Cleaning HOB skimmer

Ryan Rioux · Jan 22, 2017

Hi there I'm wondering if there's any certain way to clean a HOB skimmer . I have an aqua max protein skimmer HOB on a 20 long and I've had it now for close to 2 months . I'm wondering what is the best way to clean it out!!!! Also same for a HOB aquaclear filter . How often and what are the best procedures to cleaning these out!! Thank youuu

Humblefish · Jan 22, 2017

Soak both in a mild (10:1) water:vinegar solution for a few hours and then wipe down with a wet paper towel. Done.

You may need a brush for those hard to reach places, and for hard coralline algae you may have to soak for 24 hrs or longer.

csn4 · Jan 22, 2017

The vinegar water makes life so much easier. I boil the water first as well and it seems to make even the most stubborn coralline wipe right off. I do this with almost everything, pumps, heads, HOB equipment. Runs like new after it's done.

Ryan Rioux · Jan 23, 2017

Humblefish said:
Soak both in a mild (10:1) water:vinegar solution for a few hours and then wipe down with a wet paper towel. Done.

You may need a brush for those hard to reach places, and for hard coralline algae you may have to soak for 24 hrs or longer.

Is it able to be placed directly back into or on tank right afterwards ? Obviously after letting dry up . Will the tank and life inside be okay without skimmer or filter for a few hours or so!

csn4 · Jan 23, 2017

Tank will be fine without a skimmer for a bit. No worries. I always rinse my equipment afterwards with RO/DI water to be safe but people dose vinegar in their tanks so trace amounts wouldn't be too harmful

Humblefish · Jan 23, 2017

Ryan Rioux said:
Is it able to be placed directly back into or on tank right afterwards ? Obviously after letting dry up . Will the tank and life inside be okay without skimmer or filter for a few hours or so!

Yes to both questions.

You can actually just rinse it off and put it right back in your tank. Some people actually dose vinegar to help control nitrates, so a little residue isn't going to hurt anything.

Ryan Rioux · Jan 24, 2017

Humblefish said:
Yes to both questions. You can actually just rinse it off and put it right back in your tank. Some people actually dose vinegar to help control nitrates, so a little residue isn't going to hurt anything.

When in vinegar bath can it be with sink water and vinegar or RO and vinegar ?!