What type of Vinegar?

[falconut]

I hear that Vinegar will remove the calcium deposits on our equipment. Is any household Vinegar OK to use or does it need to be a certain kind.

We had Red Vinegar, but I didn't know if I could use it so I just scrubbed with a brush, but still alot of calcium was left behind.

Also, how do you clean with it? Do I simply fill the sink with a 50%vinegar/50% water solution and run the pump? If so how long? Can I just let equipment submerge in the solution? Will the vinegar just remove the calcium or will I have to scrub the calcium off using the vinegar solution?

As you can tell from above, I haven't got a clue how to use vinegar for cleaning. Any information would be appreciated.

Thanks,
Craig

 

[Orochimaru]

I used heinz. If it really dirty, I don't dilute the vinegar. Just soak the equipments for a few hours. If that doesn't work, soak a little more before scrubbing.

 

[BethanyM]

I use white vinegar, 50/50 with water. unless its really yucky like a skimmer with skimmate caked on it. then i try to go full strength. i just let things sit in it while I do my other maintenace and then scrub it up a bit.

 

[falconut]

It seams that the white vinegar will be safe, so I'll have to pick some up. I will just soak for a couple of hours, scrub, rinse off well and reinstall the equipment.

Thanks.

 

[christian1966]

I always use white vinegar, 50/50 with water. So far it's been working great, just soak it for a couple hours then scrub if needed.

 

[TitansFan]

just dont do the mistake i did and put suction cups in it...

 

[falconut]

What happens to the suction cups? Does it eat them? Does it eat rubber?

 

[AZDesertRat]

I use straight white vinegar suction cups and all. Whats the problem with suction cups? It gets the coraline off of them just as well as it does the plastic parts.

 

[collins]

I've also had suction cups shrivel from a vinegar bath

 

[smleee]

I've used vinegar and suction cups too; made them nice and soft, though maybe if you leave them in too long they go bad.

eee

 

[falconut]

Worked really good. Thanks for the advise everybody.

 

[Biggie]

I use it on all my suctions straight 100% never had a problem. They get nice and soft and pliable again so they dont keep popping off.

 

[mwitten]

I use the cheapest white bulk vinegar the store has. I usually mix with water, but the ratio varies with what I am working with. I find that no matter how much calcium it has on it, leaving it in over night will almost always allow me to simply wipe it off.

Another thing: You can re-use it. I used the same bucket for soaking power heads, etc. for weeks. Got a bit grungy, but kept on working just fine.

Only problem I had was with some rubber stuff I left in the bucket for a while (like weeks or months). They were rubber gaskets, I believe. It began to attack that. I may have had problems with rubber suction cups as well (not plastic), but I hate suctions cups anyway and don't use them for anything any more.

Vinegar is near the top of my list of things I WISH I had known about when I started this hobby... spent a LOT of time scrubbing, scraping, etc.

-Mike

 

[AZDesertRat]

I use it straight and re use it. When I am done soaking something in a bucket I put a paint strainer in a funnel and pour it back in the bottle until next time. A gallon lasts months and months that way. Not bad for $1.50.

 

[mwitten]

Oh, and one other thought... I don't use the red vinegar, only white. The red stuff seems not to be as "clean", stronger smell, etc.

-Mike