Powerhead Cleaning

[r212019]

my Jebao powerhead has been running for about a year now and its getting coraline algae growing all over it. what is the best method for cleaning the powerhead? how often should i be cleaning it?

[duncangweller]

Give it a vinegar bath and let it soak. Then just give it a light scrub with a toothbrush (or something like) and it'll come off easily.

[GoFish]

^ +1... Or Muriatic acid and water, much faster

[seaweed]

After useing vinegar and the vinegar screwing up the internals in my pumps after awhile,I tried this product from hydor called magi-clean.After useing it a couple of times.The stuff works amazingly and you don't have to scrub the stuff off it just disolved.I swear by this stuff it's incredible.I would go on a commercial for this stuff.Loooooooooooooove it.

[Reef-Geek]

^ +1... Or Muriatic acid and water, much faster

I watched this video and looks like Muriatic acid works pretty well
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=obHZAIgLD7M

But is it too strong? I don't want the strong acid to reduce the powerhead's life span.

[GoFish]

All 3 products mentioned so far are acid based. I'm not sure of any non-acid based product that is as effective. I dilute the Muriatic acid unlike in the video, maybe 10:1 water:acid and leave for a couple hours

[Aquattro]

All 3 products mentioned so far are acid based. I'm not sure of any non-acid based product that is as effective. I dilute the Muriatic acid unlike in the video, maybe 10:1 water:acid and leave for a couple hours

10:1 on the acid makes it a bit weaker than vinegar. Muriatic is 33%? ish. Vinegar is 5. Unless you also dilute that :)

[GoFish]

10:1 on the acid makes it a bit weaker than vinegar. Muriatic is 33%? ish. Vinegar is 5. Unless you also dilute that :)
Yeah I used to dilute the vinegar as well, either being cheap or less wasteful. Pick one :wink:

[The Guy]

Give it a vinegar bath and let it soak. Then just give it a light scrub with a toothbrush (or something like) and it'll come off easily.

Vinegar has always worked well for me, it's all I ever clean with especially powerheads. :smile:

[e46er]

I got a salt bucket I throw in about a L of vinegar and a gal of water run the powerhead for an hour or 2 and it comes off no problem with a toothbrush.

[Myka]

For powerheads I usually do 50/50 vinegar/water and soak overnight. Then use a toothbrush on it.

[emerald crab]

I run them for 1/2 - 1 hour in a bleach solution to dissolve (oxidize) the soft tissue, rinse and run them for another 1/2 -1 hour in a HCl solution (hydrochloric acid, also known as muriatic acid), no final rinse required(you can do it if you feel like, but you're not really doing anything). No scrubbing or disassemble involved.

[H2o2]

I just do a quick dip in Boiled water that was poured into a pot and done slight brush .Been doing it for years and no worry about acid