Deep Cleaning a RSM

[Seagars]

I have had the tank for a bout 12 months and i am thinking it is time to give it a good cleaning...
i was also very fortunate (at least i thought so) to have some one else put it together for me, therefore i am not as familiar with the details of the tank.
is there anyone in the Tampa Bay area that can help me with this project. Really need to deep clean the sump (as i think it is the root of my lack of crystal clear water).

another question - how often should you do a deep cleaning?

 

[Choff]

A year seems long. I do this every 3 or 4 months... I pull all pumps, taking them apart and cleaning (including skimmer) , scrubbing out the back chamber, vacuuming the sump and brushing out or replacing all the hoses.


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[reeferjoe]

I like the idea of cleaning it quarterly... Choff - do you use RO to clean the pumps and skimmer with - or just plain ol' tap water?

 

[modulok]

I used water from water change to clean pumps.

 

[whippetguy]

I use tap water

 

[David Shaw]

A year seems long. I do this every 3 or 4 months... I pull all pumps, taking them apart and cleaning (including skimmer) , scrubbing out the back chamber, vacuuming the sump and brushing out or replacing all the hoses.


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+ 1

 

[David Shaw]

I like the idea of cleaning it quarterly... Choff - do you use RO to clean the pumps and skimmer with - or just plain ol' tap water?

I fill a bucket with warm tap water and add several tablespoons of acetic acid and pop everything that needs cleaning in. Leave for an hour and they come up like new!

I should provide a mobile RSM deep clean service, i would be a knockout

 

[Norm]

Tap water and white spirit vinegar work a treat to clean pumps etc.


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[Choff]

I used plain old tap water and and a light dusting with a toothbrush and they were all whistle clean. Next time I wont be so lucky, starting to get coralline algae dots on my glass and plastic intake heads. I have to imagine its going to be in and on the pumps now too. Going to look for the acetic acid David has been using. Short of that, white vinegar as Norm suggested has been my cleaner of choice thus far.

 

[catran]

I used plain old tap water and and a light dusting with a toothbrush and they were all whistle clean. Next time I wont be so lucky, starting to get coralline algae dots on my glass and plastic intake heads. I have to imagine its going to be in and on the pumps now too. Going to look for the acetic acid David has been using. Short of that, white vinegar as Norm suggested has been my cleaner of choice thus far.

I use vinegar. I'd be careful about using acetic acid. it may harm your rubber o rings and gaskets.


I love reefers...

 

[whippetguy]

Hydor's magi-clean works wonders and it's a lot faster than vinegar. I use this when I clean all my equipment.

 

[David Shaw]

I used plain old tap water and and a light dusting with a toothbrush and they were all whistle clean. Next time I wont be so lucky, starting to get coralline algae dots on my glass and plastic intake heads. I have to imagine its going to be in and on the pumps now too. Going to look for the acetic acid David has been using. Short of that, white vinegar as Norm suggested has been my cleaner of choice thus far.

You can get bags of acetic acid off Ebay, it's really cheap.

 

[nanoreefing4fun]

John I have not heard of it... (Hydor's magi-clean) thanks for sharing just watch a nice vid related

[video=youtube;h8u_XgSmP6Y]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h8u_XgSmP6Y[/video]

 

[Norm]

Just received my Hydor Magi-Clean from the good old USA. Can't get the stuff out here. Can't wait to try it.


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[Choff]

Nice, going to give the Hydor stuff a go. That is a good point about the seals with the acid.

David, take a look at this chart. Even at 5% acetic acid Polyurethane reacts quite badly with it.

Rubber Chemical Resistance Chart, Rubber Compatibility Chart - Mykin Inc

 

[David Shaw]

Eeeek, thats good to know. Perhaps i need to switch cleaning dips !

 

[modulok]

I just used a pipe cleaner and loosened some gunk in the return hose and the green skimmer hose. Does anyone also clean the down pipes in the back? I am wondering what the easiest way would be (I am not taking them apart).

My overflow cup and surrounding area is a disaster. I have a few small sponges that I can see from the water level window. I am thinking they are good to keep, since they help polish the water. No idea how they got back there, but I guess life always finds a way.