best way to clean powerheads?

[jason401]

whats the best way to clean power heads and pumps?
tia

 

[SteveDola]

Get white distilled vinegar (I get a big jug from Walmart). Take out of tank and soak for 24 hours in vinegar. Take old toothbrush after soak and clean. Chip stix or pipe cleaners work good for getting the nooks.

Sent from my Nexus S 4G using Tapatalk 2

 

[Turbosnail]

+1 what he said^^^^^

 

[jason401]

thanks steve, that was lightning fast..lol..

 

[don in mass]

this work great every 6month like new again hth don
http://premiumaquatics.com/store/me...Code=PA&Product_Code=HY-D10101&Category_Code=

 

[dcforester1]

If you have some heavy duty cleaning, or need it done fast, muriatic acid. It can be found with masonry supplies. THIS STUFF IS DANGEROUS, and if you don't use it outdoors, with gloves,respirator, and googles YOU WILL DIE!. Well maybe not die, but you can only use it outside, and you need to know what you are doing. I am not sure how much to dilute it, I have seen it used at 100%, and 10%, and both work great.

 

[mpsteve]

I use the above acid all the time as I do masonry for a living. We normally use a 5 gal bucket and fill a quarter of it with acid and the rest water. It's strong enough to take mortar off brick, but if you get it on your hands it won't burn right away. Takes a few seconds. Never once used a respirator. Deff use it out doors, and wear safty glasses. I have had it splash in my eyes a few times, deff burns a lot.

 

[delta]

I have a bucket with vinegar in it. I drop my pumps in let them run a hour or so take them out and give them a quick scrub on the outside with a tooth brush and then a good cleaning with freshwater inside and out. Go through the internal and make sure everything is clean and nothing is broken and then back in the tank. this cleans everything off but a slight cover of coraline which fades in a day or so. they do nto look new when I am done but that is not what I am looking for.

Pretty much water Steve posted

I use the same vinegar year in year out. you just pour off the clear vinegar once the crud settle to the bottom.

 

[danzig]

muriatic acid is a little excessive to use just to clean powerheads.. vinegar works fine

 

[Mr. Leemr]

Vinegar works just fine for me as well, i usually just grab a couple jugs at BJ's whenever we go shopping i think their like 5 liters for like 2 or three dollars. Most of the time when i'm going to do a soak i grab as many things as i need cleaned, throw them in a bucket covered with vinegar and a small powerhead add a few hours, clean enough for me.

 

[jason401]

i soaked everything in distilled white vinegar for about 2 hours, then scrubbed with a toothbrush..worked great, all coraline just brushed away. ran them for about 15-20 min in fresh water, then back in the tank... thanks for the help guys!

 

[dcforester1]

When I first started in the hobby I had a little problem with calcium, and all the vinegar in the world wouldn't clean them. I witnessed someone using it straight, and I could smell it 25ft away, and it burned my throat, diluted I don't think you need a respirator.