cleaning hoses

[DekuScrub]

just wondering what you all do as far as cleaning misting systems go.

i know bleach solutions are a popular choice but when i did this years ago it was quite a laborious endeavor. especially with the amount of hoses fittings and misting tips i had to break down and soak. and this did very little in actually removing the deposits. and then having to wait for everything to dry out completely.

since then i just replace the hoses on a regular basis rather than bothering with cleaning.

so do you guys run the solution through without breaking down the system? just take the heads out of the cages and let it run into a bucket? how do you ensure ALL of the bleach is out of the closed system before using it again? do you just flush it out for an extended period of time?

it seems like if the deposits remain they could retain some of the chlorine, am i just being paranoid here?

is the bleach treatment used as a preemptive measure and keeps these deposits from forming in the first place?

now im under the impression this is brown stuff is algae (why isnt it green?) and it makes sense considering i see it grow in the hose closer to light sources. but based on the slimy texture it gets and the fact that its brown it seems like there must be some sort of bacterial sludge feeding off of the algae? or am i totally off here?

now one more thing, the mistking hoses are black in effect blocking light so that algae shouldnt be able to grow. but it also makes it impossible to see if anything is growing... anyone with a mist king cut their hoses open and wipe them out to see if youve got anything growing in there? and do you, if you own a mist king, clean your systems out regularly?

i dont see how stagnation can occur in the black hoses if the system runs regularly and there isnt anything but fresh water and nothing for bacteria to live off of running through.

do we know for sure exactly what these deposits that develop are comprised of?

gotta put the kid to sleep. i might add or edit this later

 

[ph34r]

hoses

are u using straight distilled water ? if not u run the rick of the tiny particles in tap water cloging up the system running straight distilled will avoid the cleaning issue for the most part, and is the brown stuff almost a sludge consistancy ?

 

[Solid Snake]

White vinegar will remove the deposits, then flush it with bleach.

The brow/green stuff could be bio-film...

 

[coldbloodedAL]

Do you use a tank heater in your reservoir? I noticed when I used one, my reservoir would pile up with that crap. I pulled the heater, and have had no issues with it since. Also do you use black lines? clear lines?

 

[DekuScrub]

edit* double post how do i delete my posts?

 

[DekuScrub]

im using well water, its pretty hard water too. deposits from that are probably giving the stuff something more to adhere to.

white vinegar? imma go tests that out right now. straight or diluted? ive got to have some old dirty hose segments lying around down there.

and you say "bio-film" so it is as i assumed and not simply algae? its some sort of amalgam of mirco organisms? i guess the exact composition of it wouldnt really be set in stone. but im guessing algae is the base.

i use clear hose and when it develops it has always tended to be closer to light sources. those are the segments of hose i replace most frequently. i may try covering the hose with some electrical tape to see if that gives the hose i just replaced some longevity. and if that works i may be buying hose from mistking from then on.

so no people with mistkings have any insight on whether or not your hoses are developing this "bio-film"?

and no i dont use a heater, the bucket i use as a reservoir stays totally clean. i do whip it out on a regular basis. so i dont know if anything would develop. its under a table in the dark though.

btw my point in this thread is just getting a general consensus of if, when, and how other people with misting systems clean theirs out. not to troubleshoot why i get deposits. though i do appreciated the suggestions keep em commin if u got em.

ive got it under control with regular replacements. but as my collection expands, as im sure it inevitably will again, id like to see if anyone had efficient methods for larger scale complete cleanouts

 

[Solid Snake]

Its my understanding that bio-film is caused by a colony of bacteria.

I use straight white vinegar to clean water deposits. It works well, every time. Just let it soak on whatever is coated in the white stuff, and scrub it clean. The worse the deposits, the longer youll have to soak it.

Now that you mention it, I have cleaned what I thought was brownish black lent from the screens of my MK nozzles. I am wondering if it is the same stuff, growing in the lines were I cant see it. I havnt had my MK too long, maybe 3-4 months. I have only cleaned the system once, by having it recirculate bleach water for some time, the running a ton of fresh water through, and taking it apart to dry out.

 

[Solid Snake]

Note, that I know nothing about bio-film really, just that it exists, is made of bacteria, and occurs in mist systems. Im off to go research a bit...

