Citric acid, does it self evaporate?

[ostracizedreefer]

Hey all, just wondering if anyone can answer this question. When cleaning containers for water mixing or CAM storage I usually use some citric acid dissolved in water. After soaking and cleaning I normally rinse with fresh water and allow to dry. Is it fair to assume that the rinse before allowing to dry will leave it residue free? Or is it still possible to leave behind traces of citric acid on the surfaces?

 

[Timfish]

I'd guess a trace in the form of a fine powder might be detectable with the right equipment depending on how well it's rinsed. I use H2O2 when I want to to insure bacteria don't get spread from on system to another system. Otherwise just rinsing with tap water is satisfactory.

 

[reefing102]

Welcome to RC! As Timfish said, there’s likely some trace left. For cleaning purposes you should be fine. For bacterial issues like cleaning a QT tank, I’d do h202 or bleach

 

[wvned]

What is left behind will not be citric acid. You said rinse with fresh water. Does that mean tap water?
The tiny amount of citric acid will react with what ever is in the rinse water. If you see any hazing or residue it would be an insoluble product of that reaction left behind that didn't rinse out.
If you rinsed with RODI that had nothing to react with the tiny amount of acid left it would react as soon as exposed to SW and be neutralized.
Generally Citric acid is used as a descaling agent to remove water deposits that rinses clean.

Fill your dishwasher's detergent dispenser with citric acid crystals and run the glasses through a normal wash, without using any other detergent. The citric acid acts as a limescale remover and will descale the dishwasher at the same time.
Cleaning hazy glasses in a dishwasher.

 

[ostracizedreefer]

Thanks for your responses everyone. Yeh I have generally used RODI water to rinse thinking it will make it best for making my randys in afterwards. I think from now on I will rinse with tap water and just allow to dry before using to make and store the randys (which is OBVIOUSLY made with rodi).

Wvned I have definitely witnessed the insoluble byproduct you mention before. I cleaned out an IBC which I filled with water and citric acid mix. Allowed to soak and then drained, followed by a blast with garden hose. When I came back to it few weeks later and all dried up there was a whole heap of coloured residue built up around the bottom drain where all the water had puddled up last before evaporation.