brown residue in reservoir

[Battlecorals Verified Sponsor]

Cleaning my reservoir this weekend and the brown stuff has been really stubborn.

I’ve got about 2.5 bottles of 10x vinegar in there and roughly 200 gallons since Friday and it hasn’t really done a thing

Wondering if it just needs more time or if there is a better way

This was before I added the vinegar

 

[jonelder68]

Citric acid does the job usually. If not and you feel comfortable Muriatic acid cleans the best! Citric acid always works for me but sometimes requires some elbow grease with scrubbing.

 

[Fish Fan]

I've never tried vinegar for the brown sludge, but I wouldn't expect that to work. I find I have to scrub the brown sludge out of the bucket.

 

[Battlecorals Verified Sponsor]

Citric acid does the job usually. If not and you feel comfortable Muriatic acid cleans the best! Citric acid always works for me but sometimes requires some elbow grease with scrubbing.

yeah I should have went with citric friends suggested that as well. the vinegar was at my disposal so I used that instead lol. I have been pressure washing the walls as well with little progress there either. almost like its permeated the actual plastic. is that possible

 

[jonelder68]

yeah I should have went with citric friends suggested that as well. the vinegar was at my disposal so I used that instead lol. I have been pressure washing the walls as well with little progress there either. almost like its permeated the actual plastic. is that possible

Citric acid should remove it all. Sometimes it takes a scrubbing followed with more soak time. I’ll usually fill my bins with tap water. Add citric acid. Throw in some powerheads/pumps that need cleaning and let them run to keep water movement. Runs over night. Then do a scrub and continue running everything. By days end it should all be cleaned. Then just a rinse in rodi for everything and good to go. Everything comes out new looking/sparkly clean. It takes a bit of citric acid to fill a reservoir though. I’ll just buy a bag off Amazon and throw it in.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Why does it need to be removed?

 

[jonelder68]

Why does it need to be removed?

cleanliness is next to godliness

 

[Battlecorals Verified Sponsor]

Why does it need to be removed?

Well that is the real question. And thanks for chiming in. I had been asking myself the same thing for years now but I hadn't really thought much about it.

But, recently I was starting to see larger chunks or plates, breaking off of the bottom, and I guess I just felt that after 10 years it was time.

so, with the failure of the vinegar, did what I had to do lol. Cut a larger hole in the top, climbed my but in there and scrubbed the thing clean. I have a suit on I swear! it was actually not bad. I threw a heater in there the night before thinking that a warmer liquid may help dissolve better to no avail, but the water was warm at least.

But for future @Randy Holmes-Farley as long as I got you, what would you typically use to clean something like this?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

That photo looks like something out of a sci fi movie. lol

Muriatic acid diluted 1 part acid into 10 parts fresh water is much faster at dissolving calcium carbonate deposits. Citric acid also works.

 

[Battlecorals Verified Sponsor]

That photo looks like something out of a sci fi movie. lol

Muriatic acid diluted 1 part acid into 10 parts fresh water is much faster at dissolving calcium carbonate deposits. Citric acid also works.

ok. right on and thanks again for the reply. citric acid was what was suggested to me. prior as well , but in a pinch, I got the vinegar cause it was at my disposal and I will not make that mistake again lol

 

[mcarroll]

Cleaning my reservoir this weekend and the brown stuff has been really stubborn.

I’ve got about 2.5 bottles of 10x vinegar in there and roughly 200 gallons since Friday and it hasn’t really done a thing

Wondering if it just needs more time or if there is a better way

This was before I added the vinegar

Scrape it off. If the container is HDPE it shouldn't be on there very tight.

Curious if you run a heater and pump for mixing in that container?