Are you cleaning your skimmer neck & cup properly? It's pretty important right?

[revhtree]

Are you cleaning your skimmer neck & cup properly? It's pretty important right?

So every time I clean my skimmer cup/neck I wonder if I'm doing it like everyone else. Doing it good enough. Why is it that important to make sure the neck of the protein skimmer stays clean? Well a protein skimmer is one important tool we use as an exporter of nutrients and dissolved organic compounds (DOC) to keep the nasties (algae) out of our reef tank! So keeping the neck and cup of your skimmer clean helps by ensuring your skimmer is working as intended. Cleaning the intake pump as well but that's for another day!

"Consistently cleaning the neck of your protein skimmer will reduce the build-up of bio-organics. This build-up causes the foam to stick to the sides and can restrict the collection of skimmate in the skimmer's collection cup" - Reef Octopus

Should be pretty easy and straightforward right? That's what I think too. But today for the sake of conversation and to make sure we're getting it right let's talk about it and share how and why we clean like we do.

1. How often are you cleaning your skimmer cup and neck?

2. How are you cleaning the neck and cup of your skimmer?

 

[IamJoHo]

Just ordered a Red Sea skimmer with the built in neck wipe. Interested to see how well that works.

 

[dantimdad]

On the 240 twice a week on the shark pool every other day. I use a sponge and hot water to clean it thoroughly in the sink.

 

[GlassMunky]

I clean my skimmer cup/neck about 2-3x a week. i do it each time i empty the cup out. I just use tap water and my hands to wash the film off the walls. its not really complicated lol

 

[Mical]

I clean both of my skimmers every weekend. I shut skimmers off via Apex, pull cup and bring to my laundry room where they get dosed with hot water and a brush. Then I use same brush on skimmer body in each sump. Reload and turn back on - total time 15 mins. I've tried letting them go longer but I dry skim and it tends to hurt the efficiency.

 

[DothanReefer]

I empty and clean the cup once a week, granted, I only have to 2 fish in a 100g system atm. I clean the cup and the neck using RODI and paper towels - and they smell awful (-ly good bc I know its working properly )

 

[fishlover1478]

On the 240 twice a week on the shark pool every other day. I use a sponge and hot water to clean it thoroughly in the sink.

shark pool? pics please

 

[revhtree]

I clean mine about twice a week with a sponge and tap water.

 

[Billldg]

I clean mine once a week in the sink with a brush.

 

[ca1ore]

I clean the cup/neck about every three months. Fortunately, my swabbie auto neck cleaner is much more diligent.

 

[Lostreefin]

I have a question, the neck of the skimmer is on the body of the skimmer where the body tapers up to a smaller diameter, and is separate from the collection cup, correct? That is not easy to rinse, I just normally run my finger around and rinse it in the skimmer water while it's running? Removing my skimmer to clean the neck would be a bit of a pain in the neck.

 

[SaltyCupcake]

Very important for me. I clean mine every day because I like to see it sparkle. If only I felt the same way about my dishes. Those get done every couple of days.

 

[DaneGer21]

If mine keeping pulling crap, I hardly clean it. My cup is plumbed to a drain so draining it happens weekly. But a deep clean rarely happens...just being honest

 

[Dburr1014]

Once a month... Maybe. Lol. I guess I should do it more often. I have a toilet brush {all plastic} and shove it in and spin it around a few times. It works well. My cup actually dumps into a 5 gallon bucket. I empty that as needed.

 

[SPR1968]

I used to clean the skimmer in both my systems once per week. Then I went to once every 2 weeks and now I clean it when I remember which is around once a month on each system. I have a NYOS 160 and 300

Now I’m not going to argue if weekly cleaning is better, it no doubt is, but have I noticed any difference, no. Which is why I just do it now every 3-4 weeks or so.....

 

[esther]

Every three days in sink with tap water and my hands.

 

[Opalmoon]

I have a macro aqua M-50 HOB skimmer, so its important I clean it either every day or every other day, unless I really like looking at the gunk buildup and because the collection cup is small and requires a clean up every day or every other day.

I use the sink and my hands to clean it but might get a sponge to do the harder to reach places.

 

[dantimdad]

shark pool? pics please

look at my facebook page so we dont derail the thread.

 

[fishlover1478]

ok cool

 

[Alanna102499]

Couple times a week for the cup, the neck about once a month.