Does anyone use bleach to clean their powerheads?

Miami Reef · Nov 18, 2023

I bleach my powerheads every 1-2 months. I find it makes removing the brown gunk that accumulates much easier. The powerheads come out brand new, except for the coralline, which turns completely white and flakes off in the tank after a few days.

Does anyone else use bleach to clean their powerheads?

PSA: Please neutralize the chlorine before adding the powerheads back into the tank.

EeyoreIsMySpiritAnimal · Nov 18, 2023

I use citric acid and run the pumps in it for a while, then break them down and clean with a brush, etc.

Jposch · Nov 19, 2023

Don't your cords get real brittle and dried out? I had alot of rquipment damage when bleaching QT's regularly. Granted, that was a very high chlorine level.

Miami Reef · Nov 19, 2023

Jposch said:
Don't your cords get real brittle and dried out? I had alot of rquipment damage when bleaching QT's regularly. Granted, that was a very high chlorine level.

I haven’t noticed any issue with my cords. I don’t bleach it for long, and I don’t make the concentration too high.

jason2459 · Nov 19, 2023

Citric acid or vinegar for me when ever I have done it. I should do it more regularly then once a decade.

Miami Reef · Nov 19, 2023

jason2459 said:
Citric acid or vinegar for me when ever I have done it. I should do it more regularly then once a decade.

Ya, definitely no to the vinegar.

Beware of Vinegar - The Pump Killer

I have posted bits and piece of my vinegar story over the past three years, and I thought it would be beneficial if one post contained all that I've learn. You'll be surprised! This story will contain three parts; my history with vinegar, the cause and simplified chemistry what's happening...

www.reef2reef.com

I’m interested in trying muriatic acid to clean my powerheads. I know how to safely use the chemical. I am going to try it tomorrow.

naterealbig · Nov 19, 2023

I use bleach then muriatic acid for my pumps.

1 cup bleach (10%) to 2 quart water. 2 cups acid to 2 quart water. 10 min in bleach. Fresh water. 10 min in acid. Fresh water. Back in tank.

Do not mix bleach and acid.

TokenReefer · Nov 19, 2023

Where's all the hate for cleaning with vinegar come from (not just you). Hasn't it been used for years? Isn't it a fairly mild acid? Doesn't it work? What am I missing?

Kodski · Nov 19, 2023

TokenReefer said:
Where's all the hate for cleaning with vinegar come from (not just you). Hasn't it been used for years? Isn't it a fairly mild acid? Doesn't it work? What am I missing?

there is evidence that vinegar has caused the magnets in the pumps to swell and cause them to stop working.

Personal I don’t know why anyone would use anything but citric acid. Super cheap and readily available and it makes everything melt right off whatever piece of equipment you’re cleaning. Even coraline algae. Plus, it’s not super harmful to our health like bleach and muriatic acid is. If a little makes it into our tanks it won’t cause any harm either. So again, I really don’t understand why people use anything else.

Jposch · Nov 19, 2023

Miami Reef said:
Ya, definitely no to the vinegar.

Beware of Vinegar - The Pump Killer

I have posted bits and piece of my vinegar story over the past three years, and I thought it would be beneficial if one post contained all that I've learn. You'll be surprised! This story will contain three parts; my history with vinegar, the cause and simplified chemistry what's happening...

www.reef2reef.com

I’m interested in trying muriatic acid to clean my powerheads. I know how to safely use the chemical. I am going to try it tomorrow.

I keep a 5gal bucket of diluted muriatic acid. KEEP COVERED. I will pour it to a new bucket with a 25 micron sock to clean it as needed. Makes cleaning pumps easier and even cheaper by save the acid. Just add a bit more if it seems weak.

TokenReefer · Nov 19, 2023

Kodski said:
there is evidence that vinegar has caused the magnets in the pumps to swell and cause them to stop working.

How long would that take? I can't see any issues with an hour or two. Even recommended by some manufacturers. Sounds like user error... Would citric acid not do the same?

TangerineSpeedo · Nov 19, 2023

I actually use a overnight soak in a diluted bleach concentration then a citric acid soak. First part breaks down all the organic crud, the second the calcarious stuff. Things like my MP guards only get bleached because I switch them out once a week, so there is no Coraline build up.

Nano_Man · Nov 19, 2023

White cheap vinegar works for me .l have never used bleach. Also use a toothbrush for getting stubborn bits off

Randy Holmes-Farley · Nov 19, 2023

TokenReefer said:
Where's all the hate for cleaning with vinegar come from (not just you). Hasn't it been used for years? Isn't it a fairly mild acid? Doesn't it work? What am I missing?

While I've not seen any problem with it myself, I expect the issue (if real) has to do with uncharged acetic acid having some ability to penetrate some plastics. Mineral acids such as muriatic will never have any significant uncharged forms around, and so won't do anything except interact with the surface. Inorganic ions such as H+ and Cl- just wont penetrate the very hydrophobic interior of plastics.

Miami Reef · Nov 19, 2023

Randy Holmes-Farley said:
While I've not seen any problem with it myself, I expect the issue (if real) has to do with uncharged acetic acid having some ability to penetrate some plastics. Mineral acids such as muriatic will never have any significant uncharged forms around, and so won't do anything except interact with the surface. Inorganic ions such as H+ and Cl- just wont penetrate the very hydrophobic interior of plastics.

How about chlorine? Would that damage powerheads similarly to vinegar?

RedoubtReef · Nov 19, 2023

EeyoreIsMySpiritAnimal said:
I use Citrix acid and run the pumps in it for a while, then break them down and clean with a brush, etc.

You have know idea how funny this to a Citrix admin...

doubleshot00 · Nov 19, 2023

Citric acid isnt the end all be all. It doesn’t clean things perfectly. So CA or vinegar or bleach you still have to put elbow grease into it unless you’re super diligent in cleaning your power heads, pumps and other things monthly. Im not that guy.

PeterErc · Nov 19, 2023

Muriatic, if it works why change it

TokenReefer · Nov 19, 2023

Randy Holmes-Farley said:
While I've not seen any problem with it myself, I expect the issue (if real) has to do with uncharged acetic acid having some ability to penetrate some plastics. Mineral acids such as muriatic will never have any significant uncharged forms around, and so won't do anything except interact with the surface. Inorganic ions such as H+ and Cl- just wont penetrate the very hydrophobic interior of plastics.

Thank you. This was what I was trying to understand; the mechanism. I acquiesce to those more knowledgeable but my gut tells me it'd have to be soaking for an abnormally long period of time but again...what do I know. As mentioned, above, combined with elbow grease is probably a better approach than seeking a soak and pull out clean solution; perhaps that leads to longer soaks and thus problems?

Borat · Nov 19, 2023

Some people have obsession with cleaning powerheads.. Organic matter, especially inside the impeller housing is harmless, moreover it acts as lubricant and reduces the risks of noise. Powerheads often "settle-in" with certain amount of organic matter and removing it risks making the imbalanced and start producing noise.

Noadays i soak my powerheads in citric acid so as to remove coraline algae growth, give it a bit of toothbrushing on the outside - but never take them apart, at least not removing the empeller from its home.