# Planted Tanks > Fertilisation and Algae >  How to remove algae on CO2 ceramic diffuser ?

## freshfish

as above , what do you guys normally use to clean it off ?

saw some people use bleach ? :Shocked: 

wont this be harmful to the flora or fauna later ? :Huh?: 

besides bleach any other alternatives ?

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## Shadow

take it out and soak with bleach, wash properly afterward and soak it with anti clorine solution. H2O2 can also work.

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## freshfish

wow , thanks shadow didnt know it was so simple ... happy new year !

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## wenwei

yup, i did the same thing.. bleach work damn fast.. 

so far my fishes are fine.. so i think its alright

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## beetlejuice403

Just remember to soak & rinse off the bleach after doing so before putting back into the tank... [Normally to me, if it does not smell bleachy, it should be quite safe to be uesd again...] If fearful, maybe can try diluted bleach solutions...

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## louis_last

I'm terrified of using bleach on anything that's going into my tank and I don't know where to buy anti-chlorine.

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## Shadow

then try H2O2 work as effective, more expensive but saver

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## detritus

> I'm terrified of using bleach on anything that's going into my tank and I don't know where to buy anti-chlorine.


most lfs will have... not ex also... big bottle for a few bucks.  :Grin:

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## barmby

Remove co2 ceramic diffuser, Pour hotwater on it, Put it back to tank, Fishes get to munch on cooked algae. Cost $0.  :Smile:  cheers

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## KeIgO86

Pouring hot water on a diffusor introduces the risk of the glass cracking due to the sudden and uneven expansion of glass in the diffusor.

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## WiNd08

H2O2 !

effective, relatively cheap and definitely safer than hypochloride

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## torque6

I did an article last year. Might want to have a read.

http://www.aquaticquotient.com/forum...ad.php?t=42719

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## blackBRUSHalgae

I usually soak mine in 100&#37; Kao toilet bleach for 5 min and 50/50 anti-chlorine for another 5min. 

by the way where to buy H2O2? I hate the smell of chlorine >.<

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## derfla

For stubborn one, I use H2O2 and soak it that put back.

For regular maintenance, I took out use toothbrush to brush it. Definitely is safe.

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## derfla

> Pouring hot water on a diffusor introduces the risk of the glass cracking due to the sudden and uneven expansion of glass in the diffusor.


 
I did once and the glass crack. So is not advisable to directly pour hot water to the glass diffuser

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## torque6

> I usually soak mine in 100% Kao toilet bleach for 5 min and 50/50 anti-chlorine for another 5min. 
> 
> by the way where to buy H2O2? I hate the smell of chlorine >.<


yo bro, thanks for dropping down to my place to pick up the HCs.

By the way, H202 can be bought at Guardian. It cost around $7 for 1 small 150/250ml bottle.

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## Plantbrain

Simply take the diffuser out when you do the water change and soak in H2O2 until you refill the tank.

This is typically 10-60 minutes for most folks, plenty of time to kill any algae.

You can pour H2O2 right into the cup of the diffuser if you do not remove it when doing the water change also, this works well also.

Regards, 
Tom Barr

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## freshfish

> Simply take the diffuser out when you do the water change and soak in H2O2 until you refill the tank.
> 
> This is typically 10-60 minutes for most folks, plenty of time to kill any algae.
> 
> You can pour H2O2 right into the cup of the diffuser if you do not remove it when doing the water change also, this works well also.
> 
> Regards, 
> Tom Barr


is H202 poisonous ? do we need to rinse it after washing the diffuser with it ?

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## Shadow

you can rinse it, but it break into H20 and O2 so not necessary.

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## blackBRUSHalgae

> yo bro, thanks for dropping down to my place to pick up the HCs.
> 
> By the way, H202 can be bought at Guardian. It cost around $7 for 1 small 150/250ml bottle.



Thanks~ hope the HC will do well.

So the hydrogen peroxide can be bought through the pharmacist? How should I tell the pharmacist what am I using it for? cleaning algae?  :Laughing:

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## Shadow

it is on the self, antiseptic section. It is normally used to clean wound (is it?  :Opps:  ), so they wont asked a thing. Guardian, Watson usually have them.

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## torque6

> Thanks~ hope the HC will do well.
> 
> So the hydrogen peroxide can be bought through the pharmacist? How should I tell the pharmacist what am I using it for? cleaning algae?


I wanted to buy 1 today for my hair algae but decided to wait out. I usually will go to Guardian to get them, havent seen any in Watson. Just tell the pharmacist Hydrogen Peroxide. There is only 1 in the store, just make sure it reads 3% on the label.

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## khemo

I just fill the little cup with flourish excel and leave for a few minutes.....works for me.

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## torque6

Khemo,

Is excel cheaper than bleach in AU ? It cost around 9 SGD per 500ml excel vs 6.90 for a 3 litre bleach solution.

