Dirty/algae-y Tubing

[chibi]

I have a UV sterilizer and it has tubing attached to a water pump, to the sterilizer, and out from the sterilizer into the tank. Basic UV sterilizer set up. However, since my tubing is clear, I noticed how much crap accumulates in the tubing. Mostly algae and organic material.

What's the best way to clean this?
Does this stuff in the tubing affect the effectiveness of the sterilization?

Thank ya.

 

[OldMan47]

Try a long handled bottle brush. If you have a canister on the floor behind the tank and therefore a long hose, you can clean it by tying some fishing line to a cloth patch on one end and a weight on the other end. Drop the weight through the tube then pull the cleaning cloth through using the fishing line. You need to be careful not to make the cloth patch too big because you don't want to get it half way through and then have the fishing line break. To remove a patch from a broken fishing line you could use almost any long thin object. What comes to mind is the rod from a rifle cleaning kit used to push the patch out. .

 

[rdd1952]

This is an item I forgot about when posting on the thread about odd things you use for the hobby. I play golf and also repair some clubs. I use one of my golf tools, a ramrod. Basically the same thing OM47 was talking about with the rifle cleaning kit. It works wonders for pushing a piece of cloth or paper towel through the tubing. Just wet it good, and push. It takes a few times but it will get most everything out. Of course, you have to make sure the rod is longer than the pipe or you will end up with a rag part way though and no way to get it out.

 

[BigC]

Equally you can remove the flexipipe, tie some strong string or fishing line to a small weighted object and thread it through the pipe. Now attach this to a small babies bottle brush. Now tie another piece of string to the other end of the brush and you can simply drag the brush through the pipe, forward and backward until clean.
You can also purchase Eheim pipe cleaning brushes
http/www.aquatics-online.co.uk/catalogue...spare-parts.asp
or just totally replace the gunged up flexipipe with new. its really cheap.
Regards
BigC

 

[vinylman]

Or you could buy a trumpet/trombone brush. Mine cost about £3 and it's some of the best money I've spent on the tank. Easy to clean the taps with it, too.