 

[Hoj]

just opend up a pc of hose from my mistking ( running about 1yr ) and its perfectly clean inside.
i do use strickty R/O water so i assume that helps

 

[ChappyMcChap]

Vinegar is great, a mild acid like lime juice is great too. If you guys get clogged hoses, hook them up to an air compressor and blow them out by alternating the flow. Not too much pressure though.

 

[ChappyMcChap]

Also using tap water may have chemical build up eventually but you shouldn't have microorganisms due to chlorine and other chemicals in the water. As long as your reservoir is filled regularly. You all who use ro and distiller water will have this problem, and I'm not sure if vinegar and acid will kill it.

 

[Solid Snake]

just opend up a pc of hose from my mistking ( running about 1yr ) and its perfectly clean inside.
i do use strickty R/O water so i assume that helps

I only have the option of tap water treated with a repti-safe type product, Im going to go cut mine open and see what the heck is in there!

Ive only found the "stuff" in there twice, and at different nozzles, but I dont like the idea of a bacteria growing inside it!

 

[Solid Snake]

3 samples form different areas all showed clean

 

[Hoj]

3 samples form different areas all showed clean

"thats what she said" sorry couldnt resist

 

[DekuScrub]

wikied biofilm

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biofilm

"aggregate of microorganisms in which cells adhere to each other on a surface"

"Biofilms can contain many different types of microorganism, e.g. bacteria, archaea, protozoa, fungi and algae; each group performs specialized metabolic functions. However, some organisms will form single-species films under certain conditions."

sounds like i figured

and

"Biofilms are usually found on solid substrates submerged in or exposed to an aqueous solution" makes me think the minerals in my hard water may be leaving more substrate and nutrients for the biofilm to adhere to and utilize in growing. just guessing though.

edit* and i phase new clean misting heads in ever couple of hose changes just becuase i have a butt load laying around. so when i feel a little motivated or bored i pop off the old ones soak em in detergent as wipe em out with q-tips and put on other ones ive previously cleaned out. im pretty sure that "lint" is the same stuff i dont think it grows in the head though i think its little bits that detach from the hose and just get stuck in the screen

 

[DekuScrub]

3 samples form different areas all showed clean

GOOD i thinking of getting black hoses then

 

[Hoj]

GOOD i thinking of getting black hoses then

i think your taping idea is a good one as well. i have some clear hose and will be watching it

 

[Solid Snake]

wikied biofilm

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biofilm

"aggregate of microorganisms in which cells adhere to each other on a surface"

"Biofilms can contain many different types of microorganism, e.g. bacteria, archaea, protozoa, fungi and algae; each group performs specialized metabolic functions. However, some organisms will form single-species films under certain conditions."

sounds like i figured

and

"Biofilms are usually found on solid substrates submerged in or exposed to an aqueous solution" makes me think the minerals in my hard water may be leaving more substrate and nutrients for the biofilm to adhere to and utilize in growing. just guessing though.

edit* and i phase new clean misting heads in ever couple of hose changes just becuase i have a butt load laying around. so when i feel a little motivated or bored i pop off the old ones soak em in detergent as wipe em out with q-tips and put on other ones ive previously cleaned out. im pretty sure that "lint" is the same stuff i dont think it grows in the head though i think its little bits that detach from the hose and just get stuck in the screen

Thats what I was thinking. Do you use a zip-drip?

It removes water from the line. Oddly, I had the "lint" back when I had it installed, and since I uninstalled it?

I wouldnt use the detergent. The vinegar is the way to go, then bleach to sanitize. Thats easiest anyhow.

 

[Solid Snake]

"thats what she said" sorry couldnt resist

XD

 

[summoner12]

easiest thing is to replace tubing if you are concerned and run a mild bleach solution through the pump for 10 minutes with the pump cycling water from the main reservoir to another reservoir. once that is done, empty the bleach water out of both reservoirs. fill up the main reservoir with fresh clean water (RO or distilled) and have the pump run for another 15-20 minutes cycling that water to the second reservoir. If you smell bleach in the pump, run it again with fresh water and smell check again. Letting the pump sit without any tubing connected to it will also get rid of the smell.