Too long in citric acid?

[mrbacony]

How long is too long to soak a pump in citric acid?
I have an Icecap 2K gyre and soaked it in about 1 gallon of water to 3/4 cup citric acid. I put it in around 3pm and took it out the next morning. It seemed to work fine for a week or so, but then started locking up. Turns out the cage bushing (just a plastic bushing) was too tight around the propeller. The pump is only 3 months old and the bushing was replaced under warranty.
But did I let it sit too long? I am perplexed as to how it ruined a plastic bushing. it looked normal, but definitely was not.

 

[Biglew11]

Citric acid should be safe for all plastics. The reason vinegar is bad, is because the molecules are small enough to go through the plastic and attack the metals underneath.

If the bushing is tight there may still be some calcium on the pump shaft or inside the bushing.

 

[mrbacony]

That is what I was thinking too. The plastics should not be affected by the citric acid. I checked the bushing and it is clean so I am not sure why it became too tight all of a sudden.

 

[Fennel]

Thanks. Presoaking dry rock... But aquascaped, in a tank using citric acid in addition to calcium chloride, epsom salt, sea chem clarity flocculant, since citric acid kills algae, but don't want the hob pump to give out.. idk how this is going to turn out.. better than bleach. My dry rocks are bubbling after the citric acid. Live enough. Cool.

 

[Triple.T]

I have 2 pumps that are circulating in a 5 gallon bucket that I made up on Friday if that answers your question..I've done this on more than one occasion and with WAY to much citric acid , no harm done . Just making sure it's really working all the moving parts!

IMHO the more the better, it allows for easier brushing for hard buildup, atleast it has for me.

 

[Fennel]

Oh and a bunch of soda ash..

 

[DeepintheReef]

I’ve left pumps in citric acid at 1/2 cup per gallon for a week before without issue

 

[DeputyDog95]

As a PSA to my fellow lazy reefers...

I have 6 Neptune WAV pumps in my tank and let's say I may have left them in there a wee bit longer than I should have. They're so encrusted w coralline at this point I'm shocked water was making it through the intake slots.

I mixed up a healthy batch of citric acid and dropped two in almost 4 hours ago. The water looks like grape kool-aid, but it's barely made a dent in removing the coralline. I've tried scrubbing them every 90 mins or so with a stiff brush, but doesn't seem to do anything so I'm not going to bother any more and let the acid do the work.

I think these may have to sit overnight and the others will have to get the "24 hour citric acid bath" treatment.

Had I done this when they were a little covered vs a 3ml thick layer, it would have been likely an hour. Live and learn.

No worries leaving the water side pumps (and the o-rings on their backside) in there overnight, right?