# My home made algae cleaning stick



## crip_tic (27 Mar 2014)

I needed something soft that would scrape wood, clean algae from leaves and floating strands around my tank ... and came up with this. Its a small silicon flexible round headed bristled mascara brush taped onto a kebab skewer. Works like a charm!


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## James O (27 Mar 2014)

It's the aquatic version of Ken Dodd's tickle stick 

ingenious! Wonder if Mrs O would miss her mascara brush?  'Because my tanks worth it'


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## harryH (27 Mar 2014)

James O said:


> It's the aquatic version of Ken Dodd's tickle stick


 Lol!!!! Love a bit of Heath Robinson inovation.!


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## parotet (27 Mar 2014)

I love threads about homemade tools...
In my collection I got kitchen scrapers attached to bamboo sticks, kitchen scrapers non attached, toothbrushes, my son's nail scissors,sponges from visited hotels and the "best ever aquascaping tool" ... a toothbrush with a tiny piece of sponge sewn around the brush and then attached to a bamboo stick. Sounds weird but it is the best tool I have ever used to clean some very densely parts of the tank


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## Robbie X (27 Mar 2014)

....Bonkers but great at the same time


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## Maximum (27 Mar 2014)

Thanks for the idea - love the colour!! May I copy?! Also like the idea of sponge on a toothbrush - does the sponge go all around or just on the back away from the bristles?


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## parotet (27 Mar 2014)

It goes all around the bristles... It is like a mini sponge cylinder. Will post a pic tomorrow

Jordi


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## parotet (28 Mar 2014)

Here it is... not exactly ADA style


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## James O (28 Mar 2014)

* YOU KILLED SPONGEBOB SQUAREPANTS *


**


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## parotet (28 Mar 2014)

James O said:


> * YOU KILLED SPONGEBOB SQUAREPANTS *
> 
> 
> **


Yeah, but don't tell anyone. We will tell the kids he's gone for a veeeeery long holiday out of Bikini Bottom. This will be our secret...


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## crip_tic (30 Mar 2014)

Of course pinch any of my ideas - love the sponge - what sort of sponge do you use?

ps - the pink brushes are on e-bay a pack of about 50 for £5-6 - One would probably last me months but that was the minimum order.


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## parotet (30 Mar 2014)

crip_tic said:


> Of course pinch any of my ideas - love the sponge - what sort of sponge do you use?
> 
> ps - the pink brushes are on e-bay a pack of about 50 for £5-6 - One would probably last me months but that was the minimum order.


I will have a look on miss stuff to look for a pink brush, this will be perfect for my homemade collection of tools!
Regarding the sponge, it is a standard one picked from a hotel. I must be the only fool that is interested on sponges instead of shampoo and other gifts. These sponges work great for doing homemade tools, for cleaning the glass and as filter media.


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## harryH (30 Mar 2014)

parotet said:


> it is a standard one picked from a hotel. I must be the only fool that is interested on sponges instead of shampoo and other gifts.



Yep!!! I never heard of anyone nicking the SPONGES before


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## crip_tic (1 Apr 2014)

i never go anywhere posh enough to pinch sponges lol


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## MirandaB (1 Apr 2014)

Superb ingenuity I love it  my humble contribution to this thread is a tip for cleaning spraybar holes I use interdental brushes


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## Maximum (1 Apr 2014)

MirandaB said:


> Superb ingenuity I love it  my humble contribution to this thread is a tip for cleaning spraybar holes I use interdental brushes


Now, why didn't I think of that!! I will be copying this for sure - thank you!
Hopefully someone can tell me how to clean the plastic clip that takes the ext filter pipe over the edge of the tank. On my Tetratec 1200 the piece has 2 right angles and does not come apart. I get clean pipes and stained bit at the top.


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## Rob P (2 Apr 2014)

Maximum said:


> On my Tetratec 1200 the piece has 2 right angles and does not come apart. I get clean pipes and stained bit at the top.



It's not a perfect solution but i thread a piece of gardening wire through those sections, then twist one end together to create a loop into which i then put a small piece of rag (littles uns old muslins are great for aquatic jobs lol) and pull it through. Have to be careful to get it right size as if too big/too much force required the wire can snap/rag came off inside the pipe and you're fecked lol. But it does a good enough job.

For glass cleaning on the Mini M I use a cut off small piece of a scouring pad (the softer/non green side) and push it onto a table fork. Hey presto, small sponge glass cleaner. Does a great job! lol


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## Maximum (2 Apr 2014)

Thank you Rob P - the gardening wire is a good idea and I will remember that less is more . I use string tied to a rag for the pipes but could not get it around the corners of the hook. Lots of ingenious folk on this forum and generous with sharing - thanks


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## Rob P (2 Apr 2014)

Maximum said:


> I use string tied to a rag for the pipes but could not get it around the corners of the hook.



I used to mess around threading wires down the hoses but for £8 you want one of these things...

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/JBL-Clean...2?pt=UK_Pet_Supplies_Fish&hash=item35d34fc1ba

Makes it so much easier, can do your spraybar & inlets with it (does a good job of clearing the holes as well). The cleany has a small brush that fits the 9mm pipes on my Eden filter and larger brush for the hose on the EX1200. I use it for cleaning most things actually! lol


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## Maximum (2 Apr 2014)

Brilliant - just what I need and now ordered! I had seen similar but they were all too short and more expensive!


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