Tropical Fish Forum
Tropical Fish Keeping Help and Advice => General Fishkeeping advice => Topic started by: Skittler on April 18, 2015, 01:19:49 PM
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Hello All,
I have noticed in recent weeks that my clear plastic siphon tube, used for water changes, is stained black on the inside. This started long before my recent cycling/bacterial bloom problems in the Shrimpery, but has got a lot worse recently. Soaking in clean tap water doesn't seem to help. I bought it new about 4 months ago for the 125L, from the local Home Brew shop (cheers!). Any ideas on how to clean it?
Skittler
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I find that homebrew (or wine making!) tubes do get blacker than 'proper' siphon tubes, though I have no idea if this is because they are narrower or made of something different. I just put up with my black tubes, though I do find that if I siphon up a dead leaf that only just fits it does take some of the black off the inside. I know that people say to drop a weight attached to a piece of string attached to a cloth into the tube and pull through to clean external filter pipework, but I think they are quite a bit wider than siphon tubing. The only other suggestion is to soak the tubing in bleach - thin supermarket basic range bleach (no perfume or surfactant) diluted 1 in 10 or baby bottle sterlising solution made up to the recommended strength. Rinse very thoroughly, with the last rinse water being overdosed with dechlorinator, before using again.
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Thanks Sue,
My tube is 1/4" (6mm) internal dia. I will try the bleach idea. My Domestos has perfume and surfactants in it, so I will need to go shopping. Thanks for the help.
Skittler
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Hello All,
I couldn't find a bleach without any nasties. I do, however, now remember using Domestos in my filthy home brew bin many, many years ago - it did work. As I'm still here, I can only assume that I must have washed it out pretty well! Previous to that I had used sodium metabisulphite, which, it seems, sterilised but didn't clean. With that in mind, I went back to the home brew shop and asked their advice. They sold me a cleaner/steriliser which is not sodium metabisulphite, but is a "chlorine donor". I can find nothing about its contents. It is called "VWP", and is described as being for both household and home brew use, including teapots, dentures, and toothbrushes!
So, I gave it a go, soaking the tube for about 6 hours in a full strength solution. The tube is now slightly opaque, but is much cleaner. I gave it many rinses afterwards as Sue suggested. No apparent side effects ......apart from this rather annoying twitch ....... :yikes:
Skittler
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It might be worth checking with them that it is safe for aquarium use. I found their web site (http://www.vwpcleanersteriliser.co.uk/default.htm) on Google.
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How about baby equipment sterilizing bleach? Milton for example
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I use the own brand version of Milton tabs a lot. As long as everything is well rinsed it should be fine. After all, I reasoned, it's safe enough for babies tums !
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I don't think it matters what you use. If you rinse it well afterwards, any trace of chemical left in it would be vanishingly minute and not cause any problems. Personally I'd just leave it as it is, it's for getting dirty water out of your tank, not for looking at, so what matter if it looks dirty.