Cleaning Python

[bobtrop]

Has anyone ever attempted to clean the inside of their Python? Mine is 50 feet long and is rather grungy in spots. Thanks.

 

[BrianNY]

That would be quite a brush needed to clean that *LOL*. Mine gets gets used daily on several tanks and I've never considered the need to clean it. I believe you can just by the replacement hose from python if needed.

 

[Sati]

You could try pouring very hot water through it but I don't know how much that'd help anyhow. It sounds like more of a pain in the butt than it's worth

 

[Mr Burns]

use bleach and see if that takes care of the problem before buying a new hose.

rinse with A LOT of water.

if you think you're done rinsing, rinse some more.

 

[Guest]

My old one got pretty grungy in spots also, but i never tried to clean it, other than running hot water through it. Didn't help much. The mold (or whatever it was) growing in there never seemed to hurt my fish though. I was almost relieved when the old one was partially destroyed during a move. Gave me an excuse to buy a new one! With the new one I make sure there is as little water as possible left in the tube before storing it. That seems to have prevented the grunge from growing in there.

 

[TankGirl]

If you don't use it as often as I do (*wink* at Brian) I have heard that hanging it without coils helps a lot in preventing the grunge. It is hard with the 50-foot model, of course, but you could loop it as few times as possible over a shower-curtain rod and see if it dries more completely that way. I don't think it hurts anything, though, it is just ugly!

 

[Kerrinne]

I have the 25 foot python with a 20 foot extension. I separate it after sucking as much water through it as possible via the faucet. Then I shake it out as well as possible. Then, as TankGirl suggested, I actually do drape it over the shower curtain rod. LOL I thought I was weird doing that and kept it a secret. I guess it's not so odd after all.

 

[William]

I have the 50foot version. I just coil it up and throw it in theback yard on the picnic table for the afternoon, that usually dries it and burns away microbial pests.

 

[Mr Burns]

haha...that's all well and good for florida, william... what about everybody above the freeze line?

 

[myriam]

Haha William, nice option if you live in sunny Florida! If I did that my Python would be covered with mildew inside and out, within hours

 

[QTOFFER]

I have the 25 foot python with a 20 foot extension. I separate it after sucking as much water through it as possible via the faucet. Then I shake it out as well as possible.

I have the exact same python and I remove the excess water the exact same way. Then I just coil it up inside a bucket - no gunk so far.

But should gunk ever develop, is it something to be concerned about other than being gross? I have some nasty brown stuff inside my filter hoses, but I am choosing to ignore it until I start seeing elevated nitrates - wise or foolish?

 

[Thaiboxer]

I'm above the freeze line!

I have a 50' python, and when I'm done I turn it to "suck", then walk down the hose toward the faucet, holding the hose higher than the faucet the whole way. That gets all the water out - no mold in mine in over a year using this method.

Good luck!

 

[bobtrop]

Thanks for the advice everyone. I think I may try using a mild bleach solution to clean it. Otherwise, I just have to be more careful about leaving any excess water in the hose.

 

[oscarbreeder]

I use the same metod as Thaiboxer and as he/she said it works wonders.

 

[Mr Burns]

i use the same method also and it gets pretty dry that way. of course, i've had it for less than a month, but i don't know how i lived without it. i absolutely love it. i did two 10% water changes and vacs in under 20 minutes. because the maracyn 2 treatment the water was cloudy, so it needed a larger than normal water change. my gravel has also stayed clean for longer than i ever thought possible...i really i would have had a python years ago...

 

[Mr Burns]

Haha William, nice option if you live in sunny Florida! If I did that my Python would be covered with mildew inside and out, within hours

mine would be frozen solid just like everything else.

 

[Thaiboxer]

No Whining Mr. Burns... come visit Minnesota, then tell me Ohio is cold

 

[krap101]

i wish i lived somewhere that cold i love snow

 

[Mr Burns]

illinois isn't cold enough for you??? what part are you in?

 

[tomas21]

Has anyone has success cleaning the brown crud out of a 50 footer?