Seaclone 100 - Foam pre-filter required?

[slowride]

Hi all.

I have a SC100 skimmer with that foam pre-filter deal over the skimmer powerhead intake. I added some "cured" liverock and tested my water after a few days and my nitrates are off the charts. While I was doing a water change, I finally realized that the foam on that skimmer had to be a nitrate factory just like any other foam, correct?

Is this thing there to really protect the inlet, and will the skimmer operate fine without it?