Re: Sterilizing tank

[IDMiamiBob@aol.com]

In a message dated 10/16/00 5:24:30 PM Mountain Daylight Time, 
emartina@uiuc.edu writes:

> I am going to test my rocks and gravel tomorrow to see if they are causing
>  the buffering. I am concerned about using muriatic acid, since if I test a
>  specific rock and find it is not the problem I would like to put it back in
>  the tank. And I am worried that I won't be able to rinse all of the acid
>  off. Would vinegar be safer? Will it even work? Thanks!

Vinegar works, but not as clearly.  The muriatic acid is a 28-31% solution of 
hydrochloric acid in water.  That's all that's in it.  I use it to make my 
own pH down.  It will be fine if you don't get it all off.  It will simply 
drop the pH, probably abot .00001.  Vinegar is so weak it doesn't always 
indicate clearly or at all.  And I would worry more about getting the other 
stuff in vinegar into my water than I would muriatic acid.

Bob Dixon


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