How to remove vinegar from parts after vinegar baths

Kurt448 · 02/14/2006, 12:02 PM

Hello all,
I just recently cleaned out my arctica chiller by running pure vinegar through the unit. Before I did so the titanium coils were caked with a layer of crap. Now they are sparkling clean, but even after rinsing it several times in fresh and even a little bleach, I still have the vinegar smell. I was wondering, is there any solution I could use to get rid of any vinegar residue? Or should I just not worry about it? I'm just extremely cautious about what I put into my reef. Thanks all.

rustybucket145 · 02/14/2006, 12:04 PM

I usually just rinse all parts with water. Maybee just rinse some more.

Are you sure the vinegar smell is coming from the parts and not your hands. After cleaning my tank everything I have on smells like vinegar. Especially my hands.

ridetheducati · 02/14/2006, 12:06 PM

Do not use bleach, rinse with fresh water only.

A little vinegar residue will not harm anything, in fact some people are adding a tablespoon or so to their Kalk mix.

Bleach is far worse than vinegar.

REV · 02/14/2006, 12:07 PM

Agree, bleach is what you should be making sure you get rid of now!

Kurt448 · 02/14/2006, 12:33 PM

haha great...then what can I do to make sure the bleach is gone...Ive already rinsed 3 times since adding it

REV · 02/14/2006, 12:54 PM

Try a good lye soap. LOL, No! Try rinsing 3 more times... with hot water once or twice. Better to wast a little time with overkill rinsing than to rush and overkill your tank!

Japheth · 02/14/2006, 01:00 PM

I always rinse in vinegar then bleach then rinse in water. Never Had any ill effects from the bleach. I'll post the article that I found it from.

NeilPearson · 02/14/2006, 01:02 PM

Bleach evaporates so just make sure it completely dries out and you're good to go.

Japheth · 02/15/2006, 12:57 PM

Here's the section of the article I was talking about. It is written by Steven Pro.

Powerhead Maintenance

Regardless of brand, all powerheads are going to require some routine maintenance to keep them functioning properly. Intake screens should be cleaned at least once per month. Every three to six months I give my pumps a series of chemical bathes to clean them thoroughly. First, unplug the pump, remove it from the tank, and place it in a clean bucket that is only used for the aquarium. No mop buckets! Be sure to arrange the powerhead such that the output nozzle is aimed sideways (Not up! You'll see why in a minute!). Add enough hot tap water to completely submerge the powerheads (a couple of gallons should do). To that, add one quarter cup of white wine vinegar for every gallon of tap water that is in the bucket. Plug in the pumps and allow them to run for 15 minutes. The vinegar helps to liberate any hard calcium deposits. Once that is done, drain the bucket and repeat the process, but this time, instead of vinegar use plain bleach in the same ratios. Again, let the pumps run for 15 minutes to rid it of any built up organic sludge, bacteria, or algae growth. Drain the bucket again, refill with plain tap water, and add a commercial dechlorinater product at twice the recommended dosage to neutralize any of the remaining bleach. Run the pumps for another 15 minutes in this mixture. Disassemble and scrub and rinse all the individual parts before placing the pumps back in the tank. After all of this, your powerheads should look and run just like brand new.

Here's the link to the entire article.
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/ca/cav1i4...ower_Heads.htm

j0tca · 02/15/2006, 01:10 PM

Bleach will dry out and vinegar will do nothing except lower Ph slightly (unnoticeably in the amounts you are talking about). If you are realyl paranoid, change your activated carbon before you attach the chiller, it will remove any impurites.

Alaskan Reefer · 02/15/2006, 01:11 PM

Vinegar isn't going to hurt the tank in the amounts left over on equipment -- I used to use lots (as much as a cup per week) in my kalk mix to stiffen the amount of kalk that would dissolve. Bleach is fine too, as long as it's dry completely before putting it back in the tank. I wouldn't mess with bleach personally, a nice rinse after a vinegar bath will be more than fine even if it still smells like vinegar.

Kurt448 · 02/15/2006, 06:52 PM

Thanks guys I appreciate all of the help. I am letting the chiller sit for a few days to dry out so it should be fine by the time I am ready to put it back on the tank.

