black stuff in my python water filler hose

[jharrit]

I currently live in a region where the water is very hard, possibly de-salinated, using a Python Aquaruim Cleaning System, great for adding/removing water from the aquarium as well as vacumming the tank during water changes, however lately I seem to have some sort of Black/red stuff on the inside. Afraid to use it now as I am unsure if whatever the stuff is will leak into the tank during usage. Can anyone help with this by identifying the "stuff" and telling me how to remove it.
Much thanks

[genocidex]

picture are always a good idea. do you blow out all the water from the tube after each use? could be some algae. if you have a round wire brush and some cord you could pass the brush threw the tube several times. that should clean it

[Dave66]

What that is, is red algae, which appears in the colors you describe. It comes from your tap water. Whatever filters it at the water plant uses resins, so the nutrient left over allows primitive algae (just a few steps up from cyanobacteria) to proliferate in the flows through your Python tubing. As geno said, long bottle brush will clean the algae out, but it will return in days or weeks because of your tap water.

Dave

[Lady Hobbs]

Black in mine. I left the hose hang until dry but still get it. I poured bleach thru mine that didn't get it all. Decided it was easier to just go to Home Depot and get some beverage hose and replace it.

[genocidex]

Decided it was easier to just go to Home Depot and get some beverage hose and replace it.

its hanging it out to dry that i suspect is the problem i got gunk that grew in my tube 1 time (i can be squeemish about unknown gunk) and after i just blow the tube out with lung power. also papper towels on a string works great too XD

[vinodjbhatia]

I get it in mine too, in the pipe. It can be cleaned by immersing the pipe overnight in a bucket of hot water. It clears up the stuff inside. But to be honest, its easier to replace the pipe which is what I do now.