ultimate cleaning - muriatic acid

[murphd3]

I have a ton of plastic, pvc, and glass parts that I need to clean really well. I've done a search on muriatic acid and find no confidence building info. on

the exact dilution rate to use with the acid to get the best cleaning rate without harming general items.

Also, what kind of gloves are best for use with the diluted solution?

Lastly, just how much should the parts be rinsed to be sure they are safe to go back into the reef?

Thanks for any info.,
Murphy

[DrBDC]

I fill a salt bucket with about 3-4 gallons of water, then a gallon of the acid. I just put pumps into it running for about 15-30 minutes, then toothbrush them well and back in for another 5-10 minutes. Then I put them in a bucket of freshwater for about 15 minutes.

For gloves I use long pink rubber gloves I got at Walgreens they sell for cleaning floors, etc.

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

I'd dilute 1 part of the acid into 10 parts of the water. Just a brief rinse with tap water is fine. That acid doesn't "stick" to things.

Most gloves should be OK in this diluted mix, at least for brief exposures. I wouldn't use the very thin latex gloves

[DrBDC]

Those ones I'm talking about are real thick. Not quite as thick as some of the ones I've had in the past that are almost as thick as fireman boots but they're pretty thick. I would guess they are about 4 or 5 times as thick as a typical latex examination glove. Just thin enough to still move your fingers and have some dexterity. A real pretty pink too! ;) I think it says on the package something about chemicals. Either way the same gloves have worked for a couple years for me.

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Yes, those sound good. :)

[Hobster]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8101951#post8101951 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by DrBDC
I fill a salt bucket with about 3-4 gallons of water, then a gallon of the acid. I just put pumps into it running for about 15-30 minutes, then toothbrush them well and back in for another 5-10 minutes. Then I put them in a bucket of freshwater for about 15 minutes.

For gloves I use long pink rubber gloves I got at Walgreens they sell for cleaning floors, etc.

Why do you mix it so strong? Seems llike more of a hazard and would not be much more effective than 10:1.

[DrBDC]

For no reason at all really. I do use it a long time. I guess I've had this mix for about 6 months with many pump cleanings in it. A little bit of the "more is better" philosophy that works soooo well in this hobby. :lol:

[AZDesertRat]

Why not use white vinegar? It accomplishes the same thing and you can stick your hand in it. I use it straight undiluted and its only $1.50 a gallon or less.

[Hobster]

The acid mixed at 10:1 works a lot faster and is probably the same price or even less when used diluted. Vinegar does work fine and is safe, just not for us impatient types:)

[poedag]

just wach out for your eyes and clothes, HCL will ruin both!

[DrBDC]

Vinegar doesn't cut the calcium build up anything like the muriatic acid. I did that for awhile even with straight vinegar. Not even close in strength.

[poedag]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8103543#post8103543 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by DrBDC
Vinegar doesn't cut the calcium build up anything like the muriatic acid. I did that for awhile even with straight vinegar. Not even close in strength.


I totally agree, but most people aren't comfortable using things like inorganic acids. unless you know how to handle the pure HCL, vinegar should be used.

[eclecticvibe]

Have you ever tried the concentrated vinegar that you can find at Asian markets? It has considerably more acid in it than the regular stuff from the grocery? I've never used it for cleaning, but I'd think it would work equally well.

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Why not use white vinegar? It accomplishes the same thing and you can stick your hand in it. I use it straight undiluted and its only $1.50 a gallon or less.

Vinegar is much slower and costs more if you need a large volume.

[flinka]

I used to live in Florida and used muriatic acid to help balance the pH in my pool. I can tell you - muriatic acid is VERY DANGEROUS so be very careful with it.

1) Never add water to muriatic acid - only muriatic acid to water.
2) Be very careful not to drip or splash the acid - very small amounts can severely burn you.
3) I used black rubber chemical gloves whenever I handled muriatic acid. Better safe than sorry.

Bottom line - muriatic acid is to be treated with respect.

Good luck!

[PatrickJ]

I love muriatic acid.

[PatMayo]

I currently clean my pumps once per month. I use vinegar. It works great. I stick the pumps in a bucket let em run 2 hours, clean as a whistle. I may have to change if is get lazy but so far so good.

I agree that if you wait for the pumps to get extremely encrusted it would take sometime to clean them. Thus the frequent cleaning. It does cost more I think in the long run, but it's safe easy.

Regards,

Pat

[murphd3]

Thanks for the info. everyone. I have not been able to find arm-length heavy latex gloves anywhere. Any suggestions on where to look for them?

[GMFett]

Lowes or Home Depot

[murphd3]

Tried Lowes and HD and couldn't find anything long enough.

Would the Coralife Aqua Gloves be ok?

I'd also like to clean some tanks that sat in my g/f's house and were "poisoned" by household chemicals. Surely the diluted acid solution would be ok for this as well, but would like to make sure since this will be my first time using it.

