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When I was cleaning my xp3 last night, I noticed the the intake/outake hose were both kind of grimy inside. It seems like something that would be pretty hard to clean. Does anyone clean their's? or do you just replace the hose? If so, how often? thanks.

I clean mine.... I use a thin pole, one end tied with heavy-duty string and pull it through. The other end I use a piece of paper towel wrapped around the string and pull it through. 2 passes will get all that stuff out.

I clean them sometimes. However, others have said, and I have found out, that when they get to a certain point they actually will start "cleaning" themselves (the crud comes off the inside of the tubing). If I lack time, I'll let this happen by itself, since it has had no adverse effects on my turtle.

I'll probably wait longer and see how much dirtier the tubes can get. before I clean it. I've only had the filter for a little over a month I think. Thanks for the replies.

They can get pretty grotty before the crud starts to come off. When I have cleaned them, though, I've been amazed that what looks so icky doesn't smell bad at all...

I use a toothbrush and it works pretty good.

While I was cleaning my tank the other day, I turned off the filter. When I restarted the filter, the outtake tube blew out a lot of little pieces (coin size) of some kind of grime/algae. It seems that both tubes are covered with it. Does anyone know what it is thats growing? Strange that it only grows in the tubing. I haven't found it anywhere else in the tank or in the actual filter compartment.

I think it's just some of the dissolved debris that builds up in the tubing as the water is pumped through it. A filter can't filter what's been dissolved. (One reason why full/partial water changes are still necessary.)

Do you also have the same problem with your xp3? Is there any way I can avoid this problem? I do 50% water changes every week.

You can put something over the tube before you disconnect the filter so that anything that comes back out goes into it.. something like a piece of a nylon stocking tied over the end.

I mainly have a problem with the fluval 304 pumping crud out after I clean it. The intake/output tubes are ribbed and I am certain that is where the hidden muck resides.

Before the turning the filter on, I have it pump water into a bucket before I put it into the tank.

Carol, the XP3 and Fluvals have a lever that cuts of the flow of water in and out, so disconnecting isn't the main problem.

Thanks Steve. The bucket method was what I was thinking. I'm going to try to clean the tubes tomorrow. Either by running something through the tubing or by turning the filter on and off repeatedly and see if enough of the gunk comes out. What a pain!

Ok, gotcha steve, I just know that with my filter that's how I handle it to keep stuff from coming back out but then I don't have the same type filter..

jdub1107, I've got the same thing slowly forming in my hoses, but I've never noticed pieces of crud coming out like you described (but I guess they must). I just let the tubes clean themselves out if I don't have the time to clean them. I think the build-up is pretty much inevitable.

One thing that my Fluval does, is shoot out what looks like shreds of shed skin after I prime it and turn it on after a cleaning. This is stuff that is still trapped by the sponges but I have not noticed it on my XP3. How big is your tank and how often do you clean the filter?

Instead of a pole, I recently used a lead fishing weight tied to the string and let it drop through. I still use some moist paper towel at the other end and it gets quite gross when it comes out, but the tube looks brand new.