Cleaning the filter hoses.
- Thread starter FishyMatty
- Start date
THEJRC
Third String Messiah?
The hoses when stuffed full of gunk tend to do a lot more filtration than the filter a lot of the time. If you've got longer hoses you basically end up with a nice algal scrubber so I avoid cleaning mine. Occasionally they get a little too full of gunk though and I've found that by rolling them over my hand in a bucket of water I can free up large chunks of gunk without actually emptying the hose of good gunk, then it's back on the filter for another year and a half of service!
as far as the black spots, I dunno, how long have these hoses been in operation? It may just be that the colonies are growing in patches rather than all around the hose.
as far as the black spots, I dunno, how long have these hoses been in operation? It may just be that the colonies are growing in patches rather than all around the hose.
I actually ran HOT water through the hoses and as I said used a pipe cleaner. So if those were bacterial colonies there all gone now.
I only rinse filter media in tank water. And I always use dechlorinator before adding new water.
Hey 12volt man
Since you seem to know a lot more about chlorine than most people, do you know how long it takes for tap water dechlorinators like prime take to make the water safe and for good measure do you know how?
I only rinse filter media in tank water. And I always use dechlorinator before adding new water.
Hey 12volt man
Since you seem to know a lot more about chlorine than most people, do you know how long it takes for tap water dechlorinators like prime take to make the water safe and for good measure do you know how?
The hoses are actually rather new. I got the glass inflow and returns for three of my tanks like 2 months ago so after almost a year of running I completely changed out the hoses with no effect.
I don't know. I did a huge water change and they have been fine. I'm going to check the nitrite again later to make sure everything is ok.
not sure what is in Prime, but most regular dechlorinators use sodium thiosulphate (Na2S203-).
when Chlorine is applied to tap water, it forms hypochlorous acid (HOCL-) and hypochlorite ions (OCl). The hypochorous acid is the main disinfection agent.
sodium thiosulphate reacts with this and through a reaction forms harmless Chloride ions (Cl-).
As far as the reaction time goes, I have looked for this in the literature at work and I can't find it anywhere.
at work, we used to dechlorinate using sulphur dioxide, which works along the same lines, and our contact time in the chamber was about 8 minutes. Keep in mind though, that being wastewater, we have a lot more compounds to react with chlorine (and therefor add more chlorine) and a lot more time is needed to fully react.
I believe the reaction time with proper mixing would be almost instanteous, especially given the low amounts of chlorine residual found in tap water (usually 5.0mg/L of chorine in my area, for instance).
thankfully, we don't use chlorine anymore, we now have UV disinfection - much much safer to work around
I know I could just call my water company for this answer but I'm lazy and I hate the phone.not sure what is in Prime, but most regular dechlorinators use sodium thiosulphate (Na2S203-).
when Chlorine is applied to tap water, it forms hypochlorous acid (HOCL-) and hypochlorite ions (OCl). The hypochorous acid is the main disinfection agent.
sodium thiosulphate reacts with this and through a reaction forms harmless Chloride ions (Cl-).
As far as the reaction time goes, I have looked for this in the literature at work and I can't find it anywhere.
at work, we used to dechlorinate using sulphur dioxide, which works along the same lines, and our contact time in the chamber was about 8 minutes. Keep in mind though, that being wastewater, we have a lot more compounds to react with chlorine (and therefor add more chlorine) and a lot more time is needed to fully react.
I believe the reaction time with proper mixing would be almost instanteous, especially given the low amounts of chlorine residual found in tap water (usually 5.0mg/L of chorine in my area, for instance).
thankfully, we don't use chlorine anymore, we now have UV disinfection - much much safer to work around
I can smell chlorine in my water so does that mean there is a lot in there?
Yucky... if you can smell it, yea, you have a fair bit of chlorine in the water- water companies are only allowed to put a certain amount in. I could be wrong, but I know the state of Georgia puts less chlorine in their water in the winter and more in the summer (since there tends to be more organic matter in our water in the summer).
Here's a website you can go to check up on your water quality... I think the legal max is 250 mg/L
http://www.epa.gov/safewater/dwinfo/index.html
http://www.epa.gov/safewater/dwinfo/index.html
its good that you smell a little bit of chlorine in your water.
it means that the chlorine residual is present.
chlorine residual is chlorine that is available to disinfect the water AFTER it has left the water plant (eg. if there are bacteria in the distribution system, you need to have free chlorine available to kill these bugs too before it comes out your tap).
water plants add enough chlorine to first kill all bacteria while the water is at the plant, and continue to add such that a residual is present to ensure that the water stays safe by the time it gets to where you are going to drink it.
it means that the chlorine residual is present.
chlorine residual is chlorine that is available to disinfect the water AFTER it has left the water plant (eg. if there are bacteria in the distribution system, you need to have free chlorine available to kill these bugs too before it comes out your tap).
water plants add enough chlorine to first kill all bacteria while the water is at the plant, and continue to add such that a residual is present to ensure that the water stays safe by the time it gets to where you are going to drink it.
