Rust in the sump. Triton test needed. Neptune magnet fail

Hemlawk · Dec 15, 2017

I discovered rust in my sump. The Neptune probe holder for my apex exploded. The system is only 6 months old. My parameters seem to be pretty good, but who knows what leeches into my system. A bunch of reefers on Rico's Reeftank live stream suggested that I Triton test my water. I totally agree with them!
Has anyone experienced there magnetic parts corroding? Will the rust poison my tank?

FYI my tank is Fallowing due to Velvet outbreak a few months ago.

Randy Holmes-Farley · Dec 15, 2017

There are lots of reports of people with rusting things of various sorts in the tank. Most often, it causes no apparent harm to the tank. Sometimes it is a problem.

Does it look like anything the tank is suffering?

While a Triton test could be useful and interesting, don't overreact to seeing something in it if there's no apparent tank issue.

Hemlawk · Dec 15, 2017

My tank crashed a few months ago, which I believe was velvet. Corals and inverts seem OK though I've had a lot of snails die recently.
Im going to contact BRS (where I bought them) and see if I can get a replacement. If not, I'll contact Neptune. My FMM is dead, so I need to call them anyway.

Jose Mayo · Dec 15, 2017

It all depends on the metallic composition of the magnet.

Ferrite magnets do not usually cause problems, but iron-boron-neodymium magnets, which are often protected against corrosion by copper-nickel plating, can cause serious problems for invertebrates and even fish.

Best regards

radiata · Dec 23, 2017

Would a magnet with a copper-nickel plating actually be capable of exploding?

I can see unplated magnets exploding when salt water gets to them (either through a manufacturing defect or the owner inadvertently creating an unnoticed opening by dropping the device), but a plated magnet?

MnFish1 · Dec 23, 2017

Couldn't you just (which you already did) take it out do some water changes and get a metal absorber? it will take weeks to get the triton results back?

Hemlawk · Dec 23, 2017

I didn't know a "metal remover" existed. Triton test sent in, doing 25% change tomorrow...

Rakie · Dec 23, 2017

Chaeto will often strip water of metals from what I've read. Not everything of course.. There's all kinds of stuff for removing chemicals and contaminants from water.

IMHO. Reef Sue them !!

@mdbannister is a specialist in fish law. He'll steer you in the right direction.

Flippers4pups · Dec 23, 2017

https://www.marinedepot.com/Poly_Fi...Media-Poly_Bio_Marine-PB1111-FIFMMEPM-vi.html

Roggio · Dec 24, 2017

Hemlawk said:
My tank crashed a few months ago, which I believe was velvet. Corals and inverts seem OK though I've had a lot of snails die recently.
Im going to contact BRS (where I bought them) and see if I can get a replacement. If not, I'll contact Neptune. My FMM is dead, so I need to call them anyway.

Good luck with this. I bought a new Apex and had it fail within 30 days. After waiting a week for a phone call they told me I would have to pay to send it in. Their logic was I could have gotten it wet or something? I never got it wet and I wasn’t reimbursed for sending back their expensive part that malfunctioned.

Flippers4pups said:
https://www.marinedepot.com/Poly_Fi...Media-Poly_Bio_Marine-PB1111-FIFMMEPM-vi.html

I have always kept these as backup, they usually change color with contaminats. I did have an issue with rust in my ATO and the color never changed.

The cheapest way to buy them is usually a fostersandsmith promo or amazon.

Daniel@R2R · Dec 24, 2017

I've seen more than a few reefs go down and the only thing that it could be linked to was a rusted out magnet or some other piece of equipment (return pump, skimmer, etc.).

Jose Mayo · Dec 24, 2017

Still about magnet:

Corrosion Resistance of Neodymium Magnets

The problem is that, although with good intentions, multi-layer coating with copper and nickel, when attacked by salt water (even if the magnet is not destroyed), can release enough metal to be toxic to fish and invertebrates.

Best Regards

Randy Holmes-Farley · Dec 24, 2017

Hemlawk said:
I didn't know a "metal remover" existed. Triton test sent in, doing 25% change tomorrow...

These include metasorb, polyfilter, cuprisorb, and others for specialized metals (such as aluminum one might use GFO).

ReeferCub · Dec 24, 2017

So much for an overpriced probe holder! Yes that little thing costs $40!!

Roggio · Dec 24, 2017

ReeferCub said:
So much for an overpriced probe holder! Yes that little thing costs $40!!

This could potentially cost someone thousands in coral. I wonder what the responsibility of Neptune is?

Water Dog · Dec 24, 2017

From what I’ve seen on here, they’ll go passive aggressive, allude to and imply user error...

Livinlocal · Dec 24, 2017

I had this happen a while back with a mp40. My inverts and sps started to die and I couldn’t figure out why because my water parameters were perfect. One day I started going through all of my pumps trying to see if something was rusting and also looking for stray voltage. It ended up being the wet side of my MP 40 that was rusting. This was a newer quite drive and ecotech didn’t do anything to help me, didn’t even offer to replace the wet side that nearly crashed my tank

Tobbe · Dec 24, 2017

sounds like very poor customer service as its high priced equipment, probe holder and mp 40 i have em and thought they had better quality and if it would happen get some sort of customer service

Livinlocal · Dec 24, 2017

Yes I was quite shocked that they did not offer me a replacement because I have seen other people on here contact them and get the wet sides replaced for free. My pump wasn’t even a year old and was rusting.

Livinlocal · Dec 24, 2017

I have 5 mp’s , from now on I highly doubt I’ll be replacing wersides as they go out unless they miraculously contact me and make it right. I replacest 2 other wetsides because they were getting noisy, right before I found the rusting one.