Some sort of build up in my canister pipes?

Hi Guys

I was just reading the thread about fishless ammonia cycling and came across a few comments about a whitish build up in the canister pipes.

I stay in Cape Town and my canister has been running for about a month and I have a white scale type build up in my inlet and outlet pipes that if i squeeze the pipes dislodges and then lands up in my tank. Is this some sort of limescale and if anyone else gets this, how do you clean it?

Thanks, Marc

 

I can't tell you what it is, but I can tell you that I have seen pipe cleaning brushes from LPS that is used to clean all these pipes. So I would assume we are suppose to be cleaning them? I personally don't bother.

 

@Zoom - You are in JHB but do you have this sort of thing in your pipes? I imagine we probably get a brush with a long wire or something to push it through the 1-1.5m long pipes? I'm just worried that the flow is restricted. I have a lot of particulate floating in my tank that the canister doesn't seem to remove so I'm not sure if the canister is getting enough suction.

 

u can also pull an old stocking through the pipes to clean . try get a piece of string through the pipes using a weight attached (hold pipe straight and the weight will drop right through ) .. then tie stockings to it and pull it through the pipe..

 

Thanks @byronb. Will give that a go.

 

White scale - is a calcium build up called limescale. You get it in hard water normally. You should also see a build up of it in kettles and shower head pipes.

There are a few methods to clean it, I just used the vinegar soak. You just soak the items in hotwater with vinegar. Will desolve it. Then you just need to clean the pipes well.

 

Thanks @Wyvren :top:. I lived in the UK for 5 years so I know all about bloody limescale! :banghead:
I thought it might be limescale but I have not experienced the buildup in my kettle and wasn't sure if we get it here in the Cape. I will try a combination of the hot water/vinegar and stocking method and see how it goes.

 

You can also use a vacuum cleaner to suck the string through.

 

so much of smart... hehe you can tell you know your way around appliances

 

Grrrrr!

 

@MarcHawke, hi dude, if you are living in an older house, the chances are that the water pipes from your water mains are cast-iron or copper, and over the years the calcium build inside the pipes can be staggering, you wont know this until you have to replace a section of the pipe and then you will probbaly be afraid of drinking the water coming out of your taps, i know it sounds a bit drastic, but it might be worth-while investigating the state of your incoming water pipes, and if necessary replacing all the incoming pipes with polycop, the polycop is dirt cheap but the labour in terms of doing such a job might be costly. the benefit of really clean water with minimum calcium residue might convince you tho.

but again, investigate by checking out a section of your in-coming pipes..

 

Thanks @mydummyname. I am certainly living in an older house (built 1925) so I will have a look. I just need to borrow my brother-in-laws 3m ladder to climb into the ceiling :laugh:

 

lol be sure to pack a parachute to make sure you can come down safely

 

Ha ha ha. I have a climbers harness somewhere - @mydummyname

 

you come right cleaning them ?

 

@byronb - Haven't had a chance yet. When I setup my 300l tank I put it as close to the wall as possible which means it's a bit of a fight to get the canister pipes in and out of the tank and in and out from behind the cabinet :banghead:. I will sort it out when I'm on leave probably.

 

Hi MarcHawke,

yes its a lime-buildup...

See @ what price you can get the new pipes for canisters @ local agriculture / irrigation shops - I sourced mine for R10/m, so before you spend lots of time cleaning and moving tank, possibly investigate clear thin wall pipe from the irrigation/agriculture shops...

kettles are easy, a marble does the trick...

 

Thanks @Polla. I don't think it will take too much time as it comes away when I squash/bend the pipes...but then it comes spraying out the spraybar throwing debris everywhere! When I worked in the UK (construction)we had foam balls which were blown through our grout/water lines to clean them so that is also an idea. I will see what I need once I disconnect the lines.

 

I also have lime-buildup in my tanks are their anything we can do about this so we dont get lime-buildup?

Anyone please advise.

 

@MarcHawke something else you can try is just a tub of hot water (as hot as you can get) if it is the black irrigation pipe, I know that cleaned it off my spray bar (prev owner was from Blouberg)... my canister to tank pipes are all clear thin wall as they handle the "warm tank" water better according to the farm staff and won't bend close like the black pipe when it gets a bit o heat...

@hviviers75 not sure about in the tank, probably drain and vinegar/water scrub/rub action, but could scratch the glass is not done properly... Gosh I hope it does not happen in my tank...