Removing Coraline with Vinegar?

[Custom King]

Hello,

Has anyone used white vinegar to remove all that red purplish build up on skimmers, power heads, etc.? I've heard a lot about its usage. How long should you let something sit submerged in the white vinegar? How easily is it to remove after letting it sit? Most importantly how well does this procedure work? Any comments or pointers would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks:biglaugh:

 

[Deanos]

Soaking equipment in a 50% water/50% vinegar solution for a few hours will make the coraline removable using a toothbrush. Soak longer if you're too lazy to use a toothbrush.

 

[marrone]

Place the skimmer in a bucket and add 1/2 bottle of white vinegar and 1/2 warm/hot water. Putting the skimmer in the bucket will keep the vinegar mixture from spilling out and let it soak better. Let it stand for about 1 hour. You should then run water through the skimmer and the coraline should just come right off. You may need to take a bush and scrap off what doesn't come off in the rinse.

 

[Custom King]

Deanos,

Thanks for the reply! I'll do. How easily will that coraline come off? I'll probably leave it over night so I won't have to use too much elbow grease:spin: The 50 - 50 mix sounds good. I'm not going to but is the vinegar too strong by itself so you have to use the 50 - 50 mix with the water to weaken the straight vinegar? Let me know?

Thanks:biglaugh:

 

[House of Laughter]

I usually take my skimmer, pump and all, out of my sump and put it into a dedicated 10g (petland discount special) tank with 3G of white vinegar and 2g of boiling hot water (or close to it)

Coralaine usually is gone a few hours later. Nice thing is I have a deck with outlets and I leave it running in the sun for a few hours while i run errands - clean as a whistle - also, cleans the pump.

Good luck with it

House

 

[Custom King]

Marrone,

Thanks for the response. I'll try your method as well. Simple thinking would be the longer you let it sit the easier the coraline removal I'll try anything I just want some of it off before I put this skimmer into service in my new tank setup. Thanks again for the response and your help. I'll keep everyone posted on my results. I'll keep my fingers crossed.

Thanks:biglaugh:

 

[Custom King]

House,

Thanks! It seems like I have a few methods to choose from now I'm looking forward to using a clean skimmer in my new setup opposed to a heavily coraline covered one. I'll try to take some before and after shots for those considering doing the same thing.

Thanks To All:wink1:

 

[gnatp2]

I've had no luck with vinegar. I just cleaned my tunze's a couple weeks ago with muriatic acid (20 to 1 ratio) and it worked like a charm. 10 mins. I tried vinegar but with no luck since my powerheads were THICK with the coraline. Just an options if the vinegar doesn't work for you. The stuff is extremely toxic so be extremely careful handling and be careful on what you use it on.

Nate

 

[Custom King]

GNATP2,

Ok, thanks for the response. I'll try my luck with the vinegar first. Hopefully that'll do the trick. The acid sounds hostile:spin: but whatever works. Did your industrial strength solution do any harm to the plastic or anything else? We'll give the vinegar a chance and if it doesn't work then I'll upgrade!

Thanks:biggrin:

 

[gnatp2]

I've only used it on plastics (my tunze 6100's).

Yeah, I went with the vinegar at first but didn't have luck. Give it a shot and see if it works for you. Hopefully your pumps weren't caked as bad as me.

Again, make sure to read up on it before you decide to use it. Open those windows and use some gloves.
Nate

 

[ming]

I used the vinegar, and then I put a bag over the bucket because I didn't want it stinking up the whole place

 

[scumonkey]

I use vinegar as well....and not diluted (works faster).

 

[Wes]

i like to use muriatic acid + water

 

[Bob 1000]

Soaking equipment in a 50% water/50% vinegar solution for a few hours will make the coraline removable using a toothbrush. Soak longer if you're too lazy to use a toothbrush.

This may be one of rare occasions that this guy actually wrote something other than a web address...lol

 

[Bob 1000]

i like to use muriatic acid + water

Where do you get that?? I tried to order on line and some message came up like I was building bombs or something....Do you build bombs with that stuff??lol

 

[scumonkey]

I'm a Artist/printmaker and use it often.....use with extreme caution!
http://www.jamestowndistributors.com/userportal/show_product.do?pid=4032&familyName=Muriatic+Acid
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000BZZ24I/?tag=reefs04-20
http://physchem.ox.ac.uk/MSDS/MU/muriatic_acid.html

 

[Wes]

pool and spa stores sell it

 

[Bob 1000]

Thanks, that's the place I had the prob, the first one....lol

 

[scumonkey]

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

"Hydrochloric acid, or muriatic acid by its historical but still occasionally used name....."

Try these...

http://www.sargentwelch.com/search.asp?ss=hydrochloric+acid&x=13&y=8
http://www.chemical-supermarket.com..._ml-p31.html?gclid=CLONo6vRuo4CFQifHgodT0rPyA