How often do you clean your skimmer?

[Dburr1014]

Just curious how many of you clean your skimmer and how often.
And I don't mean a quick clean up the neck I mean getting in there and going deep cleaning.

A couple months ago I had a mishap with some GAC and frankly I kind of forgot all about it. I use GAC passively in my bag got caught up in the propeller of a circulating pump in my sump. I noticed in the past few weeks my phosphates have been climbing my skimmer hasn't been working very well as it should be.
As a result this is what I found.
And a lot of my funnels were also clogged.

 

[lapin]

I no longer clean anything but the cup. If I deep clean, it takes weeks of messing around to get it back to being stable.

 

[FUNGI]

every 6 months

 

[hobie61]

Same issue. I have the Aquamax 1.5. It clogs quite often at the propeller and nozzles. Regretting my purchase. Worked great for about (6) weeks, then pretty much stopped working. I end up tearing apart and cleaning every couple of weeks. I cleaned out the air inlet nozzle to the pump a couple days ago because plugged, now sounds like a John Deere tractor. Grrrr. Also the attach bracket came unglued on one side. BRS replaced the unit for free quickly. It is only (3) months old.

 

[Reefering1]

About once every 12-18 months I stick my hand in and wipe any growth from the body of skimmer. To clean the venturi, I just remove the cup and hose and let it run for a half hour. I've done this twice in the 6 years running this reef octo skimmer

 

[crazyfishmom]

I deep clean the cup (not just empty) and the neck of the skimmer every other day. Getting in there I haven’t done yet and I’m dreading the idea of it. One my sump monsters got into the air intake recently and I had to pull him out. Learned how it sounds when obstructed. For now it works well!

 

[Sophie"s mom]

I no longer clean anything but the cup. If I deep clean, it takes weeks of messing around to get it back to being stable.

Same here.

 

[JoJosReef]

Mine is still in the box!

 

[Uncle99]

As long as nutrients stay stable, not touching it.
So far, it’s been 2years, except cup cleaning every month.

 

[WalkerLovesTheOcean]

I only clean the cup. To much work to clean the entire thing, and then I have to almost break it in all over again.

 

[BubblesandSqueak]

once a week I clean out the cup, wipe it clean and empty the water collector. I have about 2 cups worth. don't do anything more. Only time I turn it off is to do that.

 

[X-37B]

Cup and neck come out together so once a week or so.
Full clean once a year if needed.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Just curious how many of you clean your skimmer and how often.
And I don't mean a quick clean up the neck I mean getting in there and going deep cleaning.

A couple months ago I had a mishap with some GAC and frankly I kind of forgot all about it. I use GAC passively in my bag got caught up in the propeller of a circulating pump in my sump. I noticed in the past few weeks my phosphates have been climbing my skimmer hasn't been working very well as it should be.
As a result this is what I found.
And a lot of my funnels were also clogged.

Me - 2=3 a year and depends on design and type in many cases. I clean the neck at least monthly

 

[FUNGI]

Me - 2=3 a year and depends on design and type in many cases. I clean the neck at least monthly

Was like you till I started dosing NoPox.....for some reason, it likes to grow around my impeller's.....

 

[Gtinnel]

Anytime I empty the cup I clean it and if the top of the body is bad I will reach down in it with the cup off and wipe it out. I will clean the volute once every few months.
As for taking it apart and deep cleaning it, I just did it for the first time…so I am averaging once every 4 years.

 

[1112-425XL]

Clean the cup every couple weeks. Clean the works every couple months.

 

[reef tank 2.0]

I clean the cup every 1-2 days. but deep cleaning only happens on a need to basis

 

[SKEETER1978]

i only clean the cup...doesn't work well after i clean whole thing

 

[tzabor10]

6 months. Don’t want to get the LARS.

 

[Dburr1014]

Same issue. I have the Aquamax 1.5. It clogs quite often at the propeller and nozzles. Regretting my purchase. Worked great for about (6) weeks, then pretty much stopped working. I end up tearing apart and cleaning every couple of weeks. I cleaned out the air inlet nozzle to the pump a couple days ago because plugged, now sounds like a John Deere tractor. Grrrr. Also the attach bracket came unglued on one side. BRS replaced the unit for free quickly. It is only (3) months old.

Yes, I'm running the aquamaxx fc 250(i think). Funnels are hard to clean!