Glass lily pipes, CO2 diffusers and drop checkers look their best when they are perfectly clear. Over a few weeks, however, a thin film of biofilm and algae settles on every glass surface in the aquarium. Diffusers are often the first to suffer: the ceramic disc clogs, bubbles become larger and fewer, and CO2 dissolves less efficiently. A regular clean brings the glassware back to an as-new condition.
Handle glass with care
Glass is strong but unforgiving. Avoid bending, twisting or levering a pipe when you attach or remove hoses, and never force a tight connection. A little patience is always cheaper than a broken inflow.
The cleaning solution
Hades AlgaeKillEX was developed to remove algae from glassware and hard surfaces such as glass lily pipes, drop checkers and glass diffusers. It can also be used on tank corners, glass panels and substrate when an aquarium is being reset.
- Wear gloves and work in a well-ventilated room.
- Mix Hades AlgaeKillEX with an equal amount of water in a separate container.
- Prepare enough solution to cover each item completely.
- Remove all suction cups before soaking.
- Leave the glassware to soak for a few hours, depending on how much build-up there is.
Lift the items out with tweezers or gloved hands and rinse them thoroughly under running water. For complete peace of mind, give them a final soak in clean water treated with a water conditioner to neutralise any last traces of chlorine.
CO2 diffusers
After a longer soak, some solution can remain trapped behind the ceramic disc. To flush it out, connect the diffuser to your CO2 system outside the aquarium and hold it upside down over a small container. The gas pressure pushes the remaining liquid through the ceramic. Discard the liquid, rinse the diffuser under the tap and it is ready to go back in the tank.
Lily pipes
Inflows and outflows collect a visible film fairly quickly, so a clean once or twice a month keeps them looking their best.
- Switch off the external filter and close the hose valves to prevent leaks.
- Carry the pipe, with the hose still attached, to a bucket or sink.
- Slide the hose slightly further onto the glass while it is still wet; this loosens the grip and makes removal easier.
- If a hose is stubborn, dip the pipe and hose end into warm water for a minute. Warm tubing becomes softer and releases more easily.
Brush first, then soak
A flexible brush makes a big difference, especially on curved pipes. Our Pipe Brush Twin Heads reaches through the bends and can also be used to clean filter tubing. Lightly soiled pipes are often clean after brushing alone; heavier deposits need a soak in the Hades AlgaeKillEX solution.
When soaking, make sure no air remains trapped inside the tubes, otherwise those sections will not be cleaned. As the deposits break down they change colour. Heavily soiled pipes can be left overnight. Afterwards, remove any loosened residue with the brush and rinse thoroughly.
Stubborn deposits
For dirt that will not shift from a tight bend, stand the pipe upright in a stable container with the openings facing up. Carefully fill the bend with undiluted Hades AlgaeKillEX, without letting it overflow, and leave it to work for a few hours. Rinse very thoroughly before refitting.
Drop checkers
Any cleaning solution left inside the bulb of a drop checker will affect the reagent and turn it yellow almost immediately. Rinse the inside several times with clean water, using a pipette to fill and empty the bulb, before adding fresh CO2 indicator solution.
Tip: refit suction cups only after the glassware is completely dry, and replace any that have lost their grip with new suction cups.