Acid Wash.

[reeferkeeper420]

Well im slowly rolling back into the hobby now after my catastrophic move, which ended in what I had left crashing and dieing. So I'll be giving all my old LR a muriatic acid wash to make sure no old algae makes its way in. What's the best way to do this? Looking for a step by step process since I've never used acid before and am not fond of it lol. Thanks in advance! Good to be back on Tft!
Riley

 

[AdInfinitum]

Hey...good to see you back Riley!

 

[shamous113]

I started with bleach for a day picked 5gal of 12% at the pool store 1:8 ratio (the household stuff is 5%), i then let it soak for a couple of days in fresh water and hit it with prime. I then put it in new water and did a 1:10 muriatic acid to water and stood back till it the bubbling slowed down then neutralize with baking soda and rinse and let it dry.

 

[Nick James]

I started with bleach for a day picked 5gal of 12% at the pool store 1:8 ratio (the household stuff is 5%), i then let it soak for a couple of days in fresh water and hit it with prime. I then put it in new water and did a 1:10 muriatic acid to water and stood back till it the bubbling slowed down then neutralize with baking soda and rinse and let it dry.

What container is safe to use with muriatic acid? I have to give some rock a bath myself...

 

[shamous113]

What container is safe to use with muriatic acid? I have to give some rock a bath myself...

I used a large Rubbermaid tote bin.

 

[reeferkeeper420]

Will probably skip the bleach part. I think the acid will do everything the bleach will, and more.

 

[shamous113]

The bleach breaks down and strips the organics off, I'm not sure how just using the acid will work.

 

[reeferkeeper420]

The bleach breaks down and strips the organics off, I'm not sure how just using the acid will work.

Would the acid not do the same thing?? Since it strips everything else off? Or am I wrong?

 

[shamous113]

Would the acid not do the same thing?? Since it strips everything else off? Or am I wrong?

IMHO acid burn's tissue where as chlorine breaks it down.

"chlorine kills via the oxidation of organic molecules. Chlorine and hydrolysis product hypochlorous acid are neutrally charged and therefore easily penetrate the negatively charged surface of pathogens. It is able to disintegrate the lipids that compose the cell wall and react with intracellular enzymes and proteins," https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Water_chlorination