how much vinegar to use for cleaning pumps and powerheads?

[nbgen12]

How much vinegar per gallon of water should I be using when cleaning pumps and powerheads?

[epleeds]

I do 60/40 mix. And let em soak for a few hrs

[zygote2k]

straight vinegar works great- it's cheap.

diluted muriatic works even better.

[nbgen12]

Do you let the pumps and powerheads run in the mix or do you just do a soak, then rinse with water afterwards?

[Steve175]

straight vinegar works great- it's cheap.

diluted muriatic works even better.

 

+1. I get my muriatic acid at Lowe's (paint section).

[BowieReefer84]

+1. I get my muriatic acid at Lowe's (paint section).

How much do you dilute?

[nbgen12]

and do you run your pumps while they are sitting in the mix(vinegar or muriatic acid)?

[davelin315]

You can run them or you can take them apart and soak them. Running them helps to knock some of the looser stuff off, but in the end if you're using strong enough acids it will dissolve anyway or fall right off when you're done.

[smallreef]

I let my stuff soak for about 8 hours then run for 30 minutes in straight vinegar...

[Steve175]

Initially I used the recommended dilution on the muriatic bottle, but I have gotten lazy and impatient over time and use a stronger concentration. I usually just estimate ~ 5-10% muriatic. A gallon goes a long way and is ~ $5. I am interested in what concentration zygote uses as he does this more than I. I would recommend using gloves (which I have stopped using [as a doc, I am very comfortable telling people to do what I say, not what I do as per the hypocritic oath]) as your skin will get a bit irritated (not much of an issue if rinsed quickly).

 

I usually pull the impeller out of my pumps and soak them overnight. I think that the impeller shaft and drive shaft get cleaner when they are separated. If I could run them for some of the interval I would, but my PHs would empty a 5G bucket (the big-boy tunzes). For the MP40s (frag tank), I just soak the wet side overnight. HTH.

 

BowieReefer84: When you gonna drop by my house to give my system a consult as you promised?

[ErikS]

...Initially I used the recommended dilution on the muriatic bottle, but I have gotten lazy and impatient over time and use a stronger concentration. I usually just estimate ~ 5-10% muriatic................

Same here, just guesstimate. The directions are on the bottle, IIRC it's a 10% (50ml to 100ml water). Doesn't take much, I've had the same gallon for a few years.

 

Just remember - always add acid to water, never add water to acid.

 

I'd never go back to vinegar, way too slow. What might take hours in vinegar take maybe 5 minutes in acid.

Edited June 25, 2012 by ErikS

[Integral9]

I recommend removing any rubber gaskets and any rubber pieces on the impellers and setting them aside before soaking. I left my Mag 5 in a bucket of straight vinegar for a couple of days (first time it was cleaned in years) and when I tried to put it back together, the gasket which came off fine, had lost it's elasticity and became brittle. I think the vinegar dried it out, not sure what muriatic acid would do. Probably more of the same.

 

In an effort to keep everything together, I just threw it all into the bucket after disassembling the pump. Oh well. Never used it as an external power head as it leaked on day 1.

[extreme_tooth_decay]

I dump a gallon or 2 of straight vinegar in a bucket, and put the power head, etc in there and let it run.

 

Can become very hot if you forget about it over night.