how many gallons of vinegar do i put in about 80 gallons of water?

sjm1978 · 08/21/2008, 09:40 PM

im not sure where to post this. ok i bought a used 90g aga megaflow tank and im trying to clean it as in getting all the coraline off. i want to fill the tank with tap water but not to where it starts to go into the overflow and put distilled white vinegar in it and let it soak for a few days to help loosen up the coraline. how many gallons of vinegar do i add to the tank?

bertoni · 08/21/2008, 10:57 PM

I'm not sure. I might start with a half gallon and see how that goes. It might be easier to use a smaller amount of water and wipe the walls of the tank a bit.

Mr. Brooks · 08/22/2008, 03:15 AM

I'd use a gallon.

Rysam · 08/22/2008, 09:39 AM

fill it up as full as you can, dump a gallon of vinegar, add a powerhead and it will wipe off with very little effort the next day.

Logzor · 08/22/2008, 10:27 AM

1.5 Gallon did the job over a 1 week period for me on my 90 g (30g sump). There was heavy encrustation of coraline.

I ran the entire system with just tap and vinegar. 2 gallons should do it in a shorter amount of time, I still had to scrub some.

sjm1978 · 08/22/2008, 02:59 PM

kinghokus420 - thanks for the info ill do that i didnt think of adding a powerhead.

Logzor - There was heavy encrustation of coraline.
yea mine is pretty heavy to. did it come off your overflow pretty good?

i did a test using a razor blade and water yesterday and it came off with very little effort. i gonna fill the tank as high as i can and pour in vinegar and let is soak for a few days or so then after that ill clean whats left with razor blades.

pdelcast · 08/23/2008, 09:16 AM

Muriatic acid, 4 oz per 10 gallons (1 cup for every 20 gallons.) Fill the tank with water and add the acid to the water, not the other way around.

Works in about 20 minutes.

Just rinse well afterwards with regular water.

sjm1978 · 08/23/2008, 02:53 PM

small update i filled the tank up lastnight with tap water and put 2 gallons of distilled white vinegar. i also added a couple powerheads for circulation. i would say about 30 minutes after the coraline was already falling off. as of this afternoon i would say about 50% of the coraline has came off. im gonna go pick up a kent pro scraper and one of those long algae scrub pads to help remove the coraline also.i was worried about it coming off the overflow but it seems to be coming off pretty good.

08/21/2008, 09:40 PM	#1
sjm1978 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Mesa, Az Posts: 1,184	how many gallons of vinegar do i put in about 80 gallons of water? im not sure where to post this. ok i bought a used 90g aga megaflow tank and im trying to clean it as in getting all the coraline off. i want to fill the tank with tap water but not to where it starts to go into the overflow and put distilled white vinegar in it and let it soak for a few days to help loosen up the coraline. how many gallons of vinegar do i add to the tank? __________________ Obsession Florida Ricordea's New Obsession SPS ------------------------------------------------------ Steven Current Tank Info: in the process of looking for a new tank

08/21/2008, 10:57 PM	#2
bertoni RC Mod Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Mountain View, CA, USA Posts: 88,616	I'm not sure. I might start with a half gallon and see how that goes. It might be easier to use a smaller amount of water and wipe the walls of the tank a bit. __________________ Jonathan Bertoni

08/22/2008, 09:39 AM	#4
Rysam Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: paradise california Posts: 1,000	fill it up as full as you can, dump a gallon of vinegar, add a powerhead and it will wipe off with very little effort the next day. __________________ Josh “Seek advice but use your own common sense” Yiddish Proverb quote “Being ignorant is not so much a shame, as being unwilling to learn.” Benjamin Franklin Current Tank Info: 135 reef

08/22/2008, 02:59 PM	#6
sjm1978 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Mesa, Az Posts: 1,184	kinghokus420 - thanks for the info ill do that i didnt think of adding a powerhead. Logzor - There was heavy encrustation of coraline. yea mine is pretty heavy to. did it come off your overflow pretty good? i did a test using a razor blade and water yesterday and it came off with very little effort. i gonna fill the tank as high as i can and pour in vinegar and let is soak for a few days or so then after that ill clean whats left with razor blades. __________________ Obsession Florida Ricordea's New Obsession SPS ------------------------------------------------------ Steven Current Tank Info: in the process of looking for a new tank

08/23/2008, 09:16 AM	#7
pdelcast Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Kansas Posts: 256	Muriatic acid, 4 oz per 10 gallons (1 cup for every 20 gallons.) Fill the tank with water and add the acid to the water, not the other way around. Works in about 20 minutes. Just rinse well afterwards with regular water. __________________ Patrick Current Tank Info: 90 gallon reef - Acans, Zoas, Acros, Montis == 300 gallon reef to be mostly SPS

08/22/2008, 03:15 AM	#3
Mr. Brooks MASVC Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Simi Valley, CA Posts: 3,477	I'd use a gallon.

08/22/2008, 10:27 AM	#5
Logzor Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Kenwood, Ohio Posts: 4,073	1.5 Gallon did the job over a 1 week period for me on my 90 g (30g sump). There was heavy encrustation of coraline. I ran the entire system with just tap and vinegar. 2 gallons should do it in a shorter amount of time, I still had to scrub some.

08/23/2008, 02:53 PM	#8
sjm1978 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Mesa, Az Posts: 1,184	small update i filled the tank up lastnight with tap water and put 2 gallons of distilled white vinegar. i also added a couple powerheads for circulation. i would say about 30 minutes after the coraline was already falling off. as of this afternoon i would say about 50% of the coraline has came off. im gonna go pick up a kent pro scraper and one of those long algae scrub pads to help remove the coraline also.i was worried about it coming off the overflow but it seems to be coming off pretty good. __________________ Obsession Florida Ricordea's New Obsession SPS ------------------------------------------------------ Steven Current Tank Info: in the process of looking for a new tank