tubing blockage : clean? replace?

[pakett]

The 1" tubing from the pump to the waterfall develops layers of brown, wormy
looking, thick sludgy stuff and keeps building up and eventually you can
tell it's reducing the water-flow. I've tried the smooth tubing, and now
have the ribbed black kind.... same thing happens. I know it's building up
quickly because I can easily compare it to the small piece from the filter
to the pump... I wonder what most of you out there do about this.
I've done the following (but wonder if there's a better way of course!)
- replaced tubing after cleaning didn't work.
- flushed it with bleach & water, and also with CLR & water, at different
times. ( I put the waterfall end of the tube in a big bucket, and the pump
in another big bucket since they're too far away to go in the same one, and
circulated the water many times through...and of course rinsed it out really
well) No visible improvement, and a lot of work.
- thought of pulling a small cloth through on a long wire, but it didn't
work.... too long a distance.
Anyone else got any great ideas!?
Southern Ontario

[Sean Dinh]

I had a problem with dragon fly's eggs developing inside the hose. I upgraded
the hose to a larger size.

Try pulling a steel bristles brush instead of a cloth?

pakett wrote:

> The 1" tubing from the pump to the waterfall develops layers of brown, wormy
> looking, thick sludgy stuff and keeps building up and eventually you can
> tell it's reducing the water-flow. I've tried the smooth tubing, and now
> have the ribbed black kind.... same thing happens. I know it's building up
> quickly because I can easily compare it to the small piece from the filter
> to the pump... I wonder what most of you out there do about this.
> I've done the following (but wonder if there's a better way of course!)
> - replaced tubing after cleaning didn't work.
> - flushed it with bleach & water, and also with CLR & water, at different
> times. ( I put the waterfall end of the tube in a big bucket, and the pump
> in another big bucket since they're too far away to go in the same one, and
> circulated the water many times through...and of course rinsed it out really
> well) No visible improvement, and a lot of work.
> - thought of pulling a small cloth through on a long wire, but it didn't
> work.... too long a distance.
> Anyone else got any great ideas!?
> Southern Ontario

[Mike Patterson]

I think the wire/cloth was a good idea, you may just need to refine it.

When you said "too long a distance", did you mean the wire was too
flexible so you couldn't feed it through?

If so, you can pick up an electrical fish tape for less than $10, or if
(like me) you have a lot of 14 guage solid electrical wire laying
around, that'll work.

Maybe instead of a cloth fasten on a small piece or wire mesh for the
first couple of passes then work up to cloth.

HTH
Mike

pakett wrote:
> The 1" tubing from the pump to the waterfall develops layers of brown, wormy
> looking, thick sludgy stuff and keeps building up and eventually you can
> tell it's reducing the water-flow. I've tried the smooth tubing, and now
> have the ribbed black kind.... same thing happens. I know it's building up
> quickly because I can easily compare it to the small piece from the filter
> to the pump... I wonder what most of you out there do about this.
> I've done the following (but wonder if there's a better way of course!)
> - replaced tubing after cleaning didn't work.
> - flushed it with bleach & water, and also with CLR & water, at different
> times. ( I put the waterfall end of the tube in a big bucket, and the pump
> in another big bucket since they're too far away to go in the same one, and
> circulated the water many times through...and of course rinsed it out really
> well) No visible improvement, and a lot of work.
> - thought of pulling a small cloth through on a long wire, but it didn't
> work.... too long a distance.
> Anyone else got any great ideas!?
> Southern Ontario
>
>

[how]

"pakett" > wrote in message
...
> The 1" tubing from the pump to the waterfall develops layers of brown,
wormy
> looking, thick sludgy stuff and keeps building up and eventually you can
> tell it's reducing the water-flow. I've tried the smooth tubing, and now
> have the ribbed black kind.... same thing happens. I know it's building
up
> quickly because I can easily compare it to the small piece from the filter
> to the pump...
> snip

Hi,
Is this tube exposed to light? If so it may be algae forming. Bury it or
otherwise keep the sun off it and see what happens.
HTH -_- how
no NEWS is good

[Crashj]

"pakett" > wrote in message >...
> The 1" tubing from the pump to the waterfall develops layers of brown, wormy
> looking, thick sludgy stuff and keeps building up and eventually you can
> tell it's reducing the water-flow.
<>
> - thought of pulling a small cloth through on a long wire, but it didn't
> work.... too long a distance.
> Anyone else got any great ideas!?

