cleaning the tubes on canister filters

[Kaza]

every three or four weeks I have to clean the canister tubes, and in the process crap goes back into the tank. Surely they should go longer between cleans. Its quite a job when you are doing 12 filters. Any hints for making it easier?

[Merrilyn]

Karen, I leave mine for three months between cleaning

[ml29]

The way I get around that is to not clean them that often, in fact I haven't really cleaned the tubes yet. It still works fine although it probably loses some flow rate but nothing noiceable.

[goldenpigeon]

i need to clean mine and havnt actually thaught about it. how do u clean them?

[kalebjarrod]

why do you clean them?

[Mattzilla]

i have never cleaned them...don't really think they need it

[Kaza]

I have prefilter sponges on all my canister intake tubes, twice a week I change 40% of the water and wash the intake filters. When you take them off there is a surge of water into the tank, this washes gross stuff into the tank, from the tubes. If no body else has to clean their tubes regularly maybe it is something in the water, the only additives I add to the water is the geo liquid and PH down.

[Mattzilla]

you will always get an algea build up in your tubes and yeah it does spirt into the tank sometimes but it's fine...it won't harm your fish or anything

[N*A*M]

to clean my hoses, i twist up a piece of fabric and jam it in the tube. then i connect the tube to a tap and turn the water on strong. the wad of fabric comes out the other end eventually. i repeat a few times until i'm happy with the cleanliness. it'll never be fully clean but all the loose stuff gets dislodged. hth.

[jim]

just get bigger.wider tube....and you won't need to wash it for 1 year...