To clean or not to clean

Just a quick question. I believe I read somewhere that you shouldn't clean your skimmer. Yes or no?

I guess I have the same question about the overflow. Thanks in advance.

 

What part of the skimmer are you talking about? The entire skimmer or just the collection cup and upper chamber? Luna

 

Yes - for me, you should clean your skimmer, built up scum on the inside, prevents more foam being created , thus I believe a dirty skimmer is an inefficient skimmer

Steve

 

The collection cup.

How about the overflow. Its gonna need a hair cut soon inside of it.

 

I clean both, I clean the collection cup when I dump it and clean the overflow mostly for appearance, wife says if it stays in the living room better keep it looking good. I make sure I use water from my water changes to clean it though but the collection cup I just wash it at the sink and dry it off good.

 

I clean the collection cup and the cylinder tube every week. Luna

 

i usually only clean the cup with a paper towel at the sink, and a couple times a year i'll clean the whole skimmer top to bottom.

 

same

 

once a week here also

 

I clean the collection cup, but not the cylinder or the box. I have found that blasting the gunk off the cylinder causes a new break in period for my ETSS. So unless it gets too nasty, I am going to leave it alone. The overflow I do not clean either. I intend to if it gets algae laden, but that hasn't happened yet.

However, the nipple where the aqualifter meets the CPR does need weekly attention. I cannot stress that enough. If you own this set up, gunk that interupts the siphon assist will cause water level elevation and potential flood. So that part I clean routinely.