Cleaning S9 water resevoir

does anyone know if the H5i water resevoir used in the ResMed S9 CPAP device is designed to come apart for cleaning? I've tried cleaning the tub by filling with cleaners, soap, vinegar, etc. but no matter what I've tried I'm getting a film (SLIME, YIKES) on the bottom of the tub and so far I've not been able to fabricate anything to get inside there and scrub the bottom. It APPEARS as if the device is in two parts and should pull apart...but its proven difficult and I don't want to force it and risk breaking something...also the user manual says it is NOT designed to be taken apart. Any suggestions?
I was diagnose in Jan and have been on the machine since and have found a comfortable mask and otherwise have adjusted to being on the machine but the cleaning issue is vexing me.
Thanks to you all!
Bill in Phila PA

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=scg8Nc9LkRo

There is also the cleanable one. And using distilled water will avoid the problem.

If it was designed to be opened, then the designer gets an F. But it does open. You just have to get the metal tabs out of the platic slits all the way around. Pull out on the bottom edge of the plastic top while gently squeezing the top edge of the metal bottom. Be patient and don't pull in one area all at once. Eventually, it will come apart.

Buy the dishwasher safe water chamber before trying to disassemble the original one. It's always worth having a spare anyway. I keep a spare around and switch them every week or so. I figure that sitting dry and empty is good for killing off the germs.

To prevent slime buildup, use distilled water, and never let the tank dry out completely. Shake the remaining water up, rinse it, dump out as much water as you can, then refill.

WOW!!! Info and help beyond my wildest imaginations!! Including a YouTube "how to" video (THANK YOU, STL)
Thank you all so much for helping me out. Tank is now scrubbed squeaky clean. I have been using distilled water and obviously was lacking in some knowledge.
Thanks to all of you for the quick responses and invaluable info!!
Bill in Phila

TooGroggy wrote:If it was designed to be opened,

It wasn't. The fact it can be opened is an unintended feature.

I always use distilled water and normally just top up the reservoir daily. Every now and then I empty it , put in a few drops of ivory liquid and add warm tap water. I swish it around and empty it and flush it all out with tap water and then let it dry. We have well water which is VERY hard water....I have done this since starting pap in november and have no slime or goop or whatever in my tank. I am a lot more relaxed about it all now. I think using distilled water is key.

I have one of the reservoirs that are designed to not be opened. I use white vinegar, dish soap and warm water to clean it. I submerse it in the water, soap and vinegar solution in my bathroom sink, slosh it around and rinse it out. I do this once a week when I wash my nasal pillows and tubes. I have not had any film, slime or build up of any kind. I use city water that has gone through a filter at the tap and a brita filter. It is not the same as distilled water, but a lot cheaper.

Mine is not designed to come apart either. I empty it every morning and leave it propped at an angle with the openings on the bottom so the air can get in and any residual moisture can get out. It is always completely dry come evening.
I also used only distilled water in it.
Once a week I soak it (along with other washable apparatus from my headgear and the hose) and let it soak in warm water and Ivory dish detergent for a while. Then I give everything a good swishing around, rinse well, and either hang up or prop up to dry.
Very easy, even for one who hates to clean!

I had to switch to the dishwasher safe one for this exact reason. I have no dishwasher, but I needed to open the thing to clean out the bottom once a week.

I was going to switch until I saw how easy it is to take the standard tank apart. I'll get the other tank if/when the standard one needs to be replaced.

In all other countires Resmed ships the H5i with the tank that was designed to come apart (dishwasher version)
North America Resmed ships the H5i with a disposable tank designed to be replaced every 6 months.

Gotta love Resmed.

Probably has more to do with maximizing profit margin within the prescribed reimbursement rates more than anything else. Probably driven by DMEs, not Resmed directly.

idamtnboy wrote:Probably has more to do with maximizing profit margin within the prescribed reimbursement rates more than anything else. Probably driven by DMEs, not Resmed directly.

Well i asked the Resmed rep last time i called and she confirmed what i already mentioned buy she couldn't tell me the reason why.
In any case i had some FSA dollars to spend so I have just ordered the dishwasher one. I have no plans to put it in the dishwasher, i just figured it would be easier to empty and dry out. The sealed one takes all day to dry, even in Arizona.

Uncle_Bob wrote:The sealed one takes all day to dry, even in Arizona.

I just put the tank back in after I dump it and run the machine for about 3 minutes (length of the "mask fit" feature) sometimes less with the "humidity" setting at it's usual 4.5. By the time the cool down cycle is complete and the blower shuts off completely, tank and tube are both dry, even when it's raining here in Indiana. I'm not sure if this will work year round here, but I think it would in Arizona.