Do your powerheads need a good cleaning? (1 Viewer)

[Reefahholic]

I’ve been using this dip concentration lately and it’s working very well. Have used it at least 6x on the same equipment.

Grab a tall skinner container of about 1200ml or 40-45oz (enough to submerge your powerhead in).
Then fill it with about 700ml or 24oz RODI water.
Add 250ml or 8.5oz of Muriatic acid and stir well.
Soak powerhead for 45 minutes.

Then soak equipment in straight bleach for 45 minutes and rinse well with RODI water 2-3x. Done!

This is a powerful concentration, but has not affected or eroded any of my plastic or stainless parts. It’s concentrated to get the job done quickly and effectively with minimal wait time.

Remember. Anytime you’re working with acid use the proper PPE. 3m painters mask (vapor filters), safety goggles, thick rubber gloves made for chemicals. Everything is found at Lowe’s or Home Depot.


This is a 1200ml container which is about 40oz. I use as small as possible to minimize the amount of acid used.


Squeaky clean again

 

[Cody]

Also remember, mixing bleach and muriatic acid makes chlorine gas. Like the stuff they used in WW1 which will destroy your lungs.

 

[Reefahholic]

Yeah, Don’t mix it together. These are both separate soakings. The Acid is really good for the hard calcium carbonate build up. The straight bleach makes quick work of the heavy algae that tends to accumulate on the pumps. You can do this in any order.

Cody isn’t kidding about the poison gas! I mixed a 220/G full of Bleach and Vinegar one time in my living room. It nearly killed me. It was like somebody was boiling a million jalapeño peppers in the house.

 

[phhoth]

Vinegar, safe and effective

 

[PorpoiseHork]

I soak mine every three months in 50/50 vinegar and hot water for about 30-45 min. Kills any algae on the pump and removes all the scale buildup fairly easily.

 

[TX_Punisher]

I have a filthy tunze. It accumulates “junk” very quickly due to its small vane openings. Vinegar doesn’t do it for me. I have some muriatic I use for other things thAt I’ll be trying for use in my new frag tank. I’d like it to be squeaky clean.

 

[RR-MAN]

I have a filthy tunze. It accumulates “junk” very quickly due to its small vane openings. Vinegar doesn’t do it for me. I have some muriatic I use for other things thAt I’ll be trying for use in my new frag tank. I’d like it to be squeaky clean.

Yeah for a good clean acid works the best in a very short period of time. I use acid on the larger pumps/equipment.

For MPs/Gyre I used vinegar since pump components are more delicate. I usually soak over night.

 

[Reefahholic]

Vinegar, safe and effective

Vinegar....long and annoying.

I'm sorry...I've used Vinegar foooorrrrreeevveerrr. Takes hours and hours to fully get the job done. I'm over it.

 

[Reefahholic]

I soak mine every three months in 50/50 vinegar and hot water for about 30-45 min. Kills any algae on the pump and removes all the scale buildup fairly easily.

30-45 mins... haha. NO WAY!

 

[Reefahholic]

Yeah for a good clean acid works the best in a very short period of time. I use acid on the larger pumps/equipment.

For MPs/Gyre I used vinegar since pump components are more delicate. I usually soak over night.

Yep...vinegar takes hours and hours.

Once you try acid..."if your time is valuable to you" you will never go back to vinegar.

If anybody is worried about delicate components just weaken the solution of acid.

instead of doing a 60/40 or 70/30...do an 80/20.

70/30 and 80/20 are both great solutions. I prefer 70/30 or even 60/40. Gets it done and I have yet to see any wear and tear on my powerheads. I've been inspecting all plastic and metal parts...no damage at all. Just squeaky clean powerheads.

I might take an old powerhead and soak it in 70/30 overnight and see what happens and then post a YouTube video.

 

[TX_Punisher]

Yeah for a good clean acid works the best in a very short period of time. I use acid on the larger pumps/equipment.

For MPs/Gyre I used vinegar since pump components are more delicate. I usually soak over night.

Good to note. Be careful with pumps which have epoxies and other glues as you noted.

 

[Reefahholic]

Acid will minimally affect stainless, but it's very mild when diluted. Cleaning powerheads once every 6 months in an 80/20 solution would probably take 10 years to do some serious damage.

Muriatic acid is more corrosive to metals like zinc and aluminum. Not near as much to stainless steel in a diluted concentration.

Maybe vinegar is better suited for some of you, but vinegar is corrosive too. Just leave your rusty stainless steel tools in vinegar for 5-7 days. I found that out the hard way. It completely dissolved some of my tools. Using any form of acid has a risk!

Happy Reefing!

 

[gregg]

Vinegar....long and annoying.

I'm sorry...I've used Vinegar foooorrrrreeevveerrr. Takes hours and hours to fully get the job done. I'm over it.

Are you using the good stuff or the dollars store brand, this stuff works great.

 

[Reefahholic]

I didn't even know they made extra strength.

Being that's 9% I wonder what regular strength is?

 

[gregg]

@Cody turned me on to the good stuff. They sell it at HEB

 

[Reefahholic]

@Cody turned me on to the good stuff. They sell it at HEB

I'll have to try it for less complicated jobs.

 

[Tstew32]

And he truck with peppermint shrimp is you HAVE to make sure they don’t get any food at all or they won’t “hunt” for aiptasia. Keep them hungry and they will work.


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[Reefahholic]

And he truck with peppermint shrimp is you HAVE to make sure they don’t get any food at all or they won’t “hunt” for aiptasia. Keep them hungry and they will work.


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I think Tstew32 meant to post on my Aiptasia thread.

 

[Reefahholic]

 

[steveb]

glacial acetic acid is some scary stuff.. although I suppose any 100% acid would be scary stuff.

Glacial Acetic Acid Safety Notes - 2011.igem.org