Cleaning with hydrochloric (muriatic) acid?

[Formulator]

I’ve always used vinegar to clean my powerheads. It loosens up the gunk, but I still have to do the chore of brushing everything to get clean. I came across an old poll thread where some people mentioned using hydrochloric acid. They claimed they just dip for 10 minutes and the pumps come out clean. I know enough about HCl to believe it, but figured it would be too harsh and potentially corrosive to any metal parts. So who is using this method? What strength HCl and what is your procedure?

CAUTION: hydrochloric acid, also sold as muriatic acid in pool and hardware stores, is a strong acid. Even diluted solutions can burn through fabrics, react violently with some metals and bases, and cause severe burns to your skin and eyes. Please use caution when handling and wear appropriate PPE (gloves, sleeves, pants, closed shoes, glasses).

 

[exnisstech]

I've not tried it but I've seen what it does to rock so I never even thought about using it to clean equipment. It is some nasty stuff. Be interesting to see what others say.

 

[redfishbluefish]

I wouldn't use it on any equipment that has exposed metal. I've used it on plastic equipment and glass tanks....not an issue and it does clean fast.

NOTE that although diluted hydrochloric acid, it is still a strong acid and will burn your skin and put holes in your clothes. Handle with great care.

Another option that also works fast and is safer is citric acid. I make up 1 cup to a gallon of water. Works great.

 

[Formulator]

NOTE that although diluted hydrochloric acid, it is still a strong acid and will burn your skin and put holes in your clothes. Handle with great care.

Thank you for mentioning this. I should have put a cautionary statement in my original post. As a chemist, I am well aware of the dangers… I also have access to the good stuff, which is why I was wondering what strength others were using. What have you used in the past?

 

[KrisReef]

Thank you for mentioning this. I should have put a cautionary statement in my original post. As a chemist, I am well aware of the dangers… I also have access to the good stuff, which is why I was wondering what strength others were using. What have you used in the past?

I don't think it reacts with metal, but it descales very quickly. I have used ~1/4 cup in a gallon of water, or less and the pumps come out clean in no time. I keep baking soda around to pick up splashes or spills (I run sloppy) and have not had any problem with equipment from acid burns, melts, tweaks, or pops, to use chemistry terms from the vernacular.

I use pool acid from Lowes, 2 gallon box, whatever they have (37% is formaldhyde, can't recall the acid number).

Don't dip live rock, it will melt, but pumps it just melts the calcium carbonate and worm tubes and coralline algae off. Works for acrylic tanks, never measured but pH was 2, if I recall correctly, or 4? I like to dump the dip water into my toilets to keep the sewers clean, sometimes I add baking soda first but it makes such a foamy mess I usually pour it straight, careful not to splash any.

 

[Miami Reef]

That’s funny. I just used muriatic acid to clean my powerheads. I did 10:1 and let it soak for about 45min.

It removed all the coralline, but there were still gunks of green and pink algae attached, so I did a separate bleach soak which removed that.

 

[KrisReef]

That’s funny. I just used muriatic acid to clean my powerheads. I did 10:1 and let it soak for about 45min.

It removed all the coralline, but there were still gunks of green and pink algae attached, so I did a separate bleach soak which removed that.

For goodness sake do not mix bleach with acid- Makes some kind of nerve gas that can mess you up dead! True story....................

10/1 is pretty weak, and yes bleach is going to remove "soft" algae better. I usually try and do a gross scraping if there is a lot of funk growing on the hardware because I don't want to deal with the gross mess that happens with either bleach or acid after the soakings done.

Public Service MEssage: DO NOT MIX bleach (chlorine) with Acid, the vapors are no bueno!

I'm certain you already know, but if you are like me you might have forgotten?

Weird toxic GIF's?

 

[Miami Reef]

For goodness sake do not mix bleach with acid-

I never said I mixed them.

First muriatic acid soak. Then I individually scrubbed each under running water. Then I emptied and rinsed the bucket and soaked in chlorine.

Then I rinsed each piece under water and neutralized the chlorine residue with sodium thiosulfate.

 

[Formulator]

I don't think it reacts with metal, but it descales very quickly.

Oh it certainly does! Lol I was in an after school science program in middle school and my favorite thing to do was throw pieces of zinc into HCl and watch it bubble and burn. Most metals react with HCl to form salt and hydrogen gas. With concentrated HCl it is quite violent. Here is a piece of aluminum foil for example:

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

I used it for all removing of calcium carbonate. It is much faster then vinegar even when properly diluted.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Oh it certainly does! Lol I was in an after school science program in middle school and my favorite thing to do was throw pieces of zinc into HCl and watch it bubble and burn. Most metals react with HCl to form salt and hydrogen gas. With concentrated HCl it is quite violent. Here is a piece of aluminum foil for example:

Most metals will react, as you know, but those shouldn’t generally be in reef tanks anyway.

 

[Formulator]

Most metals will react, as you know, but those shouldn’t generally be in reef tanks anyway.

Good point. I was just concerned about small metal parts in the powerheads. Like the hub pin for example. I’m not sure what the material of construction is.

 

[KrisReef]

Oh it certainly does! Lol I was in an after school science program in middle school and my favorite thing to do was throw pieces of zinc into HCl and watch it bubble and burn. Most metals react with HCl to form salt and hydrogen gas. With concentrated HCl it is quite violent. Here is a piece of aluminum foil for example:

I misspoke, should have said stainless steel instead of “metal.” (Stainless steel axles)
&
I forgot about the zinc reaction. Thanks for the reminder, chemistry is neat!

 

[KrisReef]

I never said I mixed them.

First muriatic acid soak. Then I individually scrubbed each under running water. Then I emptied and rinsed the bucket and soaked in chlorine.

Then I rinsed each piece under water and neutralized the chlorine residue with sodium thiosulfate.

Yes sir. I just wanted to make sure that peeps reading this thread were aware not to mix them up in a dip bucket.

I wanted that information up front for anyone else who might come along reading this thread.