What do you use to clean pumps?

[Flameback Pair]

I've used both bleach and and vinegar but have problems with both. Most of all I want something I can get off the shelf at a hardware or grocery store. Has anyone used ammonia?

Bleach is hard on your hands, is hard to rinse totally free, and is hell on reef animals but cleans very well. It must be rinsed totally free and you should probably use gloves with it. Vinegar is the best cleaner I've used, can be purchased anywhere, and is actually beneficial to reefs in small quantities but if left in a bucket too long it will go bad and form mold on the liquid surface. The problem here is I'd like to put some dirty equipment in a bucket, dump a good amount of vinegar in the bucket and fill it half up with water, but after a few days the vinegar starts to rot and molds starts growing in patches on the top of the solution. I like to leave the equipment in the solution to soak and loosen slime until I have a chance to clean the equipment. Also if the equipment is left in the air, the slime dries and is MUCH harder to remove.

Maybe if I also put some ammonia in the solution it would keep the mold from growing? Maybe if Randy or someone from the Chemistry Forum could chime in here.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

is muriatic acid you use a powder or liquid form?

Muriatic acid (HCl, hydrochloric acid, dissolved in water) is always a liquid. Pure HCl is a gas.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

I've used both bleach and and vinegar but have problems with both. Most of all I want something I can get off the shelf at a hardware or grocery store. Has anyone used ammonia?

Bleach is hard on your hands, is hard to rinse totally free, and is hell on reef animals but cleans very well. It must be rinsed totally free and you should probably use gloves with it. Vinegar is the best cleaner I've used, can be purchased anywhere, and is actually beneficial to reefs in small quantities but if left in a bucket too long it will go bad and form mold on the liquid surface. The problem here is I'd like to put some dirty equipment in a bucket, dump a good amount of vinegar in the bucket and fill it half up with water, but after a few days the vinegar starts to rot and molds starts growing in patches on the top of the solution. I like to leave the equipment in the solution to soak and loosen slime until I have a chance to clean the equipment. Also if the equipment is left in the air, the slime dries and is MUCH harder to remove.

Maybe if I also put some ammonia in the solution it would keep the mold from growing? Maybe if Randy or someone from the Chemistry Forum could chime in here.

Bleach and ammonia likely will not remove calcium carbonate. You need an acid for that purpose. Adding ammonia to vinegar will eliminate the acidity and make it useless.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

What precaution should you take when using muriatic acid? I am looking for something better and quicker!

Safety goggles and gloves.

Add 1 part acid to 10 parts cool fresh water and use the diluted acid.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

To those using vinegar I would highly recommend giving muriatic acid a try. I use to soak all pumps and do a deep cleaning on equipment every 6 months. I tried muriatic acid one time and it is such a better method by a long shot. Even with a deep cleaning every 6 months according to my flow meter I gained 350LPH on my return pump on the same setting with one cleaning of muriatic acid.

Muriatic acid, even diluted 1:10 in fresh water, is far more acidic (maybe pH 0 compared to pH 2.4, which means the diluted muriatic acid is hundreds of times more acidic) and that's why it is so much faster at dissolving calcium carbonate.

 

[Flameback Pair]

Bleach and ammonia likely will not remove calcium carbonate. You need an acid for that purpose. Adding ammonia to vinegar will eliminate the acidity and make it useless.

What's a household item that can be added to vinegar to keep it from molding? How about Comet brand cleaning powder?

 

[jason2459]

How long are you letting it sit? I've never had an issue with vinegar molding when diluting it with water to soak a pump overnight.

 

[Flameback Pair]

What's a household item that can be added to vinegar to keep it from molding? How about Comet brand cleaning powder?

I can't remember the name but it's something like microbial poison. But something that's fairly reef-safe.

 

[Flameback Pair]

How long are you letting it sit? I've never had an issue with vinegar molding when diluting it with water to soak a pump overnight.

Anywhere from overnight to a week setting in the bucket. However long it takes me to find the time.

 

[anthonywesty]

What precaution should you take when using muriatic acid? I am looking for something better and quicker!

Just soak the pumps with RO water. Some discus breeders use muriatic acid to lower ph.

 

[ChrisQ0904]

I soak in hydrogen peroxide/RO mix (eyeball) let it sit for 30min to 1hr depending if I forget im cleaning or not then brush rinse with RO then back in tank.

 

[Flameback Pair]

I can't remember the name but it's something like microbial poison. But something that's fairly reef-safe.

What about garlic? I've read that's an anti-microbial.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

I would just stick to full strength vinegar, if you want to use it. Diluting it makes it very slow. It is already quite slow when full strength.

Hydrogen peroxide won't remove calcium carbonate deposits.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Just soak the pumps with RO water. Some discus breeders use muriatic acid to lower ph.

That will not remove calcium carbonate deposits.

 

[jason2459]

Anywhere from overnight to a week setting in the bucket. However long it takes me to find the time.

I would just set it in a few hours to over night and then just soak in fresh water until you got to it or just put it back into use. Tap would be fine.

But I've had vinegar sit until fully evaporated with no growth.

 

[jason2459]

I would just stick to full strength vinegar, if you want to use it. Diluting it makes it very slow. It is already quite slow when full strength.

Hydrogen peroxide won't remove calcium carbonate deposits.

I've had issues with cheap non-epdm or vinton seals get leaks with straight 5% vinegar if soaked for to long. Most pumps should be ok.


Edit: oh yeah I also had a skimmer collection cup craze but I forget how long I left it soaking. That was a while ago.

 

[reefknight]

Citric acid, get it in bulk. Cheaper than vinegar in the long run.

 

[jroescher]

Muratic acid.

Wear old clothes and gloves in a well ventilated area.

 

[bubblemytip]

I remember seeing Roger of TUNZE explain on YouTube that muriatic acid could make the plastic swell and affect the longevity of the pump. Clean more often (3-6 monthly) with vinegar or citric acid to avoid those strong deposits.

 

[jason2459]

I remember seeing Roger of TUNZE explain on YouTube that muriatic acid could make the plastic swell and affect the longevity of the pump. Clean more often (3-6 monthly) with vinegar or citric acid to avoid those strong deposits.

I don't see it being worse then vinegar. Benefit is it is quicker but needs better handling. Soaking in vinegar for to long could have the same effect if at all.