Noob Mistake

[Puff Daddy]

So I had a coral RTN on me. I have had very little loss in the 10 months of this tank. I checked all the parameters and they seemed ok except for Alkalinity was low (6.328 dkH). I thought this may be the issue but some corals were doing awesome.

I was doing some fragging today and found that one of the magnets on my frag rack had worn through the epoxy and was rusting.



This magnet was right by the coral that bit the dust. I'm thinking this was probably the cause. Just in case I am adjusting the balance of my 2-part to add more alkalinity also.

Moral of the story:
The magnets I bought of Amazon to build my own cheap frag rack. They said epoxy coated but obviously it was not enough. From now one I am just buying the real deal from manufacturers. It ended up costing me.


FYI: Tank parameters: Nitrate 4ppm (doing a water change today), Phosphate 0.06 ppm, Calcium 450 ppm, Alk 6.328 dkH (Low!), Mg 1330

 

[Puff Daddy]

P.S. Here is a photo of the 29 gallon tank.

 

[mbian112283]

This makes me paranoid about my mag float.

 

[wpeterson]

Despite the magnet problem, that frag rack looks cool. Could you post more about how you built it?

I like how low profile it is.

 

[Puff Daddy]

The only one left in the tank is a pre-made one I bought from Bulk Reef Supply. It didn't have any issues with rust so I would recommend it. My home built ones looked the same, I just took 5 min epoxy and glued the quarter sized neodymium magnets to some egg create. These are the magnets I bought
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00CJJOIVM/ref=sr_ph?ie=UTF8&qid=1413376778&sr=1&keywords=neodymium+magnets.
If you can find a better way to protect them from saltwater than they should work, but I wouldn't use them as is.

 

[cilyjr]

I'm surprised that magnet rusted. Ferrite magnets are ceramic made of iron oxide. Meaning it's already been oxidized. I'm also not convinced that rust killed your coral. Maybe if something else was leaching in the water from the oxidization process.

I put Fredric oxide in my tank on purpose to bind po4. I know the magnet isn't the same but I wouldn't stop searching for other causes

 

[Puff Daddy]

Not sure if it is rust but something degraded. I run GFO also. Sometimes those magnets have layers of copper and other elements. I did a massive water change yesterday to clean out what ever it was and to help reset the alk and ca balance in the tank.

 

[jtmac]

I don't think it was rust either. Some times S@$t just happens in this hobby. If nothing else is affected count your blessings and reef on.

 

[this is me]

If you're concern about rust, some some PolyFilter and run it for a week or so. If the filter turns blue, you have copper in the tank and you'll have to keep running it. The Polyfilter won't completely remove the copper, but it will reduce it down to a negligible level.

 

[Puff Daddy]

Ok. Thanks for the suggestions!

 

[JasonandSarah]

I'm building my own frag rack out of blank acrylic and neodymium magnets but I'm in laying the magnets and covering them completely with 2 part epoxy.
Some of the white egg crate scares me because it's made for lighting and not always the best plastics are used. Styrene I believe is the one Home Depot carries and every time I would put it in my tank it'd be covered in slime algae in 2 days. I'd always go acrylic it's not that expensive. Just my 2 cents.....

 

[jamesdong009]

The problem with using those types of magnets is that they're often coated with copper and the coating will wear off with time.

The only magnets I use in my tanks are plastic coated from Gauss Boys. Some of been in my tank for over a decade with no issues.

http://www.gaussboys.com/store/index.php/magnet-shapes/discs/d3706abs-n42.html

 

[Puff Daddy]

The problem with using those types of magnets is that they're often coated with copper and the coating will wear off with time.

The only magnets I use in my tanks are plastic coated from Gauss Boys. Some of been in my tank for over a decade with no issues.

http://www.gaussboys.com/store/index.php/magnet-shapes/discs/d3706abs-n42.html

Thanks for the info.

 

[cilyjr]

Are ferrite magnets coated? I thought it was only the neodymium ones.

The problem with using those types of magnets is that they're often coated with copper and the coating will wear off with time.

The only magnets I use in my tanks are plastic coated from Gauss Boys. Some of been in my tank for over a decade with no issues.

http://www.gaussboys.com/store/index.php/magnet-shapes/discs/d3706abs-n42.html

 

[jamesdong009]

Are ferrite magnets coated? I thought it was only the neodymium ones.

You're right, most ferrite magnets are usually not coated because they do not need the extra protection. From the picture though, it looks like the OP's picture is a neodymium magnet because of the coating and rusting.

 

[cilyjr]

Right. It's definitely rust. Puff, Was it shiny silver when ya bought it?

I've used ferrite magnets before in the tank with no visiable issues. That was for only a few weeks.

 

[panayiote73]

I think your looking in the wrong direction. I see nothing right about your ALK. At 6.0 I'd expect you to start losing coral, especially birdsnests. Start bringing that up slowly and forget about the magnet.


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[panayiote73]

If I may add 1 more fact. ALK test kits are crap. I don't care how much you paid for it. They are not laboratory grade. Your level is probably lower, possibly much lower. Good luck. I hate to see coral RTN. It's heartbreaking!


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[jamesdong009]

I think your looking in the wrong direction. I see nothing right about your ALK. At 6.0 I'd expect you to start losing coral, especially birdsnests. Start bringing that up slowly and forget about the magnet.


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IDK, I run my alkalinity pretty low and borderlining 7 dKh. My birdsnests only starts suffering if there are fluctuations.

 

[Puff Daddy]

All the other corals are still doing well. I picked up some plastic encased magnets from Bulk Reef to replace on my egg crate. Thanks for the advice.