skimmer cup cleaning

[whiirly]

how offten and to what exteme do you clean your cups
I take mine out once a week and clean it and then it seems like it takes a couple day to start working again
what I am wondering is if I should just take it out dump it and put it back

 

[joe1584]

i clean myn out all the way wipe it dry and the go again probably every 5 days or so i cealn myn.

 

[badazztealcobra]

I clean mine when it gets a touch over half full. I rinse it all clean, wipe it down with a towel, toss it back on.

I used to have problems with it being inconsistent when I turned it back on after cleaning, so I stopped turning it off. Bubbles get stuck in the bubble traps for the most part, and the skimmer keeps working just like before I cleaned it the minute the cup is back on....

If possible give it a try to clean the cup while it stays running... Unless it's an external of course.... :lol:

 

[ostrow]

Clean the neck as well.

But it is true best to leave it running while cleaning the cup.

"Unless it's an external" is exactly why I have my ETSS 1000 on a stand in my sump!!!!

 

[svb57]

Hey I tried what you guys said, leave it running, now my wifes complaining that her floor is all wet.

Jim Mc

 

[ostrow]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15092904#post15092904 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by svb57
Hey I tried what you guys said, leave it running, now my wifes complaining that her floor is all wet.

Jim Mc

Not the bath with the plug in it, you dope.

 

[svb57]

oooops!

But really, I have an Reeflo 250 and i find the same thing about cleaning it out and it taking a full 24 hrs to start producing again. Would "drying" the inside of the neck out help at all?

 

[mystery_reef]

now that my skimmer is working efficiently i clean it about once a week and try and get to the neck as well.

 

[Toddrtrex]

I clean mine once or twice a week (( depending on the tank )). I use an old toothbrush to clean all the junk off of it. The skimmer starts working right when I put the cup back on.

 

[ostrow]

I find the hotter the water I use on the neck, the faster the skimmer recovers. But then again, I leave the pump running.

 

[Crazy One]

I turn off each skimmer, remove the cup, rinse it outside in the backyard far away from the house.
After the cups are rinsed out I don't touch the neck so it will recover faster by leaving the thin slime coat in the neck.
Btw I can't even imagine rinsing this stuff in any of my sinks in the house.

 

[Toddrtrex]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15095312#post15095312 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Crazy One
......
Btw I can't even imagine rinsing this stuff in any of my sinks in the house.

There is a reason why I am divorced

 

[NewSchool04]

I take the cup off, dump the skimmate in the toilet and then straight to the tub b/c my cup is too big to fit under a normal bathroom sink. Cold water and a bottle brush clean out all the gunk and it's sick. Then I take paper towels to the cup, neck and lid and start it up and it's skimming in about 5 minutes.

Wife will come back and immediately turn the other way screaming "you should have told me you were cleaning the skimmer!"

 

[hansnfrans]

I should be cleaning my skimmer neck/cup once a week, but I get to it every 2 weeks at best. I run an ETSS 1000 just like ostrow's, and I have a hard time motivating myself to deal with those PITA thumbscrews on the skimmer flange.

 

[-=Efrain=-]

I clean my Aqua C 180 cup once a week and clean the cup with an old tooth brush. I then take paper towels to the neck and throw the cup back on and since I leave the skimmer pump running it only takes a couple of hours before I get bubbles to the top of the cup.

 

[skunkmere]

i use a old tooth brush too, and my 2 year old niece found it and started practicing brushing her teeth, since then i have to hide it from her. (she's ok guys). i dont think skimmate is toxic or icky, i think changing baby's diapers are far worse.

 

[madadi]

i have an external skimmer and when i clean it, i give the tank a good feeding of frozen food. the foam will go down for an hour or two and it gives me time to clean it without having to turn off the skimmer.

 

[JPSKI25]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15095874#post15095874 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by skunkmere
i think changing baby's diapers are far worse.

After a while that aint so bad anymore either, minus the occasional blowout I look at as if it was in my pants I'd want it out ASAP!

I clean my skimmer cup once a week and the neck every other time. Usually within a half hour theres foam to the top of the cup

 

[whiirly]

well I cleaned mine 12 hours ago and the foam is at the top but its just clear its like its not pulling anything out of the water

 

[ostrow]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15095663#post15095663 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by hansnfrans
I should be cleaning my skimmer neck/cup once a week, but I get to it every 2 weeks at best. I run an ETSS 1000 just like ostrow's, and I have a hard time motivating myself to deal with those PITA thumbscrews on the skimmer flange.

Go to your local hardware store, and find a long brush. I got a 24" brush on a 2' handle. I remove the lid, close the gate valve a full turn to push the water level up the neck, and then aggressively clean the neck, the gunk spilling right into the cup/collector container. I leave it running like that for about 2min to really clean the neck, then open the gate valve back up to lower the water again.

Works like a charm when I don't want to deal with the thumbscrews!