[LyzzaRyzz]

Ive tried looking for ways online, but all google gives me is how to clean your fish tank, or cleaning siphons for home beer brewing systems!
The old siphon i have has developed black/brown spots in it, and id like to remove them. Also, one of my newer ones had gotten a smell/taste so horrible it makes me not want to use it! I do suck on the end of this one, so i CAN taste this dead fish smell, though the a simple hose with the larger part on the end, no places for any debris to get stuck, and looks relatively spotless!
Is there anything i can do? A soak? Water changes have started turning my stomach!!!

 

[GraphicGr8s]

bleach

 

[Kathyy]

^+1

My python extension never has tap water running through it so turned purple and black from the tank water. I coiled it up in a tub, wedged a small pump to one end and filled the tub with tap water plus several glugs of bleach. Even though I ran the pump for 24 hours the hose didn't get completely clean but it is just pink now, no purple or black.

My main hose is perfectly clean. It gets ~90 gallons of tap water run through when I refill the tank. I suspect rinsing the siphon with more tap and hanging to dry would keep the hoses clean without having to find a tub and figure out how to attach a pump to it.

 

[LyzzaRyzz]

What kind of pump did you use? Is there a way to do it without a pump?

 

[Kathyy]

I have a few small pumps laying around as I keep anything that works when I upgrade filters and tanks. I used the little pump that came with a 36" long SeaClear II aquarium I sold 12 years ago. A powerhead would work fine. A HOB filter might even work if the hose wasn't too long. It is just to move water through, doesn't need to be fast movement and it isn't pushing water up or anything.

The hose I cleaned is 20' long and dunking in bleach water didn't do a thing. You could try simply soaking and dipping and dumping water in the hose for as long as it takes if your hose is shorter though.

 

[mgood]

Or, you could use a fish tape (HA! I said "fish tape" on an aquarium forum) with a brush attached to the end. I've done this before but I don't have any hoses long enough to need that anymore. Fish tape, for anyone confused, is used for running wires. Invaluable for many uses.

I use now a thicker diameter weedeater line, attached to proper size brush on end. Works great for cleaning intake and return hoses.

 

[jester56]

I got a "MagFox" hose cleaner. It is a magnetic cleaning tool where you put a small magnet backed brush, (not unlike a piece of hook side Velcro), in the tube. Then use the main magnet to move the brush through the hose. Haven't had a chance to really put it through its paces. Came recommended by several TPT members. And it's under ten bucks!

 

[LyzzaRyzz]

Im gonna check out that magfox thing...since i wont be worries about scratching tank glass, magnets might be okay! Id be worries about it getting stuck in there, and i cant get it out!
What is a fish tape?
WeedWhacker line sounds doable, though what brush would be small enough? If i attach a velcro or even a peice of fabric, how should i go about doing that? Again, im worried about it coming off, and getting stuck!


Edit!
Checked out some stuff, and the Magfox sounds like the way to go.
Though i wonder, can i make one myself? Its a simple enough concept..

 

[mgood]

Im gonna check out that magfox thing...since i wont be worries about scratching tank glass, magnets might be okay! Id be worries about it getting stuck in there, and i cant get it out!
What is a fish tape?
WeedWhacker line sounds doable, though what brush would be small enough? If i attach a velcro or even a peice of fabric, how should i go about doing that? Again, im worried about it coming off, and getting stuck!

Hi-
Fish tape is basically a coil of semi-bendable plastic with a loop on one end for fastening--whatever. It's used to "fish" wires under carpet, behind a car's dash, basically anywhere you can't reach. It has enough stiffness that it will run through on both pull and push, to clean hoses. I used on on long hose before. My hoses are short now, just on the tank so I don't use that now.

I use the weedeater line now. Basically you have to fashion some sort of thing on one end, to hold the brush. I heat the end, bend it into a U - shape, then attach the right size brush. I got my brushes on clearance at fish.com a couple of years back. I bought all they had at the time, for a stupid low price of like $0.13 / 3 pack or something ridiculous like that. I got a 2' square box chock full of supplies for less than $15. I'm still using the same supplies.

New brushes can be gotten nearly anywhere-- all you do is cut the handle part off (twisted wire), and attach to the end of the weedeater line.

Then, thread the open end through the hose-- then pull the line through, with the brush attached. You have to pull it all the way out, then run it through in reverse. This is the benefit of the fish tape-- it's stiff enough you can push / pull at any point if there's a stubborn part.

 

[jester56]

Heck, even with a MagFox, the Weedeater line with a brush sounds great! What a great way to supplement/compliment the cleaning setup!

 

[MSG]

The section of the tube that's black, just replace it with new tubing

Go stop by your hardware store, ask an employee to show you where their tubing is located, it's sold by foot.

As for the "newer" tubing just clean the exterior with salt & baking soda. That should remove any chemicals left over from manufacturing/packaging.

Merry XMas....

 

[GOJIRADOR]

I have a great method for removing detritus from tubing (doesn't work with algae spots). simply fill the tube with water and cap both ends with your thumbs. Now do the monkey like johnny bravo and all the junk will just pour out.