when you clean up your gear
 

can you clean powerheads, skimmers etc with tap water? or do you have to clean it with DI or RO water? just wondering if i clean things with tap water, would harmful chemicals cause havoc to the tank.

I clean them with tap water, then rinse them/run them in change water.

Re: when you clean up your gear
 

I clean everything but filter media in tapwater. Don't have a skimmer, but my powerheads and other filtration systems get a weekly break down and full cleaning in tapwater. I use a toothbrush (never used in the mouth) for powerhead parts and q-tips for impeller chambers, which get gummed up with crud and don't work to capacity when dirty.

Just make sure you remove as much water from the plastic parts before using in the tank again.

tap water and vinager

Steve

Yup.

why vinegar? wouldn't it stink?

Same for me. No smell after a good rinse.

No. As Doug said, you rinse it off. Vinegar is a weak solution of acetic acid, which eases the removal of calcerous build up on marine equipment.

I use about an inch of vinegar in a gallon ice cream bucket. Fill about 3/4 full with warm water. My coralline and everything else covered stream pumps, come out the next morning looking like they were right out of the box. :biggrin:

you add water to the vinager :eek: I use it strait and do a pump in about 35 min :mrgreen:

Steve