Strongest Scale remover for water tank

[marty28k]

Hi,
Im trying to clean out a indirect clyinder before getting it installed. The scale is built up around the indirect pipes making it impossible to physically remove. I think chemical is the only way.I managed to chip a little off as seen in attachment picture. Ive tried Fernox DS3 but it didn't really touch the surface. Anyone have any success with task ?

Many thanks

 

[JohnD]

is this a second-hand cylinder?

Are you in a hard-water area?

do you mean it is inside the pipe? What does "around" mean?

Please indicate scale (size) of the piece in your pic.

 

[Razor900]

Not sure if that's scale or an alien that fell in!!

 

[marty28k]

Correct, its scale from inside the cylinder, around the coil / pipes of the cylinder. Yes its second hand.

 

[JohnD]

buy a water softener. Over a period, the soft water will dissolve the scale. First it will loosen and fall off the coil to the bottom of the cylinder.

Or a simpler solution would be to sell that one for scrap and buy a new cylinder.

 

[marty28k]

I do have a water softener, but Ive heard mixed reviews about if this actually does dissolve scale. If I could afford, I would buy new, but alas I have to make do with this! Thanks

 

[muggles]

DS3 is great stuff but as with all chemicals you need to use it in the correct concentration or it won't do anything. You'd need 4-5 tubs of it for a typical hot water cylinder, at which point you're spending an amount which is getting very close to the cost of a new cylinder

 

[JohnD]

I do have a water softener, but Ive heard mixed reviews about if this actually does dissolve scale.

It did in my old one.

When it was replaced by new, the coil had become clean, but there were still remains of the loosened stuff lying on the bottom.

In a WC cistern, or a cold-water tank, you can actually see the scale flaking off the sides and dissolving over time, especially if you take a couple of pics to compare.

 

[Terrywookfit]

http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=...o.uk/HD.html&usg=AOvVaw3AL2AzMD9fKoDI1_EO8_FB

 

[snb]

you will get about £50 scrap for your old cylinder and a new one is £130. Descaling one is a complete waste of time especially as yours is so badly scaled