Citric acid bath
- Thread starter svreef
- Start date
bfirecat
Guest
I use a little less of the citric acid to water ratio, 3/4 cup of citric acid to 1 gallon of water but pretty sure it won’t harm anything.
I leave it in there for 30-60 minutes, and I can easily scrub off the rest. If it’s too difficult to scrub still, I put it back for another hour or so.
After the bath, I take the pumps apart and scrub them down, then rinse everything before putting it back in the tank.
I leave it in there for 30-60 minutes, and I can easily scrub off the rest. If it’s too difficult to scrub still, I put it back for another hour or so.
After the bath, I take the pumps apart and scrub them down, then rinse everything before putting it back in the tank.
sfsuphysics
Supporting Member
I've only done it a few times, but I just pour in the powder until I start to see coraline fizzing 
Looking online is almost useful, closest thing I found to make a 16% solution is 2.5 cups per gallon of water, but I'm not a chemist so I have no idea what a 16% solution means or even how to reference than vs vinegar. I did find out however you can't store the solution like you can vinegar, after a couple weeks mold formed on the surface of my solution
Looking online is almost useful, closest thing I found to make a 16% solution is 2.5 cups per gallon of water, but I'm not a chemist so I have no idea what a 16% solution means or even how to reference than vs vinegar. I did find out however you can't store the solution like you can vinegar, after a couple weeks mold formed on the surface of my solution
I also use 1 cup per gallon (5%). Scrub with toothbrush or scrubbing pad. Rinse briefly in water.
How long you leave it in for will depend on how thick the coralline and other calcium carbonate stuff is (and how clean you are trying to get it). 1-24 hours. If you are in a hurry, scrubbing every half hour will significantly hurry things along.
The citric acid will stay good for a week or so before it starts to grow stuff, so you can clean several items with 1 batch. If you want to preserve it for long term use you can add 1 tsp/gallon (0.1%) sodium benzoate. If you are going to do this, you have to add the benzoate first, it will dissolve in water but not in acid.
How long you leave it in for will depend on how thick the coralline and other calcium carbonate stuff is (and how clean you are trying to get it). 1-24 hours. If you are in a hurry, scrubbing every half hour will significantly hurry things along.
The citric acid will stay good for a week or so before it starts to grow stuff, so you can clean several items with 1 batch. If you want to preserve it for long term use you can add 1 tsp/gallon (0.1%) sodium benzoate. If you are going to do this, you have to add the benzoate first, it will dissolve in water but not in acid.