How often do you vinegar soak/ clean your Protein Skimmer

[thelawnwrangler]

My 3 month old fluval PS1 quit producing Skim this week and trying to decide between it is a POS or I need to maintain it.

I pulled it out last night and it didn't look clogged but what do I know

 

[morpheas]

When I had a similar thing with my reef octopus (it didn't stop but considerably less production of bubbles) I pulled it out and cleaned it, it was around 3 months like you. The only thing I cleaned is the pump and the impeller. After I did that everything went back to normal.

 

[GimpyFin]

Is it pulling in air and producing bubbles in the chamber? A plugged airline could cause limited/no bubbles or foam to be produced. I would say every few months, I take it apart and clean the pump/venturi and components. Outside of that, just clean the cup and wipe out the top of the skimmer tube where sludge can accumulate.

 

[soulpatch]

I clean mine quarterly or every other month. I typically take a day in my man cave and send the wife/kid out to shop and be out of my hair while I clean the sump, skimmer, power heads, and everything else with the tank.

 

[scooter31707]

every 3-4 months

 

[thelawnwrangler]

Sounds like I might have a clogged air line then

I will definitely clean then- it is time

 

[Roccus]

3 months seems to be routine/common...if I go beyond that I notice a big drop off in production.. sometimes it will not restart after shut off...

 

[CritterHeaven]

yes every other month for a decent clean, maybe every 4-6 for a strip down of pump and vinegar soak.

 

[cloak]

I usually clean my skimmer about once every year or so. My sump is kept dark though, so there's not much growing down there except for sponges and spirorbid worms. The pump is usually taken apart and cleaned about once every 6 months.

 

[CStrickland]

Besides a deep clean every few months, I do a little maintenance every time I empty the cup. I use the sprayer on my kitchen sink to blast all the scum off the inside of the neck in the cup, use a baby bottle brush to quick scrub the inside of the skimmer neck, wipe that out, and squirt a little rodi down the air intake (to flush salt crust that can form in there and block air flow).

 

[thelawnwrangler]

wow so yes regular maintenance is the answer- gross lol

Everybody seems happy - hammer frag has a big bubble internet says it is splitting lol

 

[Ebone]

I think I am at 8 months... works fine... but on list of things to do

 

[thelawnwrangler]

I think I am at 8 months... works fine... but on list of things to do

bigger unit ? this is a little nano skimmer and probably not the best of the market.

 

[cloak]

I think I went 6 or 7 years without ever cleaning a Euroreef skimmer I had on one of my older tanks. No problem.

This sump was kept dark too btw.

 

[mitch91175]

Clean mine when I think it has too much growth in it. I have a good skimmer so it is not as critical to clean it on a set schedule. I only cleaned mine once in 2 years. Everyone will have their own preference.

 

[cincyjim]

I clean the sump, main pump, pump hose replacement, and skimmer about every 9 months.

 

[Ebone]

bigger unit ? this is a little nano skimmer and probably not the best of the market.

no SWC 120 small one