michael.qian Posted January 22, 2009 Report Share Posted January 22, 2009 How often do you do this? Strip the entire filtration system down and flush the filter pipes? Anything I need in particular? How is this often done? One problem I thought of is that if I run high velocity water through the pipes, wouldn't it just be the same as when it's running normally? Thus not cleaning it at all. Cheers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alanmin4304 Posted January 22, 2009 Report Share Posted January 22, 2009 I clean the pipes every time I clean the filter by running water at high velocity in the opposite direction to the normal flow. The inlet pipe is usually pretty gunged up and is one of the main things restricting the flow. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paekakboyz Posted January 22, 2009 Report Share Posted January 22, 2009 you can also push a piece of airtubing through it to work loose any gunk... then rinse and repeat. I tend to do this every second or third time I clean the filter... don't know whether I'll need to with a FX5 though hmmm actually does a (dramatically) higher flow rate reduce build up? also the tubes are much bigger than my last filters which did accumulate crud in the pipes... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
curtur Posted January 22, 2009 Report Share Posted January 22, 2009 I got an Aqua One pipe cleaning kit form my lfs for about $10, it is a semi-flexible spring about one meter long with a couple of brushes on either end, it works brilliantly! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stella Posted January 22, 2009 Report Share Posted January 22, 2009 I clean the pipes every time I clean the filter by running water at high velocity in the opposite direction to the normal flow. How? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
michael.qian Posted January 22, 2009 Author Report Share Posted January 22, 2009 I would imagine, like I will do today, run waste fast through a hose in the opposite direction. Because you know which way the water is going when the filter is running. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jaide Posted January 23, 2009 Report Share Posted January 23, 2009 How? By removing them (filter, pipes and all) from tank and separating them from the filter. I do this too but strong water flow doesn't loosen the crud so will have to buy one of those metre long pipe cleaners too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David R Posted January 23, 2009 Report Share Posted January 23, 2009 How often do you do this? Strip the entire filtration system down and flush the filter pipes? Never. :oops: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wok Posted January 23, 2009 Report Share Posted January 23, 2009 I use one of those flexi pipe cleaners. Works a treat. It is amazing how much gunk is in those pipes. I usually just turn off the filter, and clean the pipes, then turn on the filter to do a flush. Simple and I keep the good bacteria in my filter Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stella Posted January 23, 2009 Report Share Posted January 23, 2009 I would imagine, like I will do today, run waste fast through a hose in the opposite direction. But if you are using chlorinated tap water you potentially kill or at least rather knock back the bacteria! This is why I am wondering how Alanmin does it, I would be surprised if he used mains pressure. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wok Posted January 23, 2009 Report Share Posted January 23, 2009 I just use plain tap water to was all my filters and pipes. Fish don't seem to have an issue with it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stella Posted January 23, 2009 Report Share Posted January 23, 2009 It is not the FISH that have the issue with it when it comes to cleaning out filters. It is the BACTERIA that live in them that get killed off. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David R Posted January 23, 2009 Report Share Posted January 23, 2009 Is there any reason why you would actually do this? I have honestly never done it in 10 or so years... :-? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alanmin4304 Posted January 23, 2009 Report Share Posted January 23, 2009 I have a 900litre/hour eheim on a turtle tank and it gets gunged up pretty quick. I find that a major part of the restriction on the flow in the filter is the build up of crud on the inlet pipe. I disconnect the pipes to clean the filter, lightly rinse the filter itself so that only the excess crud is removed then blow water back against the normal flow with the outside tap. Our water is not chlorinated but even if it were it wouldn't kill much off in the pipe as it is the crud in the filter itself that contains most of the bugs. Cleaning the filter itself too much kills a lot of good bugs but backflowing the pipes, even with chlorinated water shouldn't do any harm to the filter itself. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stella Posted January 23, 2009 Report Share Posted January 23, 2009 Oh ok so you don't have the filter material in when you backflow it? I am always amazed how 'cruddy' the walls of the inlet pipe get. It doesn't get blocked, more like a brown biofilm scunge. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alanmin4304 Posted January 23, 2009 Report Share Posted January 23, 2009 Even just cleaning the inlet pipe will often restore the flow pretty well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
michael.qian Posted January 24, 2009 Author Report Share Posted January 24, 2009 The result is pretty good. Flowrate increased significantly, as strong as when I first installed the filter. I only cleaned the pipes with tap water, the filter itself with all the media was in tank water all the time during the clean. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snookie Posted January 24, 2009 Report Share Posted January 24, 2009 Is there any reason why you would actually do this? I have honestly never done it in 10 or so years... :-? Sump user :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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