How to clean a used skimmer properly

[containerman1]

Just looking for few tips on cleaning a used skimmer .
I will take apart and use my brush kit to clean out good then.
I was thinking of soaking in 5 gallon bucket with ro water and a little bleach?
Then let it soak in a vinegar bath and turn it in and let it run for a little bit then
Run it in a pail of ro water and prime to finish it and let it dry for 24 hr?
What do you think ?

 

[mvm]

Over thinking this. If it will fit in a 5gallon bucket, fill it with pure vinegar and let in run for an hour or so. After that, scrub it an rinse. It will look brand new.

 

[ralph atl]

I let it soak over night in 50/50 vinegar.....I make sure the pump is soaked in muriatic acid and water for an hour until perfect.....

I left rinse and pour H2O2 all over unit (soak it, but it's not floating in it) for 10-20 minutes...

 

[hnguyen]

I agree with MVM, don't over think it too much. Just soak it in some vinegar and let it run for an hour then rinse and throw it back in the tank. I haven't killed anything yet doing it that way. Key word.....YET.

 

[containerman1]

MvM;886616 wrote: Over thinking this. If it will fit in a 5gallon bucket, fill it with pure vinegar and let in run for an hour or so. After that, scrub it an rinse. It will look brand new.

I gotcha . I was thinking it was a little over kill . I will give this a try tomorrow
Thanks

Edit:

mysterybox;886622 wrote: I let it soak over night in 50/50 vinegar.....I make sure the pump is soaked in muriatic acid and water for an hour until perfect.....

I left rinse and pour H2O2 all over unit (soak it, but it's not floating in it) for 10-20 minutes...

Hey Ralph , I found some muratic acid at ace do I just soak the pump in it 50/50 water /acid then rinse off ?
Thanks

Edit:

Hnguyen;886642 wrote: I agree with MVM, don't over think it too much. Just soak it in some vinegar and let it run for an hour then rinse and throw it back in the tank. I haven't killed anything yet doing it that way. Key word.....YET.

Thanks
I was thinking of just doing this but I started over thinking it and that's why I thought I
Better ask for some advice

 

[jdavid]

I have some advice! It is CRITICAL that you remove all O-Rings and anything that is not hard plastic prior to soaking in vinegar! I just soaked some pumps and powerheads and all o-rings expanded and suction cups are deformed on the bottom of my biocube pump. I have to go find some o-rings now. The impeller covers wont even fit on until I get some new ones

 

[containerman1]

JDavid;886645 wrote: I have some advice! It is CRITICAL that you remove all O-Rings and anything that is not hard plastic prior to soaking in vinegar! I just soaked some pumps and powerheads and all o-rings expanded and suction cups are deformed on the bottom of my biocube pump. I have to go find some o-rings now

Ah, I did not know that . I will have to take the gaskets out?
Thanks

 

[jdavid]

as far as hurting your tank after a rinse and a shake with tap your good to go (with vinegar, dechlorinate anything with prime after cleaning with bleach)

even a little vinegar is neutralized once it goes in the tank anyway so don't worry about it a rinse will do fine. You won't kill anything that way.

Edit: Yeah anything that is not hard plastic

 

[eric b]

I would soak the whole thing in muratic acid! If using this acid about a 10% solution is all that is needed and no scrubbing when finished it will all just wash off! Be careful of the fumes and always add the acid to the water.

 

[jdavid]

FWIW it does not seem to damage silicone at all when diluted IME and a dilution may be just as effective as pure vinegar without the risks. It may be the material that the o-rings are made out of. But I have probably bought 10 gallons of vinegar in the past month and I have a lot of experience with cleaning using vinegar so take my word for it don't do an overnight soak in pure vinegar with o-rings! When I tried to put the pumps back I couldnt get the covers on and at first had no idea what the problem was then realized the o-rings were loose on both pumps. They were fine prior to the soak

 

[merkywater]

Eric B;886649 wrote: I would soak the whole thing in muratic acid! If using this acid about a 10% solution is all that is needed and no scrubbing when finished it will all just wash off! Be careful of the fumes and always add the acid to the water.

+1

It will be like brand new.

 

[ralph atl]

hell no! like 10% tops!....careful and use gloves and goggles and outside! you will have no calcium build up after an hour or 2.....don't soak for more than 2 hours though......

Always add water first......

Edit:

merkywater;886652 wrote: +1

It will be like brand new.

:yes:

Edit: yup

 

[containerman1]

Got it . Will the muratic acid hurt the rubber gaskets?

 

[ralph atl]

I just always used vinegar for the body of the skimmer over 24 hours, and the muriatic acid for all my pumps....for quick cleaning....it's basically the same thing cept muriatic acid is the beast ....

Edit:

containerman1;886655 wrote: Got it . Will the muratic acid hurt the rubber gaskets?

could....

 

[ichthyoid]

Muriatic is a mineral acid and vinegar is an organic acid. The muriatic is a much more potent acid than vinegar because of this and their relative concentrations.

If muriatic is used, wear glasses, gloves and like Nate said, ALWAYS add the acid to the water. Doing the reverse can result in a violent reaction (if the acid is strong enough).

I always use about 1 part vinegar to to 4-5 parts water (just not on Koralia impellers, as it can attack the glue). That usually takes care of everything when given a good soak. You can use less vinegar, but the cleaning will usually take longer as well.

My bottom line: vinegar is cheap, easily available, pretty safe and has other uses.

FWIW- I took 3 years of college chemistry.

 

[containerman1]

ichthyoid;886903 wrote: Muriatic is a mineral acid and vinegar is an organic acid. The muriatic is a much more potent acid than vinegar because of this and their relative concentrations.

If muriatic is used, wear glasses, gloves and like Nate said, ALWAYS add the acid to the water. Doing the reverse can result in a violent reaction (if the acid is strong enough).

I always use about 1 part vinegar to to 4-5 parts water (just not on Koralia impellers, as it can attack the glue). That usually takes care of everything when given a good soak. You can use less vinegar, but the cleaning will usually take longer as well.

My bottom line: vinegar is cheap, easily available, pretty safe and has other uses.

FWIW- I took 3 years of college chemistry.

I think I will have to give the Vinegar a try. My Wife said she would rather me use the vinegar ( 1 gallon vinegar 4 gallons water )
or just buy a new skimmer rather than me use the muratic acid.
( Even though I think it would be fine ) I think shes a little gun shy since I just finished paying off the Dr bill from me get Palytoxin and I am accident prone.
I was wondering if I put the skimmer in a 5 gallon pail with water and vinegar and let it run would it mess up the pump? ( any rubber gaskets / bushings) Also on the Koralias do I just remove all the rubber on the magnets and the rubber bands and impellars and let them soak? Also how long do I let them soak a few hours or over night?

Thanks again for all the advice