First Law of Pulleys states, "You can't push on a rope."
Go to a sporting goods store and buy a shotgun cleaning brush in the
size you need, if they have a big enough one. These are available in
brass, nylon or SS. If this is not big enough, then a bottle brush or
an aquarium tube brush. Attach a small round float to some 50 pound
test line and tie the brush to the other end. You will need to create
an adapter which will allow the pump to suck the float through but
keep it from going into the rotor. If you tie the brush to another
piece you can drag it back and forth through the hose once it is in
place. If your pump will suck the brush through by itself you don't
need the float, just suck it in and pull it back out. The brush does
not need to be real tight.
None of which addresses the real question, which is, what is this gunk
and why are you getting it? Is it the bacteria which are supposed to
be eating the nitrates? Is the flow in the hose too slow?
--
Crashj

[Grubber]

"pakett" > wrote in message
...
> The 1" tubing from the pump to the waterfall develops layers of brown,
wormy
> looking, thick sludgy stuff and keeps building up and eventually you can
> tell it's reducing the water-flow. I've tried the smooth tubing, and now
> have the ribbed black kind.... same thing happens. I know it's building
up
> quickly because I can easily compare it to the small piece from the filter
> to the pump... I wonder what most of you out there do about this.
> I've done the following (but wonder if there's a better way of course!)
> - replaced tubing after cleaning didn't work.
> - flushed it with bleach & water, and also with CLR & water, at different
> times. ( I put the waterfall end of the tube in a big bucket, and the pump
> in another big bucket since they're too far away to go in the same one,
and
> circulated the water many times through...and of course rinsed it out
really
> well) No visible improvement, and a lot of work.
> - thought of pulling a small cloth through on a long wire, but it didn't
> work.... too long a distance.
> Anyone else got any great ideas!?
> Southern Ontario
>
>

Low tech solution.

When the 1" tubing in my 'puddle' gets clogged enough that my flow is
limited, I unplug the pump, get the end of the hose, wipe it with rubbing
alcohol and blow until it starts bubbling out of the pump. Plug the pump
back in and let the hose purge a bunch of guck onto the ground and then put
the hose back in the waterfall. Repeat in 3-4 months.

[Emily & Craig Cagle]

The 1" tubing going from my pump to the waterfall gets clogged like yours.
I end up cleaning it out every other week. I'm sure this problem exists
because my pond is so dirty (I really need to do an all out cleaning) but I
notice a drop in water flow 24 hrs after cleaning the filter...too much
work! Wish I had an answer for your question, but at least you know your
not the only one...

Craig in south TX


"pakett" > wrote in message
...
> The 1" tubing from the pump to the waterfall develops layers of brown,
wormy
> looking, thick sludgy stuff and keeps building up and eventually you can
> tell it's reducing the water-flow. I've tried the smooth tubing, and now
> have the ribbed black kind.... same thing happens. I know it's building
up
> quickly because I can easily compare it to the small piece from the filter
> to the pump... I wonder what most of you out there do about this.
> I've done the following (but wonder if there's a better way of course!)
> - replaced tubing after cleaning didn't work.
> - flushed it with bleach & water, and also with CLR & water, at different
> times. ( I put the waterfall end of the tube in a big bucket, and the pump
> in another big bucket since they're too far away to go in the same one,
and
> circulated the water many times through...and of course rinsed it out
really
> well) No visible improvement, and a lot of work.
> - thought of pulling a small cloth through on a long wire, but it didn't
> work.... too long a distance.
> Anyone else got any great ideas!?
> Southern Ontario
>
>

[pakett]

Thanks for all your suggestions! In response:
-the tubing is already completely buried, except for what's underwater.
- the tube from the pump to the waterfall is about 15' long, and yes, quite
windy, bendy.
- I have no ideas what the gunk is. The water flow is not slow - it's a
1000gal pump. I have no water problems, it is clear.
-I don't think Grubber's idea to blow will work, the stuff is really
attached to the walls of the tubing.
- thanks Craig, for the company. Such quick drop in flow rate might mean
you need a filter on your pump, that it's your pump that is getting clogged,
not necessarily the tube. Maybe some things you read here will help you.

I've always had this problem, regardless of other varying circumstances.
Through smoth and ribbed tube, clean and dirty water, with or without UV.
I think I'll try the electrical fishing wire method next, and get some of
the sharp bends evened out a bit to make the job easier.
Thanks everyone. I'll keep watch for more good ideas.
Anda in S. Ontario