Woodsy Posted February 10, 2008 Report Share Posted February 10, 2008 Using muratic acid in the spa might be a little harsh. Use dry acid instead(follow directions on container) and also test before adding chemicals always!!!!! I heard a new one the other day about a suggestion to rinse the filter with an acid solution to help break up calcium in the filter. He said one ounce of muratic acid to five ounces of water and soak for a few minutes then rinse well. Can anyone give more information on this suggestion? It would work for cleaning build-up off of salt cells but filters? Also I would try to get the pH and Alkalinity back as close to recommended levels before draining. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chas Posted February 10, 2008 Report Share Posted February 10, 2008 Here is a FAQ about that topic from Unicel Filters - ANSWER: For years, service technicians and homeowners have acid washed D.E. grids. However, cartridge elements do not have the protective D.E. powder coating that grids have and can be permanently damaged by the acid. As a rule of thumb, acid wash only when required, if at all, and never without thoroughly cleaning the element with a cartridge degreaser first. After thoroughly cleaning the cartridge with a degreasing agent, flush the cartridge with a garden hose to remove all traces of soap, etc. Now apply several drops of acid directly to a small area of the filter media. If bubbling occurs, this indicates a build-up of calcium or minerals, and you should proceed with a mild acid soak (see Unicel Cleaning Instructions for more details). If no bubbling is observed, your cartridge most likely does not require acid washing. HTH Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
waterbear Posted February 11, 2008 Report Share Posted February 11, 2008 This same caution also applies to commercial acid based filter cleaners. The safest degreaser for a cart is either TSP (the real stuff, not the phosphate free substitues that are often sold) or automatic dishwasher powder. For either you would use 1 cup per each 5 gallons of water and soak the cart overnight (you can also find this info on the Unicel and Pleatco websites!) IF after soaking and hosing you suspect calcium deposits THEN you can proceed to test with a dilute acid solution (20 to 1) to see if there is any bubbling indicating calcium deposits (scale). If there is then soak for 15-30 minutes or until bubbling stops in the dilute acid (20 to 1 unless the deposits are heavy then you can go as strong as 10 to 1 but this wil shorten your filter life). NEVER acid wash a filter without degreasing first or the organic buildup on the filter will harden into a cement like mass that will plug up the filter and ruin it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nsin Posted February 12, 2008 Report Share Posted February 12, 2008 Wow! acid. id rather use dawn dish soap Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
waterbear Posted February 12, 2008 Report Share Posted February 12, 2008 Wow! acid. id rather use dawn dish soap DO NOT USE DAWN unless you want a bubble bath. Use a powdered AUTOMATIC dishwasher powder like Cascade or Electrosol. They are non foaming degreasers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.