How do you clean your glass inlet pipe?

[kohanson]

After enjoying the looks of the glass inlet and outlet pipe for about a month, it is now full of brown dirt or maybe algae and time to do some cleaning. I was thinking of getting the flexible cleaning brush as recommended by bennyc this weekend for the lily pipe, then I was thinking how I can clean the inlet pipe without pulling it out from the hose as I think it is quite fragile. Anyone has any solution to clean the intake pipe without removing it from the hose?

[Berny]

no other ways I believe, unless you got quick detach tap valve then just clean part of hose along with pipe

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[sparco212001]

I tried using hydrogen peroxide and it is very useful and fast!

[kohanson]

Berny: I have the double tap but I fix it quite low and I think the flexible brush cant reach the inlet pipe.

sparco: I have heard of this chemical for spot dosing to kill algae! Any specific brand and shop you bought yours from? I think Guardian sell these?

[sparco212001]

its from guardian. I tried as the concept comes from spot dosing to kill algaes. it works!

[kohanson]

its from guardian. I tried as the concept comes from spot dosing to kill algaes. it works!

Ok thanks bro. Will try this method for cleaning the intake pipe.

[felix_fx2]

I tried using hydrogen peroxide and it is very useful and fast!

HP costs more compared to bleach, but bleach need to rinse HP will dissipate

[vinz]

I use something like this to clean my hoses. Shoild work for your situation.


I don't know where to get it in SG though. The one I bought was an originsl ADA one from Nature Aquarium at Thomson. The ADA one has a shorter head, so goes through tight bends easier.

OTOH, it is not difficult to DIY one from a standard pipe cleaner and thick gauge nylon fishing line. You meed the stiff thick guage nylon line to string it through the hose. Just cut the head of the pipe cleaner longer then required, remove the bristles from one end, make sure the rest does not untwist and fashion an eyelet to secure the line.

You won't be abe to scrub with it, so tougher algae life green spot will not be removed by this.

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[Urban Aquaria]

I use the Marina flexible cleaning brush, very effective in cleaning glass lily pipes and hoses. The brush has relatively stiff bristles so can scrub off green spot algae quite easily. Been using it for almost a year already.



Photo from google.

I bought it from Seaview, but i think most of the popular LFS probably also stock it too.

[lionelckg]

I use something like this to clean my hoses. Shoild work for your situation.


I don't know where to get it in SG though. The one I bought was an originsl ADA one from Nature Aquarium at Thomson. The ADA one has a shorter head, so goes through tight bends easier.

OTOH, it is not difficult to DIY one from a standard pipe cleaner and thick gauge nylon fishing line. You meed the stiff thick guage nylon line to string it through the hose. Just cut the head of the pipe cleaner longer then required, remove the bristles from one end, make sure the rest does not untwist and fashion an eyelet to secure the line.

You won't be abe to scrub with it, so tougher algae life green spot will not be removed by this.

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I bought something like that from C328. Perhaps TS can try there...

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[David]

My take, use double tap and get that ADA thingy...cannot get the ADA thingy, get a electrician flex wire pull...

Hydrogen Peroxide also need to rinse...not as bad as bleach...but still rinse.

Inlet pipe a bit tough as there is no through opening on both ends.

[Urban Aquaria]

Inlet pipe a bit tough as there is no through opening on both ends.

Yeah, i agree with David... although it possible to scrub a lily pipe output without removing it from the hose, the intake is usually sealed from the bottom, so no choice have to remove from the hose to do a proper cleaning.

[David]

UA...the credit goes to Bennyc who highlighted the issue to me...

[illumnae]

I'm using the Gush version of the pipe cleaners mentioned above. Same thing different brand.

One issue I'm having though is that the Gush pipe cleaner works well with 13mm and 17mm glass pipes, but isn't good for the 10mm versions as it is too thick and gets stuck halfway. Do the Marina/ADA brands cater to the 10mm outlet pipes?

[bennyc]

http://ca-en.hagen.com/Aquatic/Maint...g?brand=Marina

Marina has only the flexible coil and flexible tube versions. Maybe u will have to DIY to have a better fit since 10mm is a small market.

@ David, thanks for mentioning me!

[bennyc]

I'm using the Gush version of the pipe cleaners mentioned above. Same thing different brand.

One issue I'm having though is that the Gush pipe cleaner works well with 13mm and 17mm glass pipes, but isn't good for the 10mm versions as it is too thick and gets stuck halfway. Do the Marina/ADA brands cater to the 10mm outlet pipes?

Becareful not to force it in. You might break the glass or cut yourself.

[kohanson]

Thanks all seniors for the suggestions! Probably will try the flexible brush and hydrogen peroxide. My double tap are place quite close to the canister and I think the flexible brush wont be able to reach the inlet pipe. Will go seaview to take a look this weekend as Clementi is far from my home.

[Urban Aquaria]

One issue I'm having though is that the Gush pipe cleaner works well with 13mm and 17mm glass pipes, but isn't good for the 10mm versions as it is too thick and gets stuck halfway. Do the Marina/ADA brands cater to the 10mm outlet pipes?

The Marina flexible cleaning brush is abit too large to curve into the bends of the 10mm nano glass lily pipes... so what i use those "baby bottle straw" cleaning brushes instead (i get mine from Daiso, check at the kitchen/baby section), its much thinner so can reach into the narrow bends of the 10mm pipes to scrub them, they look something like this:



Alternatively, those fuzzy pipe cleaners can also work too, like these:



Photos from google.

[illumnae]

Cheers bro, is the baby bottle cleaner from daiso flexible enough to clean the bends of the 10mm pipe?

[Urban Aquaria]

Cheers bro, is the baby bottle cleaner from daiso flexible enough to clean the bends of the 10mm pipe?

Yes, its flexible and narrow enough to access and clean the bends in 10mm lily pipes... its actually designed to clean straws, which are even narrower.