protein skimmer cleaning

[dunl]

So in cleaning my protein skimmer tonight, I was thinking.....

If the foam accumulates and then leaves behind the protein deposits, do I assume correctly that if I empty it but do not wipe it clean, that is a good thing, as the protein will have something to stick to, instead of a clean plastic surface?

[midgetwaiter]

Yes if you really clean out the reaction chamber (vertical tube) it has to "break in" again.

[albert_dao]

You're suppose to clean it. All the scum in the bottleneck reduces the skimmer output.

[dunl]

That's two completely different answers....guess now I need to know why the other guy is wrong.....

[albert_dao]

Uhhh, scum build-up on the side of the bottleneck does not allow foam to rise easily. That's why people make wet-necks.

[BlkWolfe]

After cleaning you need a thin layer of "scum" to build up to allow the bubbles to make their way up to the collection chamber. Watch your skimmer after cleaning, nothing will collect for anywhere from 20 minutes to 2 hours until that film builds back up again.

However when too much builds up, it will impede skimmate collection, hindering the protein laden foam from "climbing" its way up.

Just think of it as a balance. This is why some larger systems use two skimmers. there is always at least one skimmer online, since cleaning a large skimmer and allowing it to do its break-in after cleaning can take quite a bit of time.

[albert_dao]

From my experience, the break-in has nothing to do with foam climbing the neck. you can clean the neck squeaky clean and still have good foam production.

[BlkWolfe]

I've always had to wait a little while with mine to get full foam production after cleaning

[AndyL]

Of course, break-in is 2 different things, and to some extent they have to be considered separately.

The initial break-in (when it's brand new) can take 24-48 hours. In this time the manufacturing residues are being 'washed' off, the acrylic is absorbing water, and there is a coating of residue being added.

When you clean, the break-in takes less time, generally you're not adding new residues, the acrylics already reached its balance of water content. Basically you're waiting for a new layer of residue to 'grease up' the riser. Generally doesn't take all that long.

Andy

[midgetwaiter]

I should have taken my time with this. By "really clean" I meant something like scrub the heck out of then soak in hot water for a while.

Giving it a swish under the tap and then wiping the gunk off will not result in as much of a wait for full foam production.

[fatpuffer]

I clean my squeaky clean...I scrub off the scum with paper towel and then run it under hot water. When I plug it back it...it takes about 20 minutes until it "breaks in" again.

Js