clean hoses

[OrionGirl]

I agree on the dish soap--not really a good choice. Some people might not have problems, but why risk it? Different brands and different methods can make a huge difference.

A good cleaner I use regularly is oxyclean. It rinses completely off (no residue) and oxygen is the major by-product. For hoses, I use a funnel, add about 1 tsp, fill the hose with hot water, let it sit til the powder dissolves, swirl it a few times and rinse. Works great!

 

[NJ Devils Fan]

Yea OG, that's what I usually use, that stuff works great on anything, just like the Orange glow.

 

[dona]

Thanks everyone for your replies, I appreciate them all-exspecialy yours, PootsPete.

 

[wetmanNY]

I'm with morleyz, OrionGirl, Cichlid Woman and the gang: OxyClean is a percarbonate. When it's finished burning all the organics off ("oxidizing") there's no soap residue.

Detergent is very toxic to fish. Any surfactant breaks down their slime coat, for one thing.

I only discovered OxyClean this year! A great addition to aquarium-safe cleansers, IMHO.

 

[morleyz]

Thanks for the tip guys and gals...I have oxyclean around the house, but I've never thought about it as a good aquarium cleaner...

 

[dona]

oxy clean

What a good tip I have oxy clean in my house it dosent get better than that! Any special amount?? Just let it soak over night in warm water with some oc.??dona

 

[Kit Walker]

Eheim actually make a long flexible brush designed especially for cleaning out hoses. Like a really long wire with a bottle brush on the end. Not cheap though. I have gone to buy one for the last 2 years, but every time I look at it I can't justify the price. Then my next door neighbour bought one!

 

[wethead]

I use a weak solution of bleach to clean anything that won't obsorb it (such as driftwood or rock). Plastic plants get super clean this way.
With my python i fill a 5gal bucket with the bleach solution, then let it suck up till the hose is full. Let it sit for an hr. then rinse really good. Thats it, never had a problem doing this.
Rich

 

[wetmanNY]

Kit Walker, just call that brush a "trombone snake" or a "tuba brush" or such, and you can buy it more reasonably in a musical instrument store.

I imagine, the only way to spend more for this brush than at your LFS, is to go into a doll store and buy one as a doll's-house chimney-sweep brush. Then it'll really cost you!

Idle hours: puff a couple, inhale some, then step inside the Dollhouse Shoppe with a confederate. Perform elaborate soundless sight gags with doll'shouse fittings until one of you laughs out loud (loser!) or you are caught and asked to leave...