Keeping hoses from getting moldy

[lahlumdi]

When we lived in Germany, I found over time that my vaccuum tubing got ugly black stuff growing in it. That was OK because I used it to siphon stuff out, and I used buckets to dump water in.

Now I am using a hose system directly from the faucet. But I am concerned that it never gets fully dry, and I wonder about mold developing in it.

Does anyone else have this problem? How do you approach it?

[Lady Hobbs]

I hang mine over the shower head to drain but apparently I didn't drain them well enough as I have the same problem. I set mine up to run into a bucket of bleach water and it killed the mold but didn't clean it completely.

[Rue]

I don't have the python, but I also have some build-up in my regular siphon...I use it for the SW tank as well, I was hoping the salt would kill the mould spores...but it doesn't get rid of the staining...

Not sure what the solution would be...

[rich311k]

I have had it in any hose I have ever used for tanks. I rinse them out with hot water I have never had a death I could point to the hoses for, so I dont really worry about it anymore.

[Northernguy]

I bought a plumbing snake for that. I hook an algae sponge onto the coil and pull it through the hose.
Its also great for cleaning out my canister hoses.
You may have trouble with anything over 16ft unleass you buy a huge snake.
The one I use is only 8ft.

[Lab_Rat]

I don't worry about it, so far it's never been an issue. I figure all the water flow draining the tank will knock off a majority of whatever is going to come off.

[domjd05]

I've never cleaned my syphon hose... it just takes stuff OUT, but I would make an attempt to clean a hose you use to put water IN, every so often.

[Tetris]

tie a bead to a string and tie the other end of the string to a balled up pipe cleaner... Maybe tie a second string to that pipe cleaner as well... Put the weighted string (the one with the bead) down the tube, and pull the pipe cleaner through... Or pull it back and forth if you used 2 strings... Should work if the stuff isn't stuck on there too well...

[rhonin]

Picked up a hose cleaner from my LFS.

Is made of braided wire that can be lengthened by adding 24" sections. Slightly flexible with some stiff nylon bristles on one end.

I run the hose thru hot water with the occasional bleach wash and use the hose cleaner when I start to see some dark build up.

Works pretty well.

[BIO-Linist]

I rinse the inside and outside of my (6ft) siphon tube full blast using garden hose nozzle. Then I hold one end and swing the tube really fast in circles over my head; repeat holding the other end. That gets most of the water out. Don't really have a mold problem.
Hope that helps.

[Mith]

tie a bead to a string and tie the other end of the string to a balled up pipe cleaner... Maybe tie a second string to that pipe cleaner as well... Put the weighted string (the one with the bead) down the tube, and pull the pipe cleaner through... Or pull it back and forth if you used 2 strings... Should work if the stuff isn't stuck on there too well...

VERY similar to what I do (I use a large nut and a little piece of cloth)

Its cheap and it works great!!!

[tetra]

I used a wire coat hanger with some sponge on it to clean mine.

[sheamurai]

hmm, that may work with my smaller (for 6 and 10g tank) syphon, but I'm still hoping someone will post an idea for the longer (mine is 50ft) python style syphon...aside from rolling bleach thru it...I shake water out as best I can before I put it away, and no mould yet, but I'd like to have an idea in my back pocket if it ever did develop.