Whats the best way to clean coraline off old PH?
- Thread starter SteveDola
- Start date
Moe_K
Stabbed by Foulke
MarkO said:
Whoa, I've known HCl as "hydrochloric acid" since the 8th grade. I had no idea muricatic acid was the old name for the same thing. I learned something today!
I usually employ a diluted bleach solution to clean my HOTB skimmer and its powerhead. Rinse the parts very well in tap water after soaking in bleach. When I leave them to dry for a couple of hours and come back, the coraline alge flakes off when a little pressure is applied.
MarkO
...
I used to use vinegar, but it takes quite some time, like you guys say, an overnight soak. But after speaking with another reefer, he told me he uses muriatic (hydrochloric) acid, which takes only a minute or 2. Initially, I was a bit concerned since HCl is a powerful acid, but he assured me that the plastics and metals the pumps are composed of are not affected by the acid. I think muriatic is diluted to a 20% soluition (don't aske me what molar that is... I slept through chemistry) and I further dilute it another 300-400%. But be careful of the fumes, you'll want to be outdoors or in a well ventilated area!!
NateHanson
Non-member
One safety note to remember when working with acids - "Do as you oughtta, add acid to watta".
Diluting a concentrated acid is a exothermic reaction (releases heat) and if you add water to acid, it can heat up so violently that it will suddenly boil and push the acid out of the mixing vessel. To avoid this, put the water in the vessel first and slowly pour in the acid. This allows the water to absorb the heat slowly.
Nate
Diluting a concentrated acid is a exothermic reaction (releases heat) and if you add water to acid, it can heat up so violently that it will suddenly boil and push the acid out of the mixing vessel. To avoid this, put the water in the vessel first and slowly pour in the acid. This allows the water to absorb the heat slowly.
Nate
Damn you and your talk of Molars, I need to be studying reproduction...wow, that sounds weird. Anywho, after doing some research and finding the density of HCl, pure HCl should have a molarity of 32.4. Therefore, a 20% (v/v) dilution would give about a 6.5M solution. Something seems wrong with this to me, due to the fact that I've never heard of HCl being nearly that concentrated (32.4M), but the math is correct. 
In addition, I found the name listed as Muriatic acid. I'm sorry, I was a Chem. major before med school! (yes, I'm a dork, I know )
As for something useful as to where to get it, you can try Fisher Scientific. I'm not sure if any of the suppliers would sell chemicals to a person without a lab, but you can certainly try!
Eric
In addition, I found the name listed as Muriatic acid. I'm sorry, I was a Chem. major before med school! (yes, I'm a dork, I know )As for something useful as to where to get it, you can try Fisher Scientific. I'm not sure if any of the suppliers would sell chemicals to a person without a lab, but you can certainly try!
Eric
Jim Tansey
Well-Known Member
As others have posted just soak it in white vinegar, it will look like it just came out of the box. I have three power heads and use two, every month I remove one replace it with a clean one and soak it in vinegar, often times I foget about it and it soaks for 3 or 4 weeks (nice and clean).
Jim
Jim
Muriatic Acid is sold in local hardware stores and is used to clean cement. If you chose this way to go definitely use caution. As mentioned, put the water in your pail first then add the muriatic acid. It gives off chlorine gas (something you should not breathe in) and should be done outdoors or in a ventilated area. If used properly it works great!!! Mix about 3 parts water to 1 part acid. Remember wear glasses!!!
MelodyDurham
Non-member
So, dip in the acid, then what? Rinse like heck? Or is Muriatic acid like bleach, it eventually evaporates on it's own?
Thanks,
Melody~
Thanks,
Melody~
Greg Hiller
BRS Moderator
>HCl is very caustic<
Actually base is very caustic.
I use hydrochloric acid all the time. I'm much too impatient to wait for dilute acetic (vinegar) to do the job. Yes, muriatic is the same as hydrochloric. You can get a 1 gallon jug of muriatic at the hardware store for about $3-4. I generally dilute it a bit before use. ONLY OUTSIDE and make sure you are upwind. Goggles are a good idea. Muriatic is slightly less concentrated than concentrated hydrochloric from a lab, but not much.
HCl will remove the calcium deposits, and the crap that is left you can use bleach on if you like, or just a bit of elbow grease and a scrubbing pad. I actually prefer to use acid because it rinses very clean. Bleach for some things I find hard to completely rinse away. It does evaporate over time, particularly if you warm the items a bit.
Actually base is very caustic.
I use hydrochloric acid all the time. I'm much too impatient to wait for dilute acetic (vinegar) to do the job. Yes, muriatic is the same as hydrochloric. You can get a 1 gallon jug of muriatic at the hardware store for about $3-4. I generally dilute it a bit before use. ONLY OUTSIDE and make sure you are upwind. Goggles are a good idea. Muriatic is slightly less concentrated than concentrated hydrochloric from a lab, but not much.
HCl will remove the calcium deposits, and the crap that is left you can use bleach on if you like, or just a bit of elbow grease and a scrubbing pad. I actually prefer to use acid because it rinses very clean. Bleach for some things I find hard to completely rinse away. It does evaporate over time, particularly if you warm the items a bit.
