Cleanup used Skimmer

[Marz]

I just picked up a new to me (used) aqua c protein skimmer. It has salt deposits throughout the inside and the piping also has salt deposits. Are there any suggestions as to how to clean it? My thoughts are vinegar and water mix, let sit, then use a long tooth brush. I am not sure about the piping though?

Any suggestions appreciated.

 

[Pistol]

I just picked up a new to me (used) aqua c protein skimmer. It has salt deposits throughout the inside and the piping also has salt deposits. Are there any suggestions as to how to clean it? My thoughts are vinegar and water mix, let sit, then use a long tooth brush. I am not sure about the piping though?

Any suggestions appreciated.

Is it salt or calcium deposits?
Diluted muriatic acid @ 10:1, 10 parts water, will make quick work of calcium deposits but I'm not sure about salt.

 

[TORX]

Salt dissolves...warm water dissolves better. Rinse, shake, run the pump in the vinegar water for a while, good as new.

 

[yveterinarian]

Vinegar and water are your best bet. If you let it sit everything will dissolve. Mine did including in the pipes. You can also use a bottle brush to clean them out if you can reach inside.

 

[Marz]

I think you are right. It looks like calcium. I don't have muriatic... less diluted vinegar?

 

[Petercar (RIP Dec 2017)]

i put a gallon vinegar in a 5 gallon pail and sat the skimmer in it then fulled with warm water and let it run all day and off overnite and again for 2 hours. then empited the pail and fulled with rodi water and ran for few more hours

 

[Pistol]

What vinegar does in hours muriatic acid does better in minutes.

 

[Marz]

Gotchya! Will give it a shot Petercar! Thanks Pistol.

 

[sunnykita]

I guess it depends on whether you want to deal with Muriatic acid. Personally I"d go the vinegar route. Need a well ventilated area to work with the muriatic acid. Either or I guess

 

[Marz]

any ideas of a "macgivered" way of cleaning the inside of the aqua remora c skimmer? I have used a minimag to clean the walls, and a sponge with long tweezers, but still have some more cleaning to do. The chambers are deep and I just can't get down deep enough. Thoughts?

 

[Neopimp]

acid and a garden hose spray gun.

just blast the crap out with a stream of water after its loosened up byu the acid.

 

[Marz]

Ok. That might work. Leaving vinegar in for awhile, then will take it outside.

 

[Neopimp]

Yup that is what I would do first. As stated above muriatic is a lot more effective available at your local home hardware for all your bomb making needs


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[Marz]

Thanks for all the advice, cleaned, installed, and starting to work

 

[CanadaCorals.com]

If vinegar does not work, I would do a muriatic acid bath like Pistol said. 10:1 ratio sounds about right.

You can purchase a gallon of muriatic acid from Home hardware for cheap. Coraline algae virtually melts right off with that stuff.