BTW. I was so amazed at how much gunk there was on the titanium coils in the chiller. For those of you who haven't cleaned out your chiller I highly recommend it as this will drammatically increase it's efficiency and save you a little $$ on your electricity bill.

schmcc · 02/16/2006, 01:08 AM

to get rid of bleach for sure use the declorinator as he stated in that article you posted.I use prime . Ithink its from seachem
Just add prime to the water and run it thru

schmcc · 02/16/2006, 01:12 AM

I use a declorinator anytime I use bleach in twice the dosage as recommended.When cleaning a huge pleated filter i use corine for days in a bucket then rinse and rinse. I would then soak the filter in the declorinator for a day or so and rinse then your good to go.

Nabber86 · 02/16/2006, 08:30 AM

How about a rinse in a sodium bicarbonate solution (baking soda and water) after soaking in vinegar?

02/14/2006, 12:02 PM	#1
Kurt448 Premium Member Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Denver Posts: 677	How to remove vinegar from parts after vinegar baths Hello all, I just recently cleaned out my arctica chiller by running pure vinegar through the unit. Before I did so the titanium coils were caked with a layer of crap. Now they are sparkling clean, but even after rinsing it several times in fresh and even a little bleach, I still have the vinegar smell. I was wondering, is there any solution I could use to get rid of any vinegar residue? Or should I just not worry about it? I'm just extremely cautious about what I put into my reef. Thanks all.

02/14/2006, 12:04 PM	#2
rustybucket145 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: valdosta, ga Posts: 3,707	I usually just rinse all parts with water. Maybee just rinse some more. Are you sure the vinegar smell is coming from the parts and not your hands. After cleaning my tank everything I have on smells like vinegar. Especially my hands. __________________ 400gals of various tanks in the same system. Current Tank Info: 2 175w MH, 2 VH0 Actinics, Lots of Live Rock, tons of copepods, a Fat Mandarin Goby, Niger Trigger, Yellow Tang, Falco Hawkfish, Bi-Color Pseudo, numerous soft, SPS and LPS Corals

02/14/2006, 12:06 PM	#3
ridetheducati 20 and Over Club Join Date: Sep 2000 Location: Bowie, MD Posts: 2,968	Do not use bleach, rinse with fresh water only. A little vinegar residue will not harm anything, in fact some people are adding a tablespoon or so to their Kalk mix. Bleach is far worse than vinegar. __________________ "Send more paramedics" Current Tank Info: 300g DD, SPS dominated, Apex, Tunze 6125s, ATB 1050, 400w MH, and Geo 618 Ca Reactor

02/14/2006, 12:07 PM	#4
REV Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Alabama Posts: 394	Agree, bleach is what you should be making sure you get rid of now! __________________ John Doe Current Tank Info: 72 reef

02/14/2006, 12:54 PM	#6
REV Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Alabama Posts: 394	Try a good lye soap. LOL, No! Try rinsing 3 more times... with hot water once or twice. Better to wast a little time with overkill rinsing than to rush and overkill your tank! __________________ John Doe Current Tank Info: 72 reef

02/14/2006, 12:33 PM	#5
Kurt448 Premium Member Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Denver Posts: 677	haha great...then what can I do to make sure the bleach is gone...Ive already rinsed 3 times since adding it

02/14/2006, 01:00 PM	#7
Japheth Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Longview, Texas Posts: 613	I always rinse in vinegar then bleach then rinse in water. Never Had any ill effects from the bleach. I'll post the article that I found it from.

02/14/2006, 01:02 PM	#8
NeilPearson Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Phoenix, AZ Posts: 1,509	Bleach evaporates so just make sure it completely dries out and you're good to go.