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## Shadow

Correction 9 SGD is for 250ml and 15 SGD for 500ml. Unless you found lobang to buy excel. If that the case then can share with us?  :Laughing:

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## khemo

No excel is definitely no cheaper than bleach here in Aus :Smile: 

When i say cup I meant the little cup in my diffuser (the glass around the ceramic pieces creates a cup)

You don't need much excel, just a little squirt onto the ceramic diffuser. I use excel for convenience since i can just squirt some onto the diffuser and walk away without having to worry about toxicity levels.

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## ching4ever

I tried hot water, scratching using knife, the sturborn thing just won't come out. Listen to all the advise, use bleach, just after like 5 minutes only, it turn to 100&#37; white just like a brand new one, then just waste with a lot of tap water.

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## StanChung

Tesco brand bleach is a cheap alternative over here. 5 litres of algae zapping power for a few bucks. Peroxide fizzes out too quickly. A month after you open the bottle it already has lost a lot of it's zapping power.

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## blackBRUSHalgae

> Tesco brand bleach is a cheap alternative over here. 5 litres of algae zapping power for a few bucks. Peroxide fizzes out too quickly. A month after you open the bottle it already has lost a lot of it's zapping power.



I tried Peroxide already.... 20 min of soaking later... ceramic diffuser looks the same as before. ~_~ wasted my money! maybe it is just me but I'm sticking to chlorine. <5 min is all it takes.

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## StanChung

I soak a little longer because I think there's some slimy transparent bits left on the glass that rinsing doesn't remove.
I think these bits would be either food or 'anchor' points for new algae. Just a thought.

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## FC

To avoid algae on the ceramic disk altogether, you may want to cover it with thin layer of very fine sand. No light, no algae. Replace the sand if it get infested.

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## Shadow

but that will make the bubble bigger? the fine bubble will be hold by the fine sand and combine with other fine bubble until it big enough to come out from fine sand.

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## FC

Robert,
You got the point. It is going to bind some bubbles but it is not much.

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## StanChung

Fred, I tried that but my bubble count is too high for the sand to stay in place. Good idea though.

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## Plantbrain

I use "Tilex", for cleaning mold off of bathrooms, works much better than bleach.

Regards, 
Tom Barr

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## FC

> ...my bubble count is too high for the sand to stay in place.


Stan,
Or you may want to start consider reactor. I like external reactor as it is out of sight and maintenance-free.

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## Plantbrain

Sand does not work as well, the bubbles generally coalesce and do not form a nice mist. Reactors require that you add flow generally from a cnaister filter or a return pump, or a separate pump, and most of the mist gets dissolved, some like that, some do not.

I am in favor of mist since it appears to break up boundary layers, sticks to detritus and algae, lifting them off plants. There is the hypothesis that the gas bubbles aid in the transfer of CO2 directly to the plants vs a liquid medium of dissolved CO2[aq] vs CO2[gas]. Diffusion is far more rapid(10,000 so) in a gas vs liquid phase. 

The gas still needs to be transfer back to liquid for our lungs taking in O2 and plants taking in CO2, but the diffusion rate is increased via gas vs liquid. We can measure the boundary layer issue, I know of no way to tell which fraction of CO2 gas vs dissolved aqueous gets to the plant and it fixed carbon. It can be measured indirectly via O2 production and via dry weight totals, but most just can rtell from the amount of pearling we get. 

You also have something you can look at and see the bubble rate, and the mist production coming from the diffuser in your tank, often times when CO2 dosing equipment is out of sight, you do not tend it as much and then flow rates can go down etc and you do not catch it. All things being equal , this is a strong argument in favor based on our human habits.

Tilex, this stuff works better than anything I've ever tried, it's got some soap etc and has more hypochlorite etc, but it does a number of anything growing on diffusers, takes about 5-10 minutes and they are good as new, rinse well, then soak in some Dechlorinator for 10-20 minutes and return to service, Tilex cost about 2$ US. Last several years. 

Regards, 
Tom Barr

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## StanChung

Hi Tom, we have something similar here different name perhaps- 'Mr Muscle' :LOL: 

I've been trying it out due to recent discovery.[[CNY house cleaning  :Grin:  the smell of chlorine is unmistakable] The best thing about it is it squirts out foam. This foam stays in place long enough for it to dissolve mold on walls. 
I do not need to soak the whole diffuser, lily pipe in bleach. I find it bothersome to look for a suitable container and pouring so much bleach to soak it and then having to dispose of the bleach or continue to 'recycle it till it's exhausted. Although the 'bathroom foam squirt' a costs a little more than regular bleach, we use less because it's foam.

Fred, I'm using a couple of external diffusers. The only catch is to replace all the el-cheapo check valves with good ones or water gets pumped into the CO2 tank/solenoid.  :Razz: 
For those with the external Cal diffuser, be careful not to use 'Clear Super' when the CO2 is off or the carbon particles will get forced onto the ceramic plate and it would be almost impossible to clean it. [in my case impossible till I find some carbon eating bacteria/chemical  :Exasperated: ]

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## Shadow

hmm.. never try using 'Mr Muscle' to clean my Aquarium stuff. Does it work better or equivalent to bleach?

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## StanChung

Power! One squirt on diffuser on voil&#224;!  :Grin:

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