Mold in used ACC-150 solution

[Loesch]

Seems that I have the same problem others have been having.  A search revealed multiple posts but no solutions (pun intended).  My used ACC-150 solution, even when placed into a sterilized jar, grows slime mold after a week or so, rendering it waste.  Folks have suggested bleach, but others correctly indicated that it changes the pH of the solution and also can be somewhat corrosive.  Has anyone come up with a remedy?  I have a water cooled CO2 laser that uses distilled water to which I add a few drops of an algaecide which works great.  Over a year and still clear as a whistle. I first thought of the clear solutions used for cooling computer systems (anti-corrosive and anti-bacterial), but the cost difference is either small or even more expensive. I think the algaecide option is the what I will try - you only need a drop.  For the conc I have, 1 ml of conc makes 12 gal, so 1 drop would treat over 2 liters of solution.

[Artis]

Happens to me as well if i dont use it for week or so. I keep it in sealed plastic jar.

Run it through coffee filter before storage (official advice from Tormek)

Run it through filter to remove mold or just ignore it, dont think it can do any harm to wheels or blades.

[BradGE]

I was having that same issue with mould but solved the problem (indirectly) by fitting an RPM increaser to my T8.  Now I lose so much fluid during a sharpening that my ACC doesn't sit around for long anymore...   

[Loesch]

I think the coffee filter suggestion before storing is to remove fine metallic particles not caught by the magnet.  Leaving the slime mold in the solution and then reusing it may end up covering the wheel surface with slime, not my preference.  BradGE's solution could also help with humidifying your work area  .  I will try the algaecide.  I have a pH meter and will do a before and after to see if it changes, but doubt that a product advertised as safe for animals to drink would do much to 2 liters of water.

[jeffs55]

Boiling would kill any living organisms.

[cbwx34]

Boiling would kill any living organisms.

Does that include the person boiling it?   

[jeffs55]

Hmmmm, forgot to mention that! What is life without risks? Longer life!

[Ken S]

At the risk of going back to Tormek's original instructions, Tormek mentions that the solution can be kept "overnight" if the water trough is lowered. Somehow, perhaps in wishful thinking, "overnight" has morphed to "a week".

We have believed the talk about the "expensive" ACC. A set of diamond or CBN wheels can easily approach $1000 US.
This is in addition to the cost of a T8 and jigs/accessories. Filling the T8 water trough correctly requires 125ml of water and 5ml of ACC. 300 ml of ACC costs approximately $40. 5ml is 1/60 of 300ml, which works out to $.60 per use. Even just reusing the solution the next day or not reusing it, I fail to see where the ACC is so expensive.
(Incidentally, Honerite Gold, a similar product is similarly priced.)

Ken