What do I use to clean used equipment?

[Requiemiero]

Hi, I got a used tank from a friend and I was wondering whether I need to use RODI water and vinegar to clean it.

What do you guys use to clean used equipment?

 

[ScottB]

Yeah I have used a mix of vinegar and water. You can either fill it and run pumps (best) or soak a bunch of paper towels and cover it that way. Keep the towels soaked with spray bottle of vinegar solution.

Some people don't like using vinegar on equipment. Kinda in that camp for some pieces and use citric acid solution. But I am probably in the minority on that.

 

[Requiemiero]

Yeah I have used a mix of vinegar and water. You can either fill it and run pumps (best) or soak a bunch of paper towels and cover it that way. Keep the towels soaked with spray bottle of vinegar solution.

Some people don't like using vinegar on equipment. Kinda in that camp for some pieces and use citric acid solution. But I am probably in the minority on that.

Thanks for the quick answer!

Do I need to mix the vinegar with RODI water specifically or can I use tap water? And sorry if this sounds dumb but can I use just any vinegar?

 

[Snoopy 67]

Plain old vinegar not balsamic or such.
Tap will be fine.

 

[ScottB]

Thanks for the quick answer!

Do I need to mix the vinegar with RODI water specifically or can I use tap water? And sorry if this sounds dumb but can I use just any vinegar?

Tap is fine. Distilled white vinegar is probably preferred but (our little secret) I've run out and used red wine vinegar in a pinch. Ascetic acid is ascetic acid to me. A good rinse & dry and off you go.

 

[Requiemiero]

Plain old vinegar not balsamic or such.
Tap will be fine.

Thanks! I have what I think is white vinegar and I'll mix it with tap water then.

 

[Snoopy 67]

IF you are going to soak submersible pumps no more than about 10 minutes please.
Vinegar has been shown to affect the insulation that makes them submersible.

 

[Requiemiero]

Tap is fine. Distilled white vinegar is probably preferred but (our little secret) I've run out and used red wine vinegar in a pinch. Ascetic acid is ascetic acid to me. A good rinse & dry and off you go.

Thank you for your help!

 

[Requiemiero]

IF you are going to soak submersible pumps no more than about 10 minutes please.
Vinegar has been shown to affect the insulation that makes them submersible.

That's good to know. I haven't gotten my pumps or power heads yet so I'll keep this in mind.

 

[ScottB]

IF you are going to soak submersible pumps no more than about 10 minutes please.
Vinegar has been shown to affect the insulation that makes them submersible.

+1 or use citric acid

 

[xabo]

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Buy Ball 14.8 Oz. Tomato Preserving Citric Acid Powder at Walmart.com

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[fragit]

I just read an article about vinegar being able to penetrate plastic on a molecular level. So any piece of equipment that has a magnet encased in plastic can/will absorb the vinegar causing the magnet to oxidize and swell bursting the seams and then leaching toxins into your tank. To get around this use muratic acid or citric acid as referenced above.

 

[Requiemiero]

Okay I guess citric acid it is, then

I just read an article about vinegar being able to penetrate plastic on a molecular level. So any piece of equipment that has a magnet encased in plastic can/will absorb the vinegar causing the magnet to oxidize and swell bursting the seams and then leaching toxins into your tank. To get around this use muratic acid or citric acid as referenced above.

 

[Admann]

I'll say this again. I have 2 Maxspect XF230s in continuous use since Nov. 2018 with no failures or disassembly, ever. They have only been cleaned with citric acid. Vinegar is bad for some plastics and muriatic acid stinks and is more risky to use.

 

[fragit]

I’ve gotten lucky. I just learned this. I let my Gyre cages and props soak in vinegar and RO for weeks to months between changes. Thankfully I’ve never soaked my motors or magnet mounts. I do need to clean the motors and will only use citric acid.

 

[ramona]

How do you make the citric acid solution? thank you

 

[AdamW0611]

I just bought citric acid powder, only used it once so far so I don't remember the mixture I used, bit I ran my powerheads and protein skimmer Rin it and they came out great.

 

[ScottB]

How do you make the citric acid solution? thank you

I use around 1/2 a cup powder form citric acid (Milliard's) to a gallon of water. If you want it to keep for more than a week, toss in a tablespoon of sodium benzoate. Otherwise it goes gross and spoils.