the best bang-for-the-buck on a budget?

 

Yes just put the skimmer into some vinegar or Lime away and the CRS or SRS rust/lime scale remover is faster then the vinegar . Just set it in one or the other and let it run for a few hrs Use freshwater to dilute the other lime stuff or pure vinegar . Do not use saltwater.

 

Vinegar worked for me...