Citrix Acid - Cleaning my equipment - Epic Fail?

[Brian Drab]

So I made a 25% Citrix Acid solution in a bin and placed my equipment in there (i.e. skimmer, pumps). Soaked it for a couple hours and scrubbed clean like normal. I then dumped the bin down the driveway when I was all done with it. I'm at work and my wife is now telling me I messed up our driveway and it ate through the sealant and looks horrible?

Is this possible? Did I just make a very expensive rookie mistake? If so would Vinegar have been any different?

Oh man.....going home tonight is going to be fun......

 

[MichaelReefer]

Idk, personally I make it stronger than that and it seems like it barely eats through the gunk on my skimmer.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Idk, personally I make it stronger than that and it seems like it barely eats through the gunk on my skimmer.

You mean the greenish/brown gunk? Your's gets tightly attached? Mine just wipes off.

Acids like citric, vinegar(acetic) or muriatic (hydrochloric) are not really well suited to removing organic matter. They are best suited to removing calcium carbonate deposits.

 

[HuduVudu]

So I made a 25% Citrix Acid solution in a bin and placed my equipment in there (i.e. skimmer, pumps). Soaked it for a couple hours and scrubbed clean like normal. I then dumped the bin down the driveway when I was all done with it. I'm at work and my wife is now telling me I messed up our driveway and it ate through the sealant and looks horrible?

Is this possible? Did I just make a very expensive rookie mistake? If so would Vinegar have been any different?

Oh man.....going home tonight is going to be fun......

Yikes this isn't good. Dilute quickly or add lime if you can to try and bind out the acid.

Acid Attack on Concrete - Effects & Results of Acid Attack on Concrete

Ordinary Portland Cement (OPC) is highly alkaline in nature with pH values above 12. When the cement paste comes into contact with the acids its components break down, this phenomenon is known as acid attack. If pH decreases to values lower than stability limits of cement hydrates, then the...

www.aboutcivil.org

Citric is organic but will behave more like vinegar. That should help with the article.

 

[Miller535]

I don't know about percentages. Think i was mixing something like either 3/4 to 1 cup per gallon of water with citric acid.

It is an acid, so I suppose it's possible it removed some sealant. Good or bad, I always dump mine down the drain when I am done.

 

[MichaelReefer]

You mean the greenish/brown gunk? Your's gets tightly attached? Mine just wipes off.

Acids like citric, vinegar(acetic) or muriatic (hydrochloric) are not really well suited to removing organic matter. They are best suited to removing calcium carbonate deposits.

It's not that it's "tightly" attached, I guess I just assumed it would come off easier.