Beware of Vinegar - The Pump Killer

[Ironic_Water]

Citric acid is usually readily available in bulk at certain gardening bulk supply stores and the like. I get twenty pound bags from my local farm supply store for cheap. Try not to buy citric acid from reef supply stores, the markup is crazy.

 

[MnFish1]

I do not believe or see why citric acid would not have the same effect on plastics as acetic acid (vinegar). As @Randy Holmes-Farley said there may be a difference with muriatic acid. There are multiple articles out there suggesting that citric acid can penetrate some low quality plastics as well as vinegar. In the OP - it was stated that undiluted vinegar was used - which is likely much more likely to cause a problem. Both citric acid and vinegar should be diluted before use (of course so should muriatic acid). pure citric acid is somewhat 'weaker' than vinegar, however if diluted to the same strength as citric acid, I don't see a reason that vinegar would cause any more damage. Lets face it, all 3 acids are stored in plastic bottles....

 

[Hog Head]

The magnets on mine have been replaced due to swelling and I never used vinegar to clean it. All I used was clean water and a toothbrush.

 

[ChrisfromBrick]

Let me further explain. If something has a charge (ionic), either positive or negative, it is looking to "neutralize", or satisfy that charge by finding another charged compound with the opposite charge...a covalent bond. These happen quickly, and now results in a neutral compound that is bound. So if this charged ion is floating around in the proximity of the plastic surface, before it has a chance to penetrate the surface, it will bond to the surface and now be stuck there. If this compound in not ionic, that is, does not have a charge...it is neutral..., and is small enough to fit in and around the structure of the interacting plastic, it can now penetrate that plastic. Think of a crowded room with a highly extroverted person who is now easily moving around that packed room without any problems....can go from one side of the room to the other without issue. While the introvert is"stuck" up against the wall and is unable to move. Extrovert = neutral compound; introvert = charged ionic compound. Hope this helps.

great analogy!

 

[jcdeng]

I am in this hobby for 12 years and counting, have been using diluted vinegar to soak and clean all my pumps (return, refugium, mp40s, tunze), I have never had this happened to any of them.

 

[Buckster]

I just scrub the pumps with a brush and use water. Maybe some day I will use citric acid if I remember to pick it up when I'm out