How to clean up an old powerhead

silverfly · 12/03/2009, 03:38 PM

I have one thats been sitting in my barn coated in crud for 6 months and would like to clean it and use it again. How can i do this? It smells bad

thanks!
richie

Paul B · 12/03/2009, 03:40 PM

Hold your nose and soak the thing in bleach and water

ludnix · 12/03/2009, 03:45 PM

I dump mine in straight white vinegar. The vinegar will take care of any calcium buildups on the pump from coralline or tube worms. I then just brush it off in water and it looks good as new.

Paul B · 12/03/2009, 03:51 PM

That is correct, the vinegar will remove the calcium deposits but if it stinks from the stuff in your barn, I would also bleach it.

silverfly · 12/03/2009, 03:52 PM

Bleach or vinegar. Thanks guys.

Richie

silverfly · 12/03/2009, 03:53 PM

Ok, bleach it is. Thanks Paul and Eric

richie

ludnix · 12/03/2009, 04:15 PM

Yeah, I would do both (not at the same time) if needed. Bleach doesn't go at calcium the way vinegar does, but vinegar doesn't help with smell the way bleach does. Just depends on what kind of "dirty" your pumps are.

12/03/2009, 03:38 PM	#1
silverfly Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: england Posts: 579	How to clean up an old powerhead I have one thats been sitting in my barn coated in crud for 6 months and would like to clean it and use it again. How can i do this? It smells bad thanks! richie

12/03/2009, 03:40 PM	#2
Paul B Premium Member Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Long Island NY Posts: 15,549	Hold your nose and soak the thing in bleach and water __________________ I used to get shocked when I put my hand in my tank. Then the electric eel went dead. Current Tank Info: 100 gal reef set up in 1971

12/03/2009, 03:45 PM	#3
ludnix Registered Member Join Date: May 2007 Location: California Posts: 3,031	I dump mine in straight white vinegar. The vinegar will take care of any calcium buildups on the pump from coralline or tube worms. I then just brush it off in water and it looks good as new. __________________ -Eric Sutter Current Tank Info: 14g Biocube

12/03/2009, 03:51 PM	#4
Paul B Premium Member Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Long Island NY Posts: 15,549	That is correct, the vinegar will remove the calcium deposits but if it stinks from the stuff in your barn, I would also bleach it. __________________ I used to get shocked when I put my hand in my tank. Then the electric eel went dead. Current Tank Info: 100 gal reef set up in 1971

12/03/2009, 04:15 PM	#7
ludnix Registered Member Join Date: May 2007 Location: California Posts: 3,031	Yeah, I would do both (not at the same time) if needed. Bleach doesn't go at calcium the way vinegar does, but vinegar doesn't help with smell the way bleach does. Just depends on what kind of "dirty" your pumps are. __________________ -Eric Sutter Current Tank Info: 14g Biocube

12/03/2009, 03:52 PM	#5
silverfly Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: england Posts: 579	Bleach or vinegar. Thanks guys. Richie

12/03/2009, 03:53 PM	#6
silverfly Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: england Posts: 579	Ok, bleach it is. Thanks Paul and Eric richie