One of the most underrated parts of this hobby is restoring equipment instead of immediately replacing it.
I recently cleaned up a set of old RFG nozzles that honestly looked completely shot — heavy coralline buildup, calcium deposits, partially clogged internals, the whole deal. A simple vinegar soak (citric acid works great too) brought them back to life.
Before:
Not only does it save money, but it keeps good equipment out of the trash and helps newer reefers avoid feeling like they need to buy everything brand new to build a quality setup.
Sometimes “old and crusty” is just “covered in coralline.”
I recently cleaned up a set of old RFG nozzles that honestly looked completely shot — heavy coralline buildup, calcium deposits, partially clogged internals, the whole deal. A simple vinegar soak (citric acid works great too) brought them back to life.
Before:
- looked unusable
- reduced flow
- heavily calcified
- internals opened back up
- random flow restored
- almost looked new again
- patience
- a soak
- a toothbrush
- and some maintenance
Not only does it save money, but it keeps good equipment out of the trash and helps newer reefers avoid feeling like they need to buy everything brand new to build a quality setup.
Sometimes “old and crusty” is just “covered in coralline.”
