Sponges in my drains?

[WVNed]

My emergency drains got noisy today. I checked and one of my full siphon drains was not running. My drains are a U shape passing through a wall and are made of flex PVC. I used a stiff bit of tubing and then a section of garden hose to plunge into the drain from each end and got it running about 80% again. The plug was not hard but a soft mass the tubing poked holes in. Some of it came out in the end of the tube. I think it's white sponges and the crusty stuff that grows in my sump.

If I idled the drain do you think it would get anoxic inside the pipe enough to kill them? I have 2 and could shut one down for a month even.
Both ends of the drain have bulkheads, I could put pipes in them and fill the drain with bleach or muriatic acid but that would be risky. What if I filled it with RODI for several days?
Not something I want to deal with. Nuts.

 

[Lasse]

RODI will kill them but when you open up again - it will be some nasty things coming out. If you can - take a rather stiff cord and try to pass it through the pipe. In the rear end - knit a bit of fabrics (like a butterfly) and pull it through the pipe.

Sincerely Lasse

 

[WVNed]

I poked a garden hose through it, then I floated a bead on a piece of 25 pound test fishing line through and then pulled a piece of coarse filter material through with the fishing line. They are flowing again. I hope I don't have to do that too often.

 

[Timfish]

Keep in mind cryptic sponges are essential recyclers in reef systems removing labile DOC. I wouldn't do anything more than the minimum to open it back up and certainly would not try anything toxic.

 

[TriggerFinger]

Glad you found a solution...I read the title as “sponges in my dreams” ;Hilarious