Thanks,
Murphy

[bertoni]

I wouldn't trust the Aqua Gloves. They seem to develop leaks. LabSafety.com sells a wide variety of gloves that'll work.

[murphd3]

Speaking of leaks, if some of the diluted solution happens to splash onto skin, what do you do? What will neutralize the acid quickly?

The solution will not harm silicone, right?

[bertoni]

Silicone seems to be okay. You could check the safety instructions with the muriatic acid for splash treatment. I don't use that chemical.

[DrBDC]

I just rinse it with some water. I usually have a rinse bucket sitting there ready so I just reach over and scoop water over my forearm a couple times. If it were a bunch on my main torso or something I'd go get in the shower. Don't freak a calm head works much better. Wear old clothes too and if it spashes up on them just go step in the shower and take them off after getting soaked. The worst I've had is a drop splashed in the inside corner of my eye and it burned. I was in a position I couldn't get to the sink for a couple minutes and it was a little irritated the next day. I blinked my eyes and squeezed them shut to help make moisture to dillute as I calmly (my wife probably says different :D ) took my gloves off and got to the bathroom to get water going. For some reason I have to learn the hard way. So wear you safety glasses!!!!!

[Mike O'Brien]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9866075#post9866075 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by murphd3
Speaking of leaks, if some of the diluted solution happens to splash onto skin, what do you do? What will neutralize the acid quickly?

The solution will not harm silicone, right?

If you're worried, keep some baking soda around, that will neautralize the acid. Muriatic acid is not that concentrated in the first place though, so flushing with water alone is usually sufficient.

[kae]

Can I use soda water instead of vinegar to dillute coralline algae from equipment?

[bertoni]

I don't know whether soda water would be able to remove much coralline, but it wouldn't hurt anything to try.

[murphd3]

Curious as to how long the acid solution will be effective in a 5 gallon bucket. Does it lose its effectiveness over time if not used?

[bertoni]

That's not a safe way to store muriatic acid: the vapor is dangerous, not to mention the risk of spills or corrosion of the bucket. I'd pitch any excess.

[murphd3]

will do that asap, but since I still have some mixed from a while back, is it any good for cleaning things up?

[CapitalO]

HCl is sooo yesterday! Its all about concentrated Hydroiodic acid now, who has time to wait around for HCl these days?!?! ;)

But seriously, about the splashing and burning issue; I would probably use kalkwasser if it was nearby. That would neutralize it really quickly and a lot of people have it near their tanks. Of course you would want to rinse it off afterwards...

[murphd3]

still good bertoni?

[bertoni]

If it's been kept in a closed container, it's likely fine to use.

[VAreefer]

Got a stupid question, Do not want to assume anything. when cleaning pumps in the acid/water solution just running the pumps cleans the internal parts as well or are we only talking the outside. I always take my pumps apart to clean impellar , but if it is not needed then I am all for that.

[flinka]

Having formerly lived in South Florida for 11 years where I maintained my swimming pool myself, I can tell you that Muriatic Acid is not to be taken lightly. Just one drop splashed on your skin can cause a moderate to serious burn, let alone if it gets into your eyes. It is my opinion that it is most important to use appropriate safety equipment (e.g., acid resistant gloves and eye protection), always mix the acid into water - not water into the acid, and store unused acid safely in its original container outside your home (e.g., in the garage or an outdoor storage shed). This way, you minimize the chances of having to use neutralizing agents to rectify a bad situation.

[CapitalO]

As far as the soda water question: It should work, but probably not that quickly (essentially, its the same reaction that you would see in a calcium reactor). Coca-cola would be a better choice though :) seriously.

[bertoni]

For powerheads, I make a solution of vinegar and water, and run the pump in the solution for a bit. That cleans the inside and the outside, in my experience. I do disassemble the pump and remove any organic buildup first, though.

[JaredWaites]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10957411#post10957411 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by flinka
Having formerly lived in South Florida for 11 years where I maintained my swimming pool myself, I can tell you that Muriatic Acid is not to be taken lightly. Just one drop splashed on your skin can cause a moderate to serious burn, let alone if it gets into your eyes. It is my opinion that it is most important to use appropriate safety equipment (e.g., acid resistant gloves and eye protection), always mix the acid into water - not water into the acid, and store unused acid safely in its original container outside your home (e.g., in the garage or an outdoor storage shed). This way, you minimize the chances of having to use neutralizing agents to rectify a bad situation.

I know this thread and post is old, but I was reading back through this stuff...

I work in the pool and spa industry...it doesn't seem to bother me that much...just a little itch...nothing severe about the burns...unless you go without washing your splashes off...then you itch, if your itching and don't wash, maybe you could get burned, but common sense would tell you hmm something isn't right. I've worked with it in concentrated amounts, as in 30% concentrated nothing more, and never found a problem...barehanded. Maybe after an hour or so of full contact you'll be in some discomfort, a little rawness, but that comes with our job anyway, with plastering, etc.