Experts Welcome Magnet in Reef..Good/Bad

[black_majik]

Hello everyone,

I was reading another thread about the use of magnets as spot to hold coral in the tank, but the constant argument is whether a magnet is reef safe or not. I can only imagine it could collect pos/neg charged particles. But then again I'm not a expert by any means. So I turn it the Lords of the Chemistry forum.

Thanks,

Nick

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Magnets do not collect charged particles. They do collect magnetic particles, such as metallic bits of iron, but I do not see any concern with that. If the magnet is protected from corrosion, it should be fine.

I keep a cleaning magnetic in my tank 24/7. :)

[black_majik]

For more depth it is those cheap Rare Earth magnets that look like coins covered in an epoxy.

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Yes, those should be fine when coated. :)

[pdelcast]

You do have to be careful and make sure the epoxy coating is uniform, and has no cuts or chips. Neodymium magnets will decompose (oxidize) REALLY quickly in a saltwater environment, and leach iