Power Head Maintenance

[thelawnwrangler]

I have Jeabo WP10 that I had in my tank during the great sand storm when I started my tank. I think sand settled in. For the first few weeks every once in a while white thinks kicked out through power head. That had stopped and I could leave well enough alone so I cleaned the powerhead with white vinegar and warm tap water followed by a RO/DI dip and soak.

Nothing more came out and the pieces I could take a part seemed sand free, but now it is doing it again.

My question is when doing maintenance how much white vinegar do you use, and does it mater other than whatever it takes to get clean vs the cost of vinegar? would more vinegar possibly break up my sand issue? Could it be something else like pods or other little organism collecting in there?

 

[Sapelo]

I use about a 50/50 vinegar to water solution when cleaning power heads BUT that's generally to break down coraline and other buildup. Vinegar wont clean or dissolve away the sand.
I've never had an organism in my pumps other than the occasional snail...it's hard to imagine pods settling/collecting in a moving pump?

 

[Cymonous]

Are you actually taking apart the powerhead? Such as taking off the front cage and removing the shaft? If not, you may want to. There may be stuff stuck inside and needs a good cleaning. It really does not matter if you use too much vinegar. I would suggest using white vinegar. Either run the powerhead in the solution or let it set for at least a couple hours before scrubbing.

 

[thelawnwrangler]

Are you actually taking apart the powerhead? Such as taking off the front cage and removing the shaft? If not, you may want to. There may be stuff stuck inside and needs a good cleaning. It really does not matter if you use too much vinegar. I would suggest using white vinegar. Either run the powerhead in the solution or let it set for at least a couple hours before scrubbing.

I tool the front grill and impeller off. Sounds like I should use more white vinegar and run it in solution. I did 25% maybe. That said I splash white vinegar all over my kitchen my wife will never let me hear the end of it lol

 

[snorvich]

I tool the front grill and impeller off. Sounds like I should use more white vinegar and run it in solution. I did 25% maybe. That said I splash white vinegar all over my kitchen my wife will never let me hear the end of it lol

I run them in a five gallon bucket in the basement.

 

[thelawnwrangler]

I run them in a five gallon bucket in the basement.

Smart

The creepy duegon area is about to smell of vinegar and hidden dollar per a gallon aquariums

 

[SnoopyDaPimp]

I use about a 50/50 vinegar to water solution when cleaning power heads BUT that's generally to break down coraline and other buildup. Vinegar wont clean or dissolve away the sand.
I've never had an organism in my pumps other than the occasional snail...it's hard to imagine pods settling/collecting in a moving pump?

This is what I do once a month. Pull them out one at a time and run them for 30ish minutes.