cleaning aquarium pumps

cyclops23 · 02/02/2007, 01:38 PM

i've been basically just rinsing them off. how do i clean them with vinegar? fill a bowl and let the pump/powerhead sit in it for a couple hours? or i suppose i could just fill the impeller cylinder with vinegar, too. how long should i let it soak?

bonerfortuna · 02/02/2007, 01:46 PM

I take the pumps as far apart as I can and soak them overnight in 50 to 70% vinegar with water. I start with hot water as well. Next day just some light scrubbing will have them all nicey nice.

jbittner · 02/02/2007, 02:06 PM

I soak mine in bleach for an hour, rinse and then soak in a strong vinegar bath for as long as I can (2 hrs usually). Then I let them run in a weak (30% about) vinegar bath for an hour. I do this about every other month, and they clean up with little scrubbing.

cyclops23 · 02/02/2007, 02:14 PM

straight bleach? i'll stagger cleaning my 2 main pumps by a day or 2, so the aquarium isn't going too long w/o water movement.

jimwat · 02/02/2007, 02:22 PM

I drip kalk and my pumps/powerheads will stop running from the calcium buildup if I do not clean them every 4 to 6 weeks. I have pool acid (muriatic/hydrochloric) at the house that I dilute (5~6 to 1) and it will clean the pumps in minutes. The up side is it is fast and cheap ($3 a gallon from the pool store), but the downside is it is pretty caustic (rubber gloves recommended).

RichConley · 02/02/2007, 02:38 PM

Jim, if kalk is causing your pumps to sieze up in 4-6 weeks, you're either dripping too close to the pump, or you're alk/ca isnt ballanced, and you're getting a ton of precipitate.

falconut · 02/02/2007, 02:52 PM

I have a Mag-18 return, which stoped running after 1-1/2 years when the power went out. I unscrewed the cover, removed the impeller and placed all the part into a plastic container with 100% vinegar. Within a few hours I was able to scrub most of crud off with a brush. It works pretty well.

I recently did my Mag-7 (closed loop) and since this pump is external, I only needed to clean the insides. Again, I took it apart and soaked the impeller and cover in 100% vinegar, but this time I filled the impeller hole with the 100% vinegar. I left it for 24 hrs. and it was completely clean.

I donn't soak the rubber gaskets for a long peiod if I can help it. Have heard that the can get soft if soaked too long, but this is only hearsay. HTH.

jimwat · 02/02/2007, 02:55 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by RichConley
Jim, if kalk is causing your pumps to sieze up in 4-6 weeks, you're either dripping too close to the pump, or you're alk/ca isnt ballanced, and you're getting a ton of precipitate.

4-6 weeks is worst case. Proximity to the drip has some to do with it, but in my experience the pumps that are the worst are the ones that run the hottest.

GraviT · 02/02/2007, 02:57 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by jimwat
I drip kalk and my pumps/powerheads will stop running from the calcium buildup if I do not clean them every 4 to 6 weeks. I have pool acid (muriatic/hydrochloric) at the house that I dilute (5~6 to 1) and it will clean the pumps in minutes. The up side is it is fast and cheap ($3 a gallon from the pool store), but the downside is it is pretty caustic (rubber gloves recommended).

How are your Mg levels? I had the same problem until I pumped the Mg over 1400.

As for cleaning the pumps, I also use diluted muriatic acid. Works in minutes!

AZDesertRat · 02/02/2007, 03:23 PM

Straight white vinegar is safe to stick your hands in and works in an hour or two.

cyclops23 · 02/02/2007, 03:28 PM

my problem is with dripping kalk, too. i just started doing it, but the only place i can drip it into is my 29g sump, which has a mag 9.5 and my skimmer. so i think i'm gonna hafta clean those guys fairly often. i have a tunze 6060 in the display that could probably use a good cleaning, too.

jimwat · 02/02/2007, 03:32 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by GraviT
How are your Mg levels? I had the same problem until I pumped the Mg over 1400.

Interesting. I do not currently test for magnesium. I am using Kent's Coral-Vite (has Mg) as my only supplement at present. How are you supplementing Mg?

cyclops23 · 02/02/2007, 06:13 PM

i use the DIY recipe in the reef chemistry forum. i also use a salifert mg test kit. i would definitely test and dose the mg, it can help keep your Ca where you want it. BTW, i ordered the Mag-flake from buckeyesupply.com cause i couldn't find it around here, the shipping was super fast.

SeaView · 02/02/2007, 06:28 PM

I never clean mine. I have a little giant 4-MDQ-SC running for 10+ years 24/7 and I've never opened it up to clean. I'm sure it will die one of these day. I've had a back up pump for 7 years - LOL.
I drip about 5-7 gallons kalk per week.

