Second hand tank, dirty piping

[Sarah1990]

I've got my first tank ready to fill when I have rocks but I'm now worrying about the dirty tubing.
Its second hand and the tubing linking it to the sump has white and pink deposits on the inside. Will this cause a problem if I leave it there? Should I get new tubing?

 

[don_chuwish]

You could try cleaning it first. If it’s easily dismantled then soak in 1:1 vinegar and water overnight. If you can’t take apart then you could run a weaker dilution (or citric acid) through the whole system for longer. Then drain it and rinse.

 

[Sarah1990]

You could try cleaning it first. If it’s easily dismantled then soak in 1:1 vinegar and water overnight. If you can’t take apart then you could run a weaker dilution (or citric acid) through the whole system for longer. Then drain it and rinse.

I can take it apart it's just long I didn't have anywhere to soak it in. My boyfriend would kill me if I put vinegar in the bath lol

 

[Katrina71]

Vinegar is natural and washes out easily. I'd be more concerned about soap residue from the tub on your pvc. You could always soak it in a plastic tote. The lid would be a plus for the vinegar smell too.

 

[don_chuwish]

Just circulating it through the whole system intact is great too. Having the vinegar or citric acid moving is a good thing.

 

[Billdogg]

I would just replace it all. The plumbing is one of the least expensive things in this hobby and is also very easy to switch out.

Could you clean it? Sure, but at least IMO, it's really not cost effective considering the time and effort involved.

 

[AdamB]

I can take it apart it's just long I didn't have anywhere to soak it in. My boyfriend would kill me if I put vinegar in the bath lol

Both of my tanks were bought used and I’ve learned the hard way just to replace all plumbing and gaskets and not have to worry about leaks and lesser quality material .I learned the hard way with the first tank. I was unhooking return and part of pipe broke on a Sunday morning and this caused me a ton of grief !

 

[gdubs]

I would just replace it all. The plumbing is one of the least expensive things in this hobby and is also very easy to switch out.

Could you clean it? Sure, but at least IMO, it's really not cost effective considering the time and effort involved.

Agreed. In this hobby you're going to spend a lot more money in lighting, filtration, corals, fish, etc. With something low cost like pvc, just replace it and avoid possible long term problems down the road.

 

[mfinn]

IMO, it depends on the condition of the piping and how it looks.
Does it look neat and properly plumbed, or is all helter skelter?
If it's nice looking, I would put it all together and fill the system with freshwater and run a strong solution of vinegar or citric acid through it for 24 hours.
This will also serve as test to check for leaks, before spending $ on salt.
If it's poorly done, then I would just redo it and make it look nice.

 

[Sarah1990]

These are the pipes they are like a thick rubbery type and one goes straight down to the sump and the other straight up to the DT, not messy just dirty

 

[Sarah1990]

Oops didnt intend to put 3 of that

 

[mfinn]

If you are happy with the design and layout of the plumbing, then I would set it up and add freshwater and a citric acid solution.
Citric acid can be bought off amazon for fairly cheap.
I would use 1-2 cups per 5 gallons of water.

If you can find the same size hose, it may be cheaper just to replace it.

Either way is up to you, but I would definitely do a freshwater test.

 

[BeejReef]

It's not "dirty," per-se. That's normal build up.
You can clean it out. You can replace it. With that setup, I suspect you'd spend near as much on gallons of vinegar as you would on replacement tubing.

Thing is, if you run your system correctly, you'll build up that same unsightly gunk within a few months.

If the appearance bothers you, I honestly think I'd wrap the exposed portions in black electrical tape (or whatever color suits your fancy) or would replace the tubing with hard plumbing. Another thought is that the braided vinyl tubing isn't quite as transparent and is a little more durable. https://www.bulkreefsupply.com/braided-nylon-tubing-sold-by-the-foot.html

best of luck. tank looks real nice.

 

[Sarah1990]

It's not "dirty," per-se. That's normal build up.
You can clean it out. You can replace it. With that setup, I suspect you'd spend near as much on gallons of vinegar as you would on replacement tubing.

Thing is, if you run your system correctly, you'll build up that same unsightly gunk within a few months.

If the appearance bothers you, I honestly think I'd wrap the exposed portions in black electrical tape (or whatever color suits your fancy) or would replace the tubing with hard plumbing. Another thought is that the braided vinyl tubing isn't quite as transparent and is a little more durable. https://www.bulkreefsupply.com/braided-nylon-tubing-sold-by-the-foot.html

best of luck. tank looks real nice.

Thank you for your reply that's really helpful. I'm not worried how it looks as, as you say, it will probably end up the same again in future. I wasnt sure if because it gas been dry for many months it could actually now cause and issue to the water in some way. I take from you're reply that it should affect the quality of the water and if that's the case I am happy to leave it as it is.
It's just so expensive for the initial set up I dont want to mess it up lol

 

[SandJ]

You could put it in a plastic bag and pour the vinegar in that. Or just pour vinegar down the hose and clamp the ends to something to hold them in the air (or get a connector and connect the ends together in a circle). You used less vinegar that way.

It would probably be easier and inexpensive to replace that hose. But I have cleaned hose out by running a thin wire all the way through the hose with a small cloth attached to the end. I then pull the cloth through the hose and it cleans the sides.

 

[BeejReef]

Thank you for your reply that's really helpful. I'm not worried how it looks as, as you say, it will probably end up the same again in future. I wasnt sure if because it gas been dry for many months it could actually now cause and issue to the water in some way. I take from you're reply that it should affect the quality of the water and if that's the case I am happy to leave it as it is.
It's just so expensive for the initial set up I dont want to mess it up lol

Well, anything is possible... but, no. I'd be really surprised if it caused you an issue. Saltwater tanks look horrible when they're dry. The best way to get them looking better is filling them up

Adding sand, rock, existing crud... the water will look like garbage for a few days and then will settle out and clear up.
See if you can get ur bf into it as well. A second set of hands or someone to feed the fish on occasion is a great help. Plus, there's lots of "pickle jars" in reefing.... especially unions and RO canisters. Let him use his "big man muscles" so he'll feel useful!