Tank Breakdown cleaning with Citric Acid

[AKL1950]

Had to breakdown my tank this month. Last fish are being rehome today, so it’s time to clean the tank. It’s a WaterBox 220.6 with a total of about 200 gallons including sump. The entire tank (seams, overflow, powerheads, glass bottom and sump all have several years of coraline algae buildup everywhere.

I’m wanting to just dump a large amount of Citric Acid in the tank and let it run for a few days. The hope is that will devolve and break loose the coraline and other crustaceans so it’s easy to remove them. I was also planning to leave the skimmer and UV pumps running to clean them out as well. After three days, remove all the saltwater and all debris I can and then fill the tank with fresh water and do it again. Sort of a rinse and repeat.

Any problems with this idea? Understand I should use full length rubber gloves to stick my arms in the tank. I was planning on using a 10 pound bag of citric acid for each rinse. Would that be enough for about 190 total gallons for each rinse.

Thanks

Jetson

 

[JCOLE]

I think citric would help with the coralline but I don't think it will help with the crustaceans, etc.

I would drain the tank and use muriatic acid. It will eat right through the coralline, crustaceans, etc.

Proper precautions when handling the acid and you do not want to inhale it either. It works wonders very quickly, though.

 

[AKL1950]

I think citric would help with the coralline but I don't think it will help with the crustaceans, etc.

I would drain the tank and use muriatic acid. It will eat right through the coralline, crustaceans, etc.

Proper precautions when handling the acid and you do not want to inhale it either. It works wonders very quickly, though.

Would muriatic acid be gentle enough on the tank seals. Kinda scares me to use something that strong.

 

[JCOLE]

Would muriatic acid be gentle enough on the tank seals. Kinda scares me to use something that strong.

Gotcha. You can dilute it down with water and it will still work really well. I wouldn't pour straight acid onto silicone seals. I did my 500 gallon bare bottom tank with straight acid. It had 1/4" thick coralline on the bottom. 20 minutes later it came off like butter. It starts working instantly. However, my tank was acrylic. I wouldn't recommend that approach on glass with silicone seams though.

That is definitely the quick approach. If your not in a hurry then use citric acid, no problem. Citric acid will help but it would take a little longer.

 

[AKL1950]

Gotcha. You can dilute it down with water and it will still work really well. I wouldn't pour straight acid onto silicone seals. I did my 500 gallon bare bottom tank with straight acid. It had 1/4" thick coralline on the bottom. 20 minutes later it came off like butter. It starts working instantly. However, my tank was acrylic. I wouldn't recommend that approach on glass with silicone seams though.

That is definitely the quick approach. If your not in a hurry then use citric acid, no problem. Citric acid will help but it would take a little longer.

That’s what I was thinking. I had heard, like vinegar, three days soaking in the solution would be sufficient to desolve it enough to make it removable without much effort and won’t hurt the seals. Rigging up a pvc stick with Mr Clean Magic pads on it to remove everything then drain the tank. That way all the pumps and powerheads get cleaned as well. I’ve already removed all the probes and using vinegar on them. Any crustaceans left in the sump I can use a razor blade on them.

 

[cale0721]

I have also used muriatic acid to clean my 75 gallon reef ready glass aquarium multiple times over the years. I usually just fill the tank then start with half a gallon, give it 15-20 minutes then add a cup of baking soda to neutralize the acid then start over if needed. I've had no issues with silicone.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

The citric acid should be fine, IMO.

 

[ReeferZ1227]

I used citric acid in my new to me used tank. I think muriatic is supposed to be done outside btw, didnt see that posted. I soaked paper towels in the citric acid solution so i didnt have to fill the whole tank. Hindsight i would have used muriatic acid for my approach. I think youd be fine with 5-10lbs of citric with wavemakers on.