02/15/2006, 12:57 PM	#9
Japheth Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Longview, Texas Posts: 613	Here's the section of the article I was talking about. It is written by Steven Pro. Powerhead Maintenance Regardless of brand, all powerheads are going to require some routine maintenance to keep them functioning properly. Intake screens should be cleaned at least once per month. Every three to six months I give my pumps a series of chemical bathes to clean them thoroughly. First, unplug the pump, remove it from the tank, and place it in a clean bucket that is only used for the aquarium. No mop buckets! Be sure to arrange the powerhead such that the output nozzle is aimed sideways (Not up! You'll see why in a minute!). Add enough hot tap water to completely submerge the powerheads (a couple of gallons should do). To that, add one quarter cup of white wine vinegar for every gallon of tap water that is in the bucket. Plug in the pumps and allow them to run for 15 minutes. The vinegar helps to liberate any hard calcium deposits. Once that is done, drain the bucket and repeat the process, but this time, instead of vinegar use plain bleach in the same ratios. Again, let the pumps run for 15 minutes to rid it of any built up organic sludge, bacteria, or algae growth. Drain the bucket again, refill with plain tap water, and add a commercial dechlorinater product at twice the recommended dosage to neutralize any of the remaining bleach. Run the pumps for another 15 minutes in this mixture. Disassemble and scrub and rinse all the individual parts before placing the pumps back in the tank. After all of this, your powerheads should look and run just like brand new. Here's the link to the entire article. http://www.wetwebmedia.com/ca/cav1i4...ower_Heads.htm

02/15/2006, 01:10 PM	#10
j0tca Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Montreal Posts: 916	Bleach will dry out and vinegar will do nothing except lower Ph slightly (unnoticeably in the amounts you are talking about). If you are realyl paranoid, change your activated carbon before you attach the chiller, it will remove any impurites.

02/15/2006, 01:11 PM	#11
Alaskan Reefer Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Eagle River, Alaska Posts: 2,360	Vinegar isn't going to hurt the tank in the amounts left over on equipment -- I used to use lots (as much as a cup per week) in my kalk mix to stiffen the amount of kalk that would dissolve. Bleach is fine too, as long as it's dry completely before putting it back in the tank. I wouldn't mess with bleach personally, a nice rinse after a vinegar bath will be more than fine even if it still smells like vinegar. __________________ Unattended children will be given double shot espresso and a free puppy. Current Tank Info: 125g FOWLR -- Conversion Back To SPS In Progress

02/15/2006, 06:52 PM	#12
Kurt448 Premium Member Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Denver Posts: 677	Thanks guys I appreciate all of the help. I am letting the chiller sit for a few days to dry out so it should be fine by the time I am ready to put it back on the tank. BTW. I was so amazed at how much gunk there was on the titanium coils in the chiller. For those of you who haven't cleaned out your chiller I highly recommend it as this will drammatically increase it's efficiency and save you a little $$ on your electricity bill.

02/16/2006, 01:08 AM	#13
schmcc Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: chicago Posts: 24	to get rid of bleach for sure use the declorinator as he stated in that article you posted.I use prime . Ithink its from seachem Just add prime to the water and run it thru __________________ And it all started with a small gold fish bowl! Current Tank Info: 210 gal reef/275 LBS LR/250 watt MH 20k 14k 10k + vho's/MRC 3R skimmer/MRC cr-2 ca reactor/ tunz turbelle's w dbl controller/ two 75 g sumps stacked / refguim/sea swirls/blue line 55 70's/ocean runner 4 carbon & phos reactors/2 ph & orp moni

02/16/2006, 01:12 AM	#14
schmcc Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: chicago Posts: 24	I use a declorinator anytime I use bleach in twice the dosage as recommended.When cleaning a huge pleated filter i use corine for days in a bucket then rinse and rinse. I would then soak the filter in the declorinator for a day or so and rinse then your good to go. __________________ And it all started with a small gold fish bowl! Current Tank Info: 210 gal reef/275 LBS LR/250 watt MH 20k 14k 10k + vho's/MRC 3R skimmer/MRC cr-2 ca reactor/ tunz turbelle's w dbl controller/ two 75 g sumps stacked / refguim/sea swirls/blue line 55 70's/ocean runner 4 carbon & phos reactors/2 ph & orp moni

02/16/2006, 08:30 AM	#15
Nabber86 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Stalewater Kansas Posts: 408	How about a rinse in a sodium bicarbonate solution (baking soda and water) after soaking in vinegar?