02/02/2007, 01:38 PM	#1
cyclops23 Premium Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Milton, WI Posts: 613	cleaning aquarium pumps i've been basically just rinsing them off. how do i clean them with vinegar? fill a bowl and let the pump/powerhead sit in it for a couple hours? or i suppose i could just fill the impeller cylinder with vinegar, too. how long should i let it soak?

02/02/2007, 01:46 PM	#2
bonerfortuna Premium Member Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Staten Island NY Posts: 333	I take the pumps as far apart as I can and soak them overnight in 50 to 70% vinegar with water. I start with hot water as well. Next day just some light scrubbing will have them all nicey nice. __________________ Peter Current Tank Info: 70 Semi-Circle reef with a 50 Sump

02/02/2007, 02:22 PM	#5
jimwat Premium Member Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: South Florida Posts: 1,270	I drip kalk and my pumps/powerheads will stop running from the calcium buildup if I do not clean them every 4 to 6 weeks. I have pool acid (muriatic/hydrochloric) at the house that I dilute (5~6 to 1) and it will clean the pumps in minutes. The up side is it is fast and cheap ($3 a gallon from the pool store), but the downside is it is pretty caustic (rubber gloves recommended). __________________ "Give a man a fish and he will eat for a day. Teach a man to fish and he will sit in a boat all day and drink beer." Current Tank Info: 65 gal with 192w PC 10k, 192w VHO actinic, Blue-Moon LED, Tunze 6060 on WavySea, AquaController 3. 20gal sump, Natureef CDECX-1, Phosban Reactor, Remora, Kalk Drip, Ozone.

02/02/2007, 02:38 PM	#6
RichConley Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Bostonian in Chicago going to DC Posts: 9,908	Jim, if kalk is causing your pumps to sieze up in 4-6 weeks, you're either dripping too close to the pump, or you're alk/ca isnt ballanced, and you're getting a ton of precipitate. __________________ NO TANKS!!!

02/02/2007, 02:52 PM	#7
falconut Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Blackwood, NJ Posts: 3,813	I have a Mag-18 return, which stoped running after 1-1/2 years when the power went out. I unscrewed the cover, removed the impeller and placed all the part into a plastic container with 100% vinegar. Within a few hours I was able to scrub most of crud off with a brush. It works pretty well. I recently did my Mag-7 (closed loop) and since this pump is external, I only needed to clean the insides. Again, I took it apart and soaked the impeller and cover in 100% vinegar, but this time I filled the impeller hole with the 100% vinegar. I left it for 24 hrs. and it was completely clean. I donn't soak the rubber gaskets for a long peiod if I can help it. Have heard that the can get soft if soaked too long, but this is only hearsay. HTH. __________________ 180 Gallon FOWLR, 40 Gallon Sump and 10 Gallon Refuge. (2) OceanRevive S026 LEDs, ASM G2 Skimmer & SCA-302 Skimmer. Setup since July 2017.

02/02/2007, 02:06 PM	#3
jbittner Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: Humboldt, NE Posts: 1,014	I soak mine in bleach for an hour, rinse and then soak in a strong vinegar bath for as long as I can (2 hrs usually). Then I let them run in a weak (30% about) vinegar bath for an hour. I do this about every other month, and they clean up with little scrubbing.

02/02/2007, 02:14 PM	#4
cyclops23 Premium Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Milton, WI Posts: 613	straight bleach? i'll stagger cleaning my 2 main pumps by a day or 2, so the aquarium isn't going too long w/o water movement.

02/02/2007, 03:23 PM	#10
AZDesertRat Moved On Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: NW Phoenix Posts: 16,621	Straight white vinegar is safe to stick your hands in and works in an hour or two.

02/02/2007, 03:28 PM	#11
cyclops23 Premium Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Milton, WI Posts: 613	my problem is with dripping kalk, too. i just started doing it, but the only place i can drip it into is my 29g sump, which has a mag 9.5 and my skimmer. so i think i'm gonna hafta clean those guys fairly often. i have a tunze 6060 in the display that could probably use a good cleaning, too.

02/02/2007, 06:13 PM	#13
cyclops23 Premium Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Milton, WI Posts: 613	i use the DIY recipe in the reef chemistry forum. i also use a salifert mg test kit. i would definitely test and dose the mg, it can help keep your Ca where you want it. BTW, i ordered the Mag-flake from buckeyesupply.com cause i couldn't find it around here, the shipping was super fast.

02/02/2007, 06:28 PM	#14
SeaView Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: LI/NY Posts: 586	I never clean mine. I have a little giant 4-MDQ-SC running for 10+ years 24/7 and I've never opened it up to clean. I'm sure it will die one of these day. I've had a back up pump for 7 years - LOL. I drip about 5-7 gallons kalk per week.