Hydor magnet corrosion

Gareth elliott · Jan 10, 2018

2 part question.

Cleaning my circulation pumps today found that one wet side mount of my one of my hydor 565 was corroding into the tank water. The plastic seal around the magnet had cracked and inside magnet was slowly deteriorating to nothing.
Have noticed decreased polyp extension of both my Euphyllia paradivisa and pocilopora.

But i had also changed my lighting recently so i actually hadnt investigated.

These are rare earth magnets correct?

So going to do a pwc 25% today, followed by 5 more every other day?

Any other suggestions?

I do have an icp test kit on hand but seems kinda silly to use to tell me what i already suspect. And waiting a week or 2 to get the results and then make corrective actions.

Gareth elliott · Jan 10, 2018

I have already removed the magnet from the wetside and swapped to the dry side while i await replacement magnets.

nautical_nathaniel · Jan 10, 2018

I would suspect that they are either neodymium or ferrite magnets. Either way it dissolving in your tank is not good. I would do some large water changes to hopefully lower the concentrations of heavy metals dissolved in your water but it may take a while before you notice a change in affected corals.

SDReefer · Jan 10, 2018

^
Removal of the corroding magnet, large water changes, and running activated carbon would be the best course of action.

Brew12 · Jan 10, 2018

Polyfilters are good for removing metals, also.
https://www.marinedepot.com/Poly_Fi...dG1-8OL_XCM3CWPskbgH3Rpc6DoLExX0aAvjwEALw_wcB

The color change also lets you know what it is pulling out of your system.

Gareth elliott · Jan 10, 2018

nautical_nathaniel said:
I would suspect that they are either neodymium or ferrite magnets. Either way it dissolving in your tank is not good. I would do some large water changes to hopefully lower the concentrations of heavy metals dissolved in your water but it may take a while before you notice a change in affected corals.

I am leaning towards neodymium based on what it looks like and strength to size of the magnet.

Gareth elliott · Jan 10, 2018

Brew12 said:
Polyfilters are good for removing metals, also.
https://www.marinedepot.com/Poly_Fi...dG1-8OL_XCM3CWPskbgH3Rpc6DoLExX0aAvjwEALw_wcB

The color change also lets you know what it is pulling out of your system.

Thanks will order some

Gareth elliott · Jan 10, 2018

Ordered the poly filter plus some h2ocean magnesium pro plus salt mix since was nearly out and matched my current alkalinity. sure this wont be a permanent switch, kind of expensive.
-Changed gac and phosguard.
-first pwc water still heating

jda · Jan 10, 2018

Depending on what kind of magnet, the Aragonite will bind up some of the metal and render it mostly harmless.

I took this out of my tank with no issues. They need to come out, most definitely, but IMO, people make too much of this issue:

Gareth elliott · Jan 10, 2018

jda said:
Depending on what kind of magnet, the Aragonite will bind up some of the metal and render it mostly harmless.

I took this out of my tank with no issues. They need to come out, most definitely, but IMO, people make too much of this issue:

Luckily the easy part was snapping the magnets out of the mounts. Swapped the wet side with the dry side, cant leach through the glass lol. And I needed a water change anyway. But it is possible it wasnt the reason for the polyp extension, after i cleaned the power heads and switched the carbon the frog spawn opened back up few hours later. So could have been flow or yellow pigment issue.

And my other pocilopora is actually showing new calcification.

So hoping for a false alarm.

Will probably still do 2x a week water changes a little just to be safe

Gareth elliott · Jan 16, 2018

Poly filter normally make skimmers go crazy? I put it in last night woke up to the skimmer cup overflowing, removed the water level gate and still cant actually skim.
Everything seems fine so probably just going to remove and hold for an emergency.

Brew12 · Jan 16, 2018

Gareth elliott said:
Poly filter normally make skimmers go crazy? I put it in last night woke up to the skimmer cup overflowing, removed the water level gate and still cant actually skim.
Everything seems fine so probably just going to remove and hold for an emergency.

I've never had poly filter impact my skimmer. I'm guessing that this is a secondary reaction to something the poly filter is removing.

Gareth elliott · Jan 16, 2018

Found a post on reef central that might explain what im seeing. To paraphrase:
When first added the polyfilter removes dissolved organics, and after a few days begins to adsorb higher weight molecules from the water. Not sure how much of that is accurate but ill just leave my skimmer off for a few days and watch my ph, in case decreased air contact effects dissolved co2 levels. Doubtful as i do not have a glass cover, but will watch just to be safe.

Brew12 · Jan 16, 2018

Gareth elliott said:
Found a post on reef central that might explain what im seeing. To paraphrase:
When first added the polyfilter removes dissolved organics, and after a few days begins to adsorb higher weight molecules from the water. Not sure how much of that is accurate but ill just leave my skimmer off for a few days and watch my ph, in case decreased air contact effects dissolved co2 levels. Doubtful as i do not have a glass cover, but will watch just to be safe.

I would let the skimmer run with the collection cup pulled off so you get the aeration.

Gareth elliott · Jan 21, 2018

Took out the poly filter, did another water change. Everything seems fine, no losses, all polyps are out; even my acropora valida frag that has only kinda been open since purchase.

Side note H2ocean salt mixed very quickly and matched the parameter range posted, at least alkalinity and magnesium.

Randy Holmes-Farley · Jan 22, 2018

Gareth elliott said:
Found a post on reef central that might explain what im seeing. To paraphrase:
When first added the polyfilter removes dissolved organics, and after a few days begins to adsorb higher weight molecules from the water. Not sure how much of that is accurate but ill just leave my skimmer off for a few days and watch my ph, in case decreased air contact effects dissolved co2 levels. Doubtful as i do not have a glass cover, but will watch just to be safe.

FWIW, I can't see a reason to make that claim, aside from it taking a while for bacteria to colonize new surfaces.. It will begin to remove all size molecules that it is going to remove right away.

Randy Holmes-Farley · Jan 22, 2018

Gareth elliott said:
Took out the poly filter, did another water change. Everything seems fine, no losses, all polyps are out; even my acropora valida frag that has only kinda been open since purchase.

Side note H2ocean salt mixed very quickly and matched the parameter range posted, at least alkalinity and magnesium.

What color was the polyfilter when removed?

Gareth elliott · Jan 22, 2018

Randy Holmes-Farley · Jan 22, 2018

OK, not especially instructive, but might just be organics.

Gareth elliott · Jan 22, 2018

If something is organic and metal what color does it change? Would Ferrocene be red or tan/brown? Questions i had while looking at it.

Honestly i thought it would be red, had dosed iron about 12 hours before i put in the poly filter.