Dirty diffusers

I have a DIY CO2 system on my 36 gallon bowfront. The diffuser tends to get slime on it and I find that I have to use my finger to clean it with my weekly water changes. Is this normal? How do I make it go away?

DIY CO2 system has 2 2-L bottles, a smaller soda bottle for a bubble counter, and I've got check valves on it to. I attempt to change the bottles alternating each week, though last month I didn't do so great on being as frequent as I'm supposed to. Plants suffered a little.

I've got a normal diffuser - it looks like:

 

Mine develops a little slime, but I usually perform maintenance on by soaking it overnight in bleach and reattaching it the next day before the CO2 turns on.

 

Do you then rinse it multiple times and put it through another soaking - but with tap water and dechlorinator?

 

Do you then rinse it multiple times and put it through another soaking - but with tap water and dechlorinator?

Exactly what I do. Works like new again.

 

Not to hijack the post, but what kind of a diffuser do you use?
For my DIY CO2 I use just a small airstone.
Is there something available that works better?

 

Not to hijack the post, but what kind of a diffuser do you use?
For my DIY CO2 I use just a small airstone.
Is there something available that works better?

I have an actual diffuser on mine. I've read using a smaller one on a DIY CO2 system is better, though I've got a little larger of one and it seems to work fine. If you look at my first post, there is a link of what mine looks like.

There are DIY diffusers out there that work - and should be better then an airstone. If you are having big bubbles, I'd look into a different diffuser. If they are many small ones, you're probably okay with your small airstone.