Cleaning Tips

[nion]

I've got some algae growing on the plastic tube for my filter as well as some of my air hoses. What's the best way to get it off?

I've been using a brush and just regular tap water to clean it, but some of the algae is stuck on pretty good. Is it safe to use soap or detergent as long as I make sure to wash all of it off thoroughly, before putting the tube back in my tank?

Any help appreciated.

Thank you

 

[5teady_2012]

I've got some algae growing on the plastic tube for my filter as well as some of my air hoses. What's the best way to get it off?

I've been using a brush and just regular tap water to clean it, but some of the algae is stuck on pretty good. Is it safe to use soap or detergent as long as I make sure to wash all of it off thoroughly, before putting the tube back in my tank?

Any help appreciated.

Thank you

Never use soap or detergents...

With airtubes etc, its easier just to buy new, they are dead cheap and it saves messing around.

 

[Arachnidzone]

I personally use one of those metal scouring pads out of the water, and the green scrubby side of those kitch sponges in the water. Anything you use, give em a good clean 1st, rinse many times just to be safe!

 

[nion]

No cleaning products, got it.

I'm pretty sure I'm going to replace the air hose--the one I'm not replacing is the plastic tube for my filter. So I suppose I should just continue my scour-the-heck-out-of-it method.

Thanks for the help

I've got a big algae problem and lost 2 fish trying algae killers, so I've opted for some algae eating fish: Flying Fox and a Rainbow Shark--at the advice of my LFS.

That should help, right? lol

 

[nion]

I took the liberty of taking a picture of what kind of algae I'm talking about... it's pretty bad

Oh, you can see my pretty male betta He just happened to like the camera and wanted to pose.

If this help, my tank is a 20 gallon freshwater, my fish are:

2 clown loaches
1 flying fox
1 rainbow shark
3 cardinal tetra
4 swordtail tetra
2 rummy nose tetra
1 cory cat
1 male betta
2 black tetra



Here's a larger version:

 

[aaronnorth]

i use scouring pads too.