how to clean external pump???

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I would like to start ASAP but can some on answer my simple question. I'm very grateful for the help.

 

Considering the pump is external....it can't be soaked. Honestly, If I was you, I wouldn't worry about one pump that had copper treatment. I'm sure it would be fine to just plug up into the display....but to be on the safe side.

Setup some sort of water holding thigymabob that the pump can connect to and run. Fill with vinegar and RO water from the grocery store. Try to mix the water so there is more vinegar than water so its strong, you could use 100% vinegar but water is cheaper. Let the pump run a day or two. Then take the pump apart and clean any obvious removable pieces in the RO water. Thats it for cleaning the pump. Now once you plumb it into your display, get some curprisorb and some poly-filters and install them into a canister filter or an area where water is forced through them with high flow. Both will help remove copper and other heavy metals as they leach, if they leach. The poly-filter even indicates if there is copper present in the water by turning the white pad blue. I would keep running the pads in the display tank until they expire. If there is no trace of copper/blue, you know your good to go.

In my experience......I bought 30lbs of coppered rock that was not able to sustain any life other than coralline. I ran the tank with cuprisorb for a month with several water changes, then ran a poly-filter for 4 days. It didn't turn color so I popped all 30lbs of LR in my display. 1 month and counting with no deaths of corals, inverts, or fish. I am continuing to run poly-filters in my sump just in case, but haven't turned blue yet. Second hand tanks that were once coppered can still be used with a reef, same with the equipment. Cuprisorb and poly-filters teamed together are amazing.

 

100% vinegar is better; I’ll go to Costco or Sam's club and buy some (in bulk). What about the bleach to sterilized? (50/50) It’s an external pump but I can remove the front case, impeller, back case to soak. It’s an Iwaki.

Thanks for your help.

 

I don't think bleach is necessary. It doesn't remove copper. The vinegar and fresh RO water will kill any unwanted life, so there isn't going to be any more bacteria for the bleach to kill. Bleach not needed in my opinion, waste of time.
I'm just not a big fan of bleach in a reef. If not thoroughly rinsed and soaked, it could wipe your tank out. Vinegar is much milder, but still needs to be rinsed very thoroughly before putting back in the display. I would just do a 60/40 mix of vinegar and water, no need to do anymore than that.