Cleaning with Muriatic Acid

[Biff0rz]

Cleaning algae off a used tank and tried vinegar and it sort of worked. I'm reading I can do a 20:1 muriatic soak then clean it off. My question is if I do this, how do I neutralize it after? Baking soda? Also, after I neutralize it, what would be the best way to clean the tank? It's large at 233g so not the easiest to empty.


Note, this is for the plastic overflow, not the glass, that's easy.

 

[Gablami]

I personally wouldn’t go the muriatic acid route. It’s some pretty dangerous stuff. I’ve more seen it used on rocks, not on cleaning tanks in large volumes. You would need a ton of baking soda.

What’s the big deal if here’s some trace algae after your vinegar bath and drying out? It’s dead. If you want to be sure wipe it down with bleach. When you add new salt water water it will go away and be replaced by new algae. I would leave it and move on.

 

[Biff0rz]

I personally wouldn’t go the muriatic acid route. It’s some pretty dangerous stuff. I’ve more seen it used on rocks, not on cleaning tanks in large volumes. You would need a ton of baking soda.

What’s the big deal if here’s some trace algae after your vinegar bath and drying out? It’s dead. If you want to be sure wipe it down with bleach. When you add new salt water water it will go away and be replaced by new algae. I would leave it and move on.

Yea, those are fair points. Sounds like less work too, I like that. What ratio of bleach:water should I use? And afterwards just wipe up with paper towel and maybe tap water to remove residuals?

 

[Gablami]

Bleach 1:5 is what I use in a spray bottle. When bleach dries it becomes harmless, but I don’t see anything wrong with rinsing the residue off to get some chlorine off.

 

[Biff0rz]

Bleach 1:5 is what I use in a spray bottle. When bleach dries it becomes harmless, but I don’t see anything wrong with rinsing the residue off to get some chlorine off.

Thanks so much!

 

[Hal3134]

Yep, baking soda works fine as a neutralizer. You can buy 5 pound bags at Sams or Costco. Using muriatic acid is 100 times quicker than vinegar. Just wear gloves and be careful and you’ll be fine. I started with vinegar on my tank but it was taking forever. When i switched to muriatic acid I could have kicked myself for not doing it sooner because of how easy it was. The coralline just melted right off.

 

[slojim]

citric acid is a good middle ground. or I've seen high strength vinegar in the hardware store (20%)

 

[Vette67]

I have used muriatic acid on acrylic many times. I would be afraid that it might etch glass. I don't know that would happen, but it believe it could (looking online, it appears that muriatic acid will NOT etch glass). Muriatic acid works very well for removing calcium scale / coralline from acrylic, and other plastics that don't react with acid. I would just add that it can create pretty strong fumes, so be careful not to stand over what you're cleaning so you don't inhale those fumes. Use with plenty of ventilation. I use it full strength, straight out of the bottle. Then rinse with lots of water.

 

[L S]

Yep, baking soda works fine as a neutralizer. You can buy 5 pound bags at Sams or Costco. Using muriatic acid is 100 times quicker than vinegar. Just wear gloves and be careful and you’ll be fine. I started with vinegar on my tank but it was taking forever. When i switched to muriatic acid I could have kicked myself for not doing it sooner because of how easy it was. The coralline just melted right off.

What water to muriatuc ratio should be used?