coralline algea question

#1
I am cleaning some pretty bad coralline off the sides of a 90 gallon reef tank, I know that you can fill the tank with a water / vinegar mix but my question is... If I soak each individual side over-nite in pure vinegar will that hurt the seams? The tank is drilled and I'm not worried about the back, I like the look on the back just the sides and front.

Thanks in advance.
 

ReefCheif

Reef Shark
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#2
Im not sure of the vinegar will hurt the seams or not. Heres what I can tell you. If the tank is empty your gonna want to clean all the coraline off as its now dead. As soon as you fill the tnak up that nice purple stff on the back is ging to turn a grey/white color and look nasty.

I just got done cleaning my 180 out and because of the size of the tank letting it fill and soak was not an option. I took a spray bottle full of 100% vinegar and I simply sprayed down the areas with corline, let it sit a bit and scraped it off as much as I could. Then Id repeat until it was gone. Took a little while, but it came off.
 

FinsUp

According to my watch, the time is now.
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#3
ReefCheif;278181 said:
Im not sure of the vinegar will hurt the seams or not. Heres what I can tell you. If the tank is empty your gonna want to clean all the coraline off as its now dead. As soon as you fill the tnak up that nice purple stff on the back is ging to turn a grey/white color and look nasty.

I just got done cleaning my 180 out and because of the size of the tank letting it fill and soak was not an option. I took a spray bottle full of 100% vinegar and I simply sprayed down the areas with corline, let it sit a bit and scraped it off as much as I could. Then Id repeat until it was gone. Took a little while, but it came off.
+100
No need to let it soak overnight. 5-10 min is good.
 

greennate

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#4
I always use muriatic acid, cleans off coraline in seconds and i clean my pumps while i have batch made. just a 2 quick wipes with a paper towel. use hand protectio. cleans all calcium (coraline) off in seconds. just be careful it can burn ya. I get it at lowes or home depot . i mix it 1:3 1 part acid 3 parts water and i keep in a old salt bucket with a lid forever.
 
#5
greennate;278242 said:
I always use muriatic acid, cleans off coraline in seconds and i clean my pumps while i have batch made. just a 2 quick wipes with a paper towel. use hand protectio. cleans all calcium (coraline) off in seconds. just be careful it can burn ya. I get it at lowes or home depot . i mix it 1:3 1 part acid 3 parts water and i keep in a old salt bucket with a lid forever.
Do you apply it with a spray bottle?
 

jda123

Dolphin
M.A.S.C Club Member
#7
Don't spray Muratic until/unless you water it down. It is pure hydrochloric acid which is a very effective and safe cleaner for calcium based stuff, but it is pretty nasty at full strength. Don't breathe it and don't get it on you, especially your eyes or other sensitive tissue - otherwise, it is cool. Always pour acid into water, not the other way around.

I might mix like a 3G of water in a bucket from the hose with 1/3 gallon of muratic. Then put the tank outside on a flat surface with the back down - on some rocks on some 2x4s would be good. Pour in a bit of your mixture to where it barely covers the back glass. It should bubble and you can probably easily scrape it in a minute or two. Then, turn the tank and do the other sides and bottom. This will be more potent that filling the tank all the way and diluting the acid with 90G of water. Just rinse it with a hose when you are done and it will dilute down to a un harmful PH in no time.

I use it all the time and it is no big deal... just be careful. Rubber gloves are a good idea. If you get any on you just wash it off really fast. If you are really a sloppy kind of person, then sunglasses are a good idea to protect your eyes.

It is safer than vinegar for your tank if you don't get it washed all the way - it will just dilute down to nothing whereas the carbon in the vinegar can fuel a bacteria bloom.
 

greennate

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#9
works great, i put my skimmer w/pump in the 1:3 part mix in a 5 gal bucket , turn it on for 20 or so seconds then rinse it and wipe it out witha paper towel. be super careful that the pump doesnt splash acidwater out onto your leg or cat!!!!!!!! did that laughed , washed it off quick looked like i had a sunburn(dont worry didnt get the cat). I have done it with almost everypump , works great except the one time I forgot and left a return pump in the acid for 30 minutes. an hour after being placed back into the tank the pump shorted and popped the breaker and would not work again. Glad it was my girlfriends pump for her tank!!!! : ) .
I have also used a rag with rubber chemical gloves but the rag is trash after.
+1 on all above info.
 
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