# Mold in siphon - Water hose?



## zomblue

Hiya...

I use a 20ft clear hose to siphon/fill my tank. I noticed it is starting to get a build up of a black mold inside. I store it wrapped in a bucket. 

I have tried to flush it with hot water, but that hasn't moved the mold. What is my best way to safely clean it out? I was told bleach... but have been hesitant to try anything until I get an OK from someone who's done it before. Of course the health of my fish is my worry. Ty in advance for any help!


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## AFishNamedCP

that black mold stuff is always a pain to deal with, in your home. I have a bunch of that mold in my A/C drain tube. basically the same thing. I imagine using bleach and a pipe cleaner or some wire brush you may use for dishes or cleaning filters etc. would be best bet. maybe an abrasive cleaner, like a comet. If the mold gets into pores in the material , I don't know if anything works. But as long as you rinse it out well(like running water through it with pressure for 5 miuntes), it should be safe for fish use.


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## edisto

I used to have a tubing brush...I plan on making one soon.

You just need to attach a bottle brush (test tube brush, or the like) to some thick plastic line like string trimmer line or VERY heavy monofilament. The line has to be thick enough that you can feed it through the tube, and then you just pull the brush through.


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## Gregory

another idea is to get some string and maybe some cotton , then tie the cotton to the end of the string and then use a vacuum cleaner and suck the cotton and string through the hose. then use the string to pull what ever else you might think will clean the hose through. it's a trick that electricians use to pull wire.


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## phil_pl

I would use vinegar. You can use bleach, I have before, but it always worries me since it is pure chlorine and chlorine kills just about everything. Just regular old vinegar will work wonders on aquarium supplies. I clean everything in it from my pumps to my tubing, I will use about a 1/4 cup worth in a 5 gallon bucket and throw in a small power head if you have one to move the water around during cleaning and let the magic happen. Just be sure to rinse everything when your done.


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## Dave Waits

I used to have that problem. I took care of it by plugging one end of the hose, mixing one gallon of water to one cup of Bleach, filling the water hose with it and plugging the other end. Let it sit for about fifteen minutes then I made an adapter to hook it up to my Gardenhose and blew it out under full pressure for about five minutes. The Bleach, in that strength quickly killed the mold and it came right off of the inside of the hose with the water-pressure. Also, running it for five minutes cleared every trace of Bleach out of the line.


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## zomblue

Hiya.. ty for the replies...

Comet is a NO NO for fish, it has such tiny particles that it's really hard to get it all rinsed and is deadly, so that's not gonna happen for me lol...

otherwise vinegar is ok, but I tried that and it just didn't cut thru it, so I'm 
gonna go with the bleach n closing hose to soak it, then rinsing with garden hose!

thanks alot! Bleach was the one I knew would get the mold, just wondered what others had done.

thanks again! Happy fish fun!


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## dvanbramer88

I just never minded it. My older siphon hose has been black inside for quite some time. Never had a reason to worry about it.


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## Gizmo

dvanbramer88 said:


> I just never minded it. My older siphon hose has been black inside for quite some time. Never had a reason to worry about it.


+1
Never bothered me, it's been years. I even get a little crud that breaks loose and flows into the bucket when I start my water changes.


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## jrman83

I don't mess with it either. I have a 70ft hose. Sort of impractical to try and worry about mine.


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## foster

Same here. 50' hose thats pretty much all black inside. Never had a problem.


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