# Need advice on cleaning brushes



## seaecho (Jan 31, 2012)

What kind of brush do you guys use on a HOB filter intake tube? (I have Penguin Bio-Wheels). My 10 gal. tank is over a month old and finally cycled, so it was time to clean the filter. I squished the filter cartridge media in dirty fish water when doing a PWC, swished the bio-wheel lightly in there and washed the impeller, and ran my finger into the intake tube as far as it would go on each end. A little slimy, but no real buildup. The next time I do it, I want to use a brush to get to the whole intake tube. I read online that a foxtail brush is best, but there is one called Flexi Brush that you pull through the tube and is supposed to fit just about any intake. It only got 3.5 stars on Amazon though. Which do you find does the job best for you? And please list the brand name so I can find them online. Thanks!


----------



## jrman83 (Jul 9, 2010)

I just use standard brushes that Petsmart sold in a pack of 3 sizes. It never got it all when I used HOBs, but I was okay with what it left. It just couldn't get all the way around the square route of the tubing....wouldn't make the turn.


----------



## seaecho (Jan 31, 2012)

Thank you, jrman. Yeah, I can understand how it would be pretty impossible to get a brush through the turn in the tube. Petsmart was out of any of the smaller brushes when I was there last. I'm actually kind of scared to go there again because I just CAN'T seem to keep myself from looking at the bettas! Then I end up falling in love with one and then I'm not able to stop thinking about it. That's how I ended up with my girl! It seems so pointless to order things I need via online, but it keeps me out of trouble too!


----------



## hanky (Jan 18, 2012)

I use the same three pack from petsmart, basiclly any brush like that will work check out your local dollar stores they might have something without tempting you with Bettas.lol.
Also depending on how long the tube is you might use an old toothbrush, I also found if you get one of the foxtail looking brushes and slightly bend the end of it, it will make that 90 degree turn with a little pressure. Just remember not to use tap water much, dont overclean the filter that you kill the bios growing


----------



## FishFlow (Sep 13, 2011)

You clean out the inside of the tubes ?? 

I hose 'em down, then let'em sit under water for 5 minutes, then back into the tank. 

Slimy make the water move faster right ?


----------



## seaecho (Jan 31, 2012)

Fishflow, the instructions that came with the filter says to clean the insides and impeller with a brush. I guess slimy is all right but I don't want it to get to the point to where it would clog up the tubes. Ordered a 3 brush package from Petsmart today (they STILL didn't have any and its been 2 weeks!) and was proud of myself for dashing past the bettas without even glancing! It took some determination, let me tell you!


----------



## Summer (Oct 3, 2011)

I'd imagine one of the cheap baby bottle brushes at the dollar store would do essentially the same thing?


----------



## seaecho (Jan 31, 2012)

Never even occurred to me to use a baby bottle brush, Summer! Duh! Oh well, at least the brushes aren't that expensive. What made me mad though is that I've seen them online for $3 and at Petsmart they are charging $5.49! Quite a difference.


----------



## FishFlow (Sep 13, 2011)

Impeller, yes, clean that. I've found even a little slim in the impeller housing can cause it not to perform well. I use q-tips for the impeller housing.


----------



## seaecho (Jan 31, 2012)

I will use a Q-tip on the impeller housing too! Great tip Fishflow! By the way, just this morning I noticed the bio-wheels in both my tanks have slowed down considerably, almost to the point to where they stop completely. Now I think I'm finding out why bio-wheels are not the favorite choice of many. Marineland says its normal, that its a sign they are doing their job, but after following their advice on little things to try, there has been no improvement. If they stop altogether I guess I'll have to spring for some Aquaclears.


----------



## Mr_Pat (Apr 13, 2010)

i clean impeller houseing and impellers but leave my tubes alone .. except the intake strainer.. which tends to get plant debris stuck to it.. yet to really have a filter tube get all that dirty tho i guess


----------



## hanky (Jan 18, 2012)

On the bio wheels, I have had the penquin 400 for over 5 years with no problem. Did you clean out and adjust the waterflow tubes that turn the wheels? They say as long as they turn they are good, I also use a small dab of vasoline on the ends as like a lubricant. If they dont seem to work at all for ya, just take them off, you wont need new filters, Take the plastic shell that they give you for carbon and fill it with some small ceramic media it will increase the bio filter.


----------



## seaecho (Jan 31, 2012)

Let's see. . . waterflow tubes that turn the wheels. I didn't know those could be adjusted! Said nothing about that in the instructions. How do you adjust them? So I can just remove the bio-wheels altogether if they stop working? They ARE moving, but not at even a fourth of the speed they were in the beginning. In fact, the newest one (only a couple weeks old) is turning the slowest. In the beginning it was going TOO fast and causing too much water current for the betta. I wonder if the filter media is TOO dirty? Its pretty gunky, but I didn't want to disturb it because its actively cycling. I didn't know you could use small ceramic medic in the plastic shells. Interesting. I'll take a look at those waterflow tubes tomorrow. Not enough good lighting to do it now, after dark. I'm not at all mechanically inclined, can you tell? I was proud of myself for putting the Penguin filters together by myself, and they're supposed to be super easy!


----------



## hanky (Jan 18, 2012)

Well Im not sure which model you have, I have Emperor 400 model and just behind the bio wheels is a plastic tube with 5-6 holes in it the water shoots out in a stream and turns the wheels. If you have those tubes than there should be a knob on the end to just turn. If you dont have these than I guess there is no adjustment. Then your wheels are turned by the water flow coming out of the filter, and the media may need a rinsing, I understand your cycling but if the media is that gunked up then your not filtering as much as you should either, go ahead and rinse them out in your old tank water during next WC.


----------



## seaecho (Jan 31, 2012)

Yes, I don't have the Emperors--I have the smaller Penguins. And I can't find any tubes such as you are describing. So I'm assuming they don't have them. Yes, the wheels are turned just by the water flowing out. I rinsed the filter medias in used tank water a week ago, and that didn't make a difference in the bio-wheels. They are still turning, albeit slowly, so I won't worry unless they stop.

By the way, I believe my new tank is now cycled. Both tanks show zero ammonia, zero nitrite and 20ppm nitrate. I did a 40% wc on both of them today because of the nitrates. So all is going well for now, thanks to all the help I get on this board.


----------

