What's your skimmer maintenance schedule?

[thelawnwrangler]

I dip my collection cup in vinegar water about every 2 weeks. I am also thinking I need to do my powerheads about once a month.

Should I plan on doing the whole internal skimmer twice a year? Maybe more?

 

[scooter31707]

I just scrub and rinse out the cup. About every 2 months, I break down the skimmer and clean it.

 

[newbie2014]

I just scrub and rinse out the cup. About every 2 months, I break down the skimmer and clean it.

Ditto.

I guess it depends on how heavy your bioload. I have a heavy bioload (six small fish in a 40B), so I clean my skimmer every 2-3 months.

 

[MondoBongo]

i clean my cup about once a week, usually when i do my water change.

once every few months i take the pump out, break it down, and clean it real well. usually when it's not sounding/skimming right.

i don't bother cleaning the body.

 

[domvert]

wow i got to clean my cup out every 5-7 days - i don't like to see the collection cup neck dirty
Once a yr I soak the pump in 100% vinegar overnight

 

[gone fishin]

i clean my cup about once a week, usually when i do my water change.

once every few months i take the pump out, break it down, and clean it real well. usually when it's not sounding/skimming right.

i don't bother cleaning the body.

Same here

 

[BlackTip]

I clean the cup 2-3 times a week with tap water. I don't like to wait until the cup is full.

Last time I cleaned the entire skimmer, including the pump, with water/vinegar mix, the skimmer was unstable for at least a 10 days. Flooding every night almost.

 

[robbie2013]

I dump and scrub my cup twice a week and break down and clean the body every 2 months.

 

[ZeeSparrow]

I dump the cup out as necessary, and clean it every 3 or 4 times (so maybe once every 10 days or so). I have yet to clean the pump which has been running about 9 months now.

 

[CStrickland]

I rinse out the cup with hot water and use my sink sprayer to get off the chunks, as needed. While its off I use a baby bottle brush to decrud the neck (seems to leave enough biofilm to keep it from over flowing when i turn it back on). I also squirt some rodi down the air intake to flush any salt creep. I'm surprised no ones mentioned that, I heard its very good for performance.

The pumps on the skimmer and return are harder to get at, so I don't clean every 3 months like my powerheads, I'd like to though.

 

[newbie2014]

.......... I also squirt some rodi down the air intake to flush any salt creep. I'm surprised no ones mentioned that, I heard its very good for performance........

Great idea.