Bleach vs Acid

[bertoni]

A dechlorinator from the fish store would be fine. If you're a DIY type, sodium thiosulfate would work, too.

 

[triguy]

I see some rinsing with water from hose after acid bath. Does that mean I can use tap water for the acid bath or does it have to be rodi water? After treatment, my rock will sit in rodi or saltwater until I get a new tank, so could be awhile before rock goes in a DT.

 

[bertoni]

I think tap water is fine for the acid bath, most likely. It'd take some very contaminated tap water to make a difference. Are you getting water from a well?

 

[triguy]

I think tap water is fine for the acid bath, most likely. It'd take some very contaminated tap water to make a difference. Are you getting water from a well?

No well water.

 

[bertoni]

I suspect you're fine with tap water.

 

[ichthyogeek]

NaturalViolence, did you use pure sodium percarbonate? or did you use oxi-clean? I've been searching for sodium percarbonate (pure), but the closest I can find is the oxi-clean with the little blue specks in it.

 

[davocean]

I think tap water is fine for the acid bath, most likely. It'd take some very contaminated tap water to make a difference. Are you getting water from a well?

Our TDS here is about 430, and we use chloramines, not sure if either of those two things would make a difference or not in whether to use tap or not

 

[bertoni]

That's a fairly high TDS reading, but the acid will prevent most contaminants from adhering to the rock. It's dissolving the surface, after all. I wouldn't worry, personally.

 

[triguy]

How much baking soda do I need to neutralize 40g of water and 4gallons of muriatic acid? Just want to be safe and sure.

 

[dkeller_nc]

Concentrated hydrochloric acid (muriatic acid) is approximately 12 molar; that is, 12 moles of acid per liter.

To neutralize it, you need an equivalent number of moles of an alkaline substance. In this case, baking soda. Baking soda's molecular weight is 84 grams/mole. So for a liter of concentrated hydrochloric acid, you need 12 x 84 = 1008 grams, or about 2.2 lbs.

Since you have 4 gallons of hydrochloric acid, you need 15.2 x 12 x 84 = 15,321 grams or about 34 pounds of baking soda. However, realize that a good deal of the hydrochloric acid initially present will be consumed in dissolving the outer layers of the rock, so you will need less than this. Exactly how much less depends on how much rock you put into the solution and how long you let it react.

A much better plan would be to use approximately 1/10th the amount of hydrochloric acid to give you a solution that's about 0.12M. It will still remove the outer layers of rock, and it will be considerably safer to handle, and a lot easier to neutralize.

 

[bertoni]

The solution also will fizz when baking soda is added until the acid is neutralized. When the fizzing dies back a lot, a quick pH reading should tell you how problematic the solution is.

 

[peter fumo]

i'm about to cure some dry Pukani and acid wash it first thanks for the info

 

[peter fumo]

Please comment on the acid name, concentration, and for how long to soak the LR.

The idea is to dissolve away the outer layer of the rock, taking copper with it, so you'd use 1:10 diluted muriatic acid in water or straight vinegar to do so.
how well of a rise would one have to do if you use bleach?

You'd need extensive rinsing, followed by either a dehclorinating agent or a long time sitting dry outside.

i'm about to cure some dry Pukani and acid wash it first thanks for the info

 

[OceanRevive]

I acid washed the Pukani, even with less water:acid ratio. It looked white and clean after the wash, but after the tank cycled, still have phosphate leaching out. I just tear it down and going to wash it again!

 

[bheron]

I acid washed the Pukani, even with less water:acid ratio. It looked white and clean after the wash, but after the tank cycled, still have phosphate leaching out. I just tear it down and going to wash it again!

Hi, I've dealt with this. Another way to do it, IMO the only way, is to:let the rock sit in pure clean water and allow the phosphate to leech out. as it leaches out run GFO to suck up the leeched phosphate. Periodically turn off the GFO reactor, wait, and test for Phosphate. Do this until readings consistently = 0.00.

 

[EvMiBo]

Sorry if this has been answered already, but can a 30g brute trash can (grey) be used for bleach, and acid soaks?? It will be rinsed and dried inbetween. edit: I've searched through the thread some and it looks like people are using brutes, looking good.

Think I may used sodium percorbonate now instead of bleach. How much sodium percarbonate is needed with 10g of ro/di?

 

[bertoni]

I might try 1 tbsp per gallon, so 10 tbsp total.

 

[EvMiBo]

Just received 2 lbs of sodium percarbonate today.

I will give 1 tbsp per gallon a shot. Too bad NaturalViolence didn't mention what ratio he was using.

Bertoni, do you think there will be a way to determine whether I'm using too much or not enough?

 

[bertoni]

I don't think there will be an easy test to see whether you're using enough. Using too much will lead to a more dangerous solution or more degradation of the equipment, but I don't know of much of a way to say anything. Please be careful with this mix!

 

[EvMiBo]

I was under the impression that sodium percarbonate is safer than bleach? I will still wear glasses and gloves though!