Cleaning wavemaker with muriatic acid

[Esquire805]

So I have a ton of acid and I want to use it to clean two powerheads. My question is how much to use and for how long. I hear vinegar will destroy your pumps.

 

[theMeat]

Vinegar is harder on plastics
Muriatic is harder on metals
Vinegar should be overnight
Muriatic acid few moments
Vinegar 25-50%
or
muriatic acid 10%
is what I do

 

[mfinn]

The deal with vinegar was someone found that it was destructive to plastics that contained magnets. They found that the seams were breached by the vinegar and allowed saltwater and vinegar to get at the magnet.
Vinegar isn't going to dissolve your pump. I've been using vinegar for 25 years to clean pumps and I even have a 20+ year old Tunze pump that has been cleaned in straight vinegar countless times.
But to be on the safe side I did switch to citric acid. It's cheaper and easier to store.

People have been using muriatic acid too.
Straight it will eat plastic after a while, but I used it a couple times and I believe I used 1 cup to a gallon of water.
I also used rubber gloves with this.

 

[Esquire805]

The deal with vinegar was someone found that it was destructive to plastics that contained magnets. They found that the seams were breached by the vinegar and allowed saltwater and vinegar to get at the magnet.
Vinegar isn't going to dissolve your pump. I've been using vinegar for 25 years to clean pumps and I even have a 20+ year old Tunze pump that has been cleaned in straight vinegar countless times.
But to be on the safe side I did switch to citric acid. It's cheaper and easier to store.

People have been using muriatic acid too.
Straight it will eat plastic after a while, but I used it a couple times and I believe I used 1 cup to a gallon of water.
I also used rubber gloves with this.

Yes I just have acid at home so I dont want to buy vinegar or citric acid. I will try it today should it sit in the solution for a hour or so

 

[Esquire805]

Vinegar is harder on plastics
Muriatic is harder on metals
Vinegar should be overnight
Muriatic acid few moments
Vinegar 25-50%
or
muriatic acid 10%
is what I do

How long does it sit in the acid

 

[mfinn]

Yes I just have acid at home so I dont want to buy vinegar or citric acid. I will try it today should it sit in the solution for a hour or so

at 10 to 1, I would give it 15-20 minutes and rinse and brush the pump.
Then if that doesn't do it, try it a little longer

 

[Esquire805]

at 10 to 1, I would give it 15-20 minutes and rinse and brush the pump.
Then if that doesn't do it, try it a little longer

I just noticed the pump runs slower and is full of brown algae I think the time frame sounds about right

 

[AllSignsPointToFish]

I usually just mechanically remove the coralline algae and scrub the pump with a toothbrush. I try not to acid wash unless I really need to for some reason.

 

[Esquire805]

I usually just mechanically remove the coralline algae and scrub the pump with a toothbrush. I try not to acid wash unless I really need to for some reason.

Its nasty within, honestly I have never cleaned them and I had both pumps for about a year

 

[AllSignsPointToFish]

Yeah, mine get nasty as well. I just gut it up and scrub away

 

[Shinister]

I destroyed two MP40 wetsides using vinegar. The seam around the magnetic part came apart on both of them. I now use muriatic acid for every thing that needs a soak. For normal cleaning, I use 10:1 and soak it for about 5 minutes. I had some pumps and UV tube with lots of calcification (coralline & precipitation) and used 8:1 and soaked for 3 minutes and used a brush to afterwards.

 

[mfinn]

Its nasty within, honestly I have never cleaned them and I had both pumps for about a year

For removing organic matter bleach actually works better.
If I have a pump that suddenly growing alot of algae ( especially bubble algae), I'll do a 24 hour soak in 50/50 bleach water.
IMO helps remove any spores on/in the pump.
Then if there is alot of coraline, then I'll do the other soak.

 

[Esquire805]

For removing organic matter bleach actually works better.
If I have a pump that suddenly growing alot of algae ( especially bubble algae), I'll do a 24 hour soak in 50/50 bleach water.
IMO helps remove any spores on/in the pump.
Then if there is alot of coraline, then I'll do the other soak.

There is both on the pump but I dare not mix both together

 

[Esquire805]

I destroyed two MP40 wetsides using vinegar. The seam around the magnetic part came apart on both of them. I now use muriatic acid for every thing that needs a soak. For normal cleaning, I use 10:1 and soak it for about 5 minutes. I had some pumps and UV tube with lots of calcification (coralline & precipitation) and used 8:1 and soaked for 3 minutes and used a brush to afterwards.

Really 3 minutes this stuff must work fast

 

[theMeat]

Yeah muriatic acid works fast. If it doesn’t clean it in a few minutes mix a new batch and try again. It will only take off so much with each dip, no matter how long you leave it

 

[mfinn]

There is both on the pump but I dare not mix both together

Just a good rinse in-between.

 

[Esquire805]

Yeah muriatic acid works fast. If it doesn’t clean it in a few minutes mix a new batch and try again. It will only take off so much with each dip, no matter how long you leave it

Yes will keep that in mind

 

[Shinister]

Really 3 minutes this stuff must work fast

Yes. But not to completely dissolve everything. 3 minutes to get the calcification thin and weak enough to break it apart with a brush. Probably not a big deal but I don’t want to risk it by soaking for too long at that concentration. It’s MUCH quicker than vinegar.

 

[Esquire805]

Yes. But not to completely dissolve everything. 3 minutes to get the calcification thin and weak enough to break it apart with a brush. Probably not a big deal but I don’t want to risk it by soaking for too long at that concentration. It’s MUCH quicker than vinegar.

I did it yesterday for 13 mins worked great

 

[Esquire805]

Yes. But not to completely dissolve everything. 3 minutes to get the calcification thin and weak enough to break it apart with a brush. Probably not a big deal but I don’t want to risk it by soaking for too long at that concentration. It’s MUCH quicker than vinegar.