Cleaning circulation pumps

[taguluchi]

I've seen you can use vinegar to clean your pumps but what solution do you use like one part vinegar to one part water then what just rinse off with water for a minute? Or what method are to using? Thanks in advance for any help or advice


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[oseymour]

For pumps that are encrusted with coralline algae, I soak my pumps in a mix of 50%-50% white vinegar & water solution for a couple of hours and then use a brush and it comes off easily.

 

[ricks49reef]

That will work,you need to submerge it in bowl or bucket and let it soak over night.Then just use a toothbrush .

 

[GimpyFin]

I do around 50/50, maybe even a little less vinegar and a toothbrush when I clean mine. You can tweak it to how gnarly/grungy they are. Then rinse them off and back into the tank.

 

[cloak]

Unless your return pump is just covered with precipitate or coralline algae you don't really need the vinegar IMO. Just take it apart carefully and use a stiff brush to clean the components. If you do want to use vinegar though, just soak the pump in pure white vinegar for a few hours and then use the stiff brush to clean it.
Being that vinegar is so cheap there's really no need to dilute it, but that's up to you. GL.

 

[CStrickland]

I use full strength vinegar because you can reuse it. I have a lot of powerheads, so I just do them all on the same day, every 3-4 months. I use a one quart take out container from a deli, half full with vinegar. I put it next to the tank and lift the powerhead over the rim and set it running in the cup. The heat from the motor makes the vin work better too I think. After a half hour I move the cup to the next powerhead. I unplug the finished one and disassemble it, if it's really grody I bring it to the kitchen sink and spray it with the sprayer there, otherwise I just wipe off the impeller and pull the hairs off the fan part where they get tangled around it and put it back in service. If you keep regular maintenance it's never that hard to clean them. I don't bother rinsing, a little vinegar isn't bad for the tank.

 

[taguluchi]

Thanks for everyone's advice I appreciate it


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[wrott]

Vinigar is ~5% acetic acid. You can buy:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/99-Glacial-...e66df5&pid=100338&rk=2&rkt=17&sd=111080995676

that's 100% AA. I use and re-use a 50% solution over a couple of months to soak tunze parts---much better than 5%.
Don't get it in your eyes--seriously.

You may as well use Coke instead of vinegar.