The best "consumer" cleaning product for cleaning reef tank equipment is....

What is the best "cleaning product" or home recipe for cleaning reef tank equipment?

  • Water and scrubbing

    Votes: 85 13.0%
  • Citric Acid

    Votes: 322 49.3%
  • Vinegar

    Votes: 199 30.5%
  • Hydrogen peroxide

    Votes: 17 2.6%
  • Lemon Juice

    Votes: 2 0.3%
  • Other (please explain)

    Votes: 28 4.3%

  • Total voters
    653

revhtree

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Thank you @blaxsun for the QOTD idea!

Saltwater aquarium equipment gets dirty pretty quick. Beyond dirty though you get algae build up like coralline algae that needs to be removed regular and can be quite the bugger at removing! So what's the best way to clean it and still make sure it's safe? Let's do this thing!

1. What is the best "consumer" cleaning product for cleaning reef tank equipment?

2. What is something you SHOULD NOT clean aquarium equipment with?


image via @eggie
Picture013.jpg


 

Fish Think Pink

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+1 vote vinegar for everything but mechanical
+1 vote citric acid for pumps and other mechanical

Vinegar is cheaper and I don't have to mix it like my citric acid... if money and time weren't factors, then perhaps I'd do citric acid for everything, but it would likely be overkill

IMO easily available 3% hydrogen peroxide doesn't do anything
 
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revhtree

revhtree

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+1 vote vinegar for everything but mechanical
+1 vote citric acid for pumps and other mechanical

Vinegar is cheaper and I don't have to mix it like my citric acid... if money and time weren't factors, then perhaps I'd do citric acid for everything, but it would likely be overkill

IMO easily available 3% hydrogen peroxide doesn't do anything

Thanks for the input!
 

dantimdad

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I recently switched to citric acid from vinegar. I will never go back.

Citric acid is way faster, barely any smell at all and easier to use IMO.

I wouldn't use vinegar on a titanium heater but citric acid works well without damage.
 

Stoney

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I like citric acid because it comes in powder form. I always end up burning through vinegar too quickly and I cant store large amounts of it. Vinegar also smells terrible.

Any reason bleach isnt on the list? Citric acid and bleach is all you need IMO.
 

Peace River

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I recently switched to citric acid from vinegar. I will never go back.

Citric acid is way faster, barely any smell at all and easier to use IMO.

I wouldn't use vinegar on a titanium heater but citric acid works well without damage.

+1. Just cleaned a couple more pumps yesterday with citric acid. I have found that because citric acid is easier, I also clean my pumps and power heads more often.
 

dantimdad

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I like citric acid because it comes in powder form. I always end up burning through vinegar too quickly and I cant store large amounts of it. Vinegar also smells terrible.

Any reason bleach isnt on the list? Citric acid and bleach is all you need IMO.

I used to use bleach a lot. Then I realized how much water I was using rinsing the smell off and I ruined a bunch of stuff with it as well Also, I ruined a lot of t shirts. LOL
+1. Just cleaned a couple more pumps yesterday with citric acid. I have found that because citric acid is easier, I also clean my pumps and power heads more often.

I think I clean more because the smell doesn't get me fussed at. :)
 

Borat

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+1 vote vinegar for everything but mechanical
+1 vote citric acid for pumps and other mechanical

Vinegar is cheaper and I don't have to mix it like my citric acid... if money and time weren't factors, then perhaps I'd do citric acid for everything, but it would likely be overkill

IMO easily available 3% hydrogen peroxide doesn't do anything
Citric acid is very cheap - a kilo would cost about 5 pounds (8 USD), however when diluted in water would probably make 20L+ of acid solution?
 

Fish Think Pink

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Been using either vinegar or hydrogen peroxide. Recently heard of citric acid. So my question is what citric acid product are you guys using?
How much citric acid do you use when mixing with a quart of water?

I used it a while back and felt it didnt clean as well as vinegar.

LMK
Citric acid is very cheap - a kilo would cost about 5 pounds (8 USD), however when diluted in water would probably make 20L+ of acid solution?

2 cups RO/DI water to 4 teaspoons citric acid; scale up/down as needed but that is a good quantity for me to soak pumps

@Borat is right - checking price it is cheaper than it feels, probably due to 'opportunity cost' ... I have to mail order it, store it, mix it... vinegar I can grab a gallon+ whenever at grocery store so it seems cheaper. This is where I get mine:
 
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