Skimmer neck cleaning unit? Any experiences?

[kris2001]

I've heard that the neck cleaning automatic motorized equipment for a skimmer can actually impede the performance of a skimmer is that right?

I heard that the blade can break the foam ring that rises up the skimmer and thus the skimmate wouldn't be that effective..

I have a reef octopus diablo skimmer wondering...overall is the automatic cleaning unit worth it or no...?please share your experiences ...thanks!

 

[ca1ore]

Sure .....

Been using variations of the avast swabbie on my various MTC skimmers for quite a while .... maybe 2014 ish. I do not find them to impede performance of the skimmer, just the opposite actually. I run mine for a few rotations every 12 hours. Keeps the neck from building up that lovely brown spackle and maintains consistent performance. I only emove the head/neck assembly about every three months, mostly to get the gunk off the swabbie blade. Need a swabbie for the swabbie .... but then that’d need cleaning.

 

[kris2001]

Is Avast cleaner better than the reef octopus?

 

[scott11]

I just installed my swabbie on a new smaller skimmer. I have the swabbie lid (one size fits most). Since my new skimmer is smaller, the lid fits tight to the cup and the air holes are outside the cup. In effect, there are no air holes in the lid.

Will this impact performance? Do I need to drill for air to escape?

 

[dcfdgaloot]

I ran the reef octopus cleaner neck cleaner on my SRO-2000xp. For me, it was actually more trouble than it was worth. It did it's job, but the way it was attached and wired, made it a pain to remove, clean and service all the parts. The neck cleaner its self gets really full of crud. I'd clean less often, but it took so much longer and made a mess. Now I run just the standard setup and and remove, empty and clean in just a matter of a couple minutes.