how to clean up ceramic diffuser

[Sweet Angel]

Hi all, I'm using ceramic diffuser for my DIY CO2.
After about a year now, the white part of ceramic diffuser (like gypsum, I don't know what's the material) covered by somekind of algae dark coloured, almost black.

What's the most efficient way to clean it? Is it okay if we brush it with soap?
Seems like the snails & plecs ignore the algae, so have to clean it myself

[evolim83]

I soaked the diffuser in diluted bleach solution overnight, then brush off all the alage.
Soaked it for another in antichlorine and the diffuser will be as good as new.
Hope this helps!

[juggler]

Usually after brushing the algae, you can put it in a pot of water to boil away the bleach. At this point, you will notice the air in the diffuser will have boiled off too and be filled with water.

Use your CO2 tank later to slowly force the water out from the diffuser. And it is ready for use again.

[celticfish]

you can also put gravel over the ceramic portion to reduce or aviod algae growth on it.