What is the best way to clean old equippment.

[ALBERTA REEF]

What is the best way to clean old equippment safely? Like skimmers power heads and so on.

[fkshiu]

Vinegar.

[The Codfather]

Vinegar and water always works well.

[ALBERTA REEF]

What tip and how mutch?

[christyf5]

just regular white vinegar. I usually use between a 25% and 50% solution depending on how fast I want it to work and how much gunk there is to be removed. Leave it in the solution for a few hours or overnight for heavy buildup.

[Myka]

I just buy the biggest jug at the store, and use it 100%...maybe 75% if I need a bit more volume. I dump it into a 2 gallon pail, and throw all the equipment in the bucket over night. If I have more stuff then will fit it the bucket I just do it again the next day reusing the same vinegar.

[fkshiu]

I used to dilute white vinegar but nowadays I don't mess around with that and use 100% strength - it's dirt cheap and you can reuse it.

For the truly impatient there's muriatic acid but that can be quite dangerous and requires special handling precautions.

[AndyL]

Muriatic acid isn't so dangerous... Gloves, safety glasses and some due care and attention are about all you need when handling the full strength stuff...

1/4 cup into a gallon of water does a REALLY good job at cleaning up the calcium/coraline quickly.

I used to use pure vinegar all the time - got a little pricey, now I just use small amounts of muriatic acid - and get the job done way cheaper/faster.

[ALBERTA REEF]

Where would you get Muriatic acid? I have and old skimmer Viniger is not cutting it.

[shrimpchips]

Hardware store

[ALBERTA REEF]

Like Rona or HD?

[xtreme]

I know HD stopped carrying it a number of years ago so don't bother looking there. Not sure about Rona.

[ALBERTA REEF]

I will try looking in Rone some time this week. If I finded it, I let everyone Know.

[fkshiu]

Muriatic acid (AKA hydrochloric acid) IS dangerous by definition:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Muriatic_acid#Safety

I still clearly recall the big lecture regarding hydrochloric acid safety we got at a chem lab back at university - full face shields and everything - because of its tendency to easily become a corrosive mist.

IME there's nothing in our hobby that an overnight soak in full strength undiluted vinegar can't deal with along with a little elbow grease. Like I said, you can reuse the vinegar over and over again. I've been using the same $4 gallon jug of white Costco vinegar for over a year now. Just don't put in on your fish and chips. :)

IMO the risks of muriatic acid are not worth the benefits over that of vinegar.

[lastlight]

I read to dilute with ro water as reg water will reduce the effectiveness of the vinegar...meaning the minerals etc in reg water will react with the vinegar i think.

I'm amazed you can re-use the vinegar. Is it becoming less effective?

[fkshiu]

I read to dilute with ro water as reg water will reduce the effectiveness of the vinegar...meaning the minerals etc in reg water will react with the vinegar i think.

I'm amazed you can re-use the vinegar. Is it becoming less effective?

I've used in over and over again at 100% and it seems just as potent as the first time - the pungent vinegar smell is still there as well. I think if you dilute it then it will become less effective if you try reusing it.

[belzebuth]

I keep mine in an old salt bucket. Just store away when you are done. I have been using the same stuff since January 09. I have not see any descrease in potency. Very convenient...I can quickly clean my Koralias.

[AndyL]

Muriatic acid can be found at rona; just ask in the paint area - used to prep concrete floors to receive paint.

Everything depends on the concentration - the muriatic acid you can buy at the hardware store isn't by any means pure... Still need to be careful, but no you're not going to end up in the hospital if used correctly.

[hillegom]

I had some muriatic acid once, used it to remove concrete from a rock wall. It dissolves
the concrete binding agent and leaves you with sand.
But I can't remember. If you want to dilute it, do you add water, or do you add the acid to the water. I remember there is a big saftey issure here, if you do it incorrectly,

[banditpowdercoat]

Acid to water, that way, if you splash, the water splashes not the acid.

Also, if there is a reaction, adding the acid first makes it start out REALLY diluted. If you add water to the acid, the concentrations are reversed

[TrailFish]

Try pickling vinegar it is a couple of percent stronger (7% vs 5%) and about the same cost.

[ALBERTA REEF]

Ok I have tried everthing except Muriatic acid (AKA hydrochloric acid). I like to be on the safe side of things. I found the safest way is to use pickling vineger 7% with a heater and a pump. Works the best. thank you for all the advise. :biggrin: