If you come by my house in North Van I can give you everything you need to solve your problem. I used to have sooo many problems with this skimmer, now I drain the cup every 2 weeks and it's been running problem free for 5 months now and it's in the same section as chaeto

Or i can post a couple photos and material list for what you need

Is this a first gen without the tension lock? If so I have a spare.

thank you vancity!

the cheato very firm so its not falling apart. I have an emerald crab in there keeping things clean for me so he must be doing something

Here are some photos of what i did. No more chaeto clogging up the needle wheel or bubble plate. It takes ALOT of crud to plug up the netting, the last photo is about 40% of what ive seen it block and have yet to have any change to the level in the skimmer body

Sorry this isn't a complete walkthrough but the pics should give you an idea..

Needed
Clamato Bottle (1.89L) I used this because of the shape and size of lid, the elastic band fits nicely in the curved part
Dremel or other rotary tool to cut the hole in the lid and top of the bottle off
Elastic band
Wedding veil
Crazy Glue
Safety goggles or not

Hole cut in lid and glued to the skimmer intake
http://i.imgur.com/gGJ0ree.gif

Top of Clamato bottle with elastic band holding wedding veil
http://i.imgur.com/yTJnUj6.gif

In action...
http://i.imgur.com/KGMpCEf.gif

The wedding veil is really easy to rinse off, about 1 minute in the sink every month running the tap inside the mouth of the bottle

AND YOU GET TO DRINK CLAMATO.... MMM CLAMATO... and BEER...must be 19 years of age or older :)

Like i say you are more than welcome to come by, i can even cut the bottle and hole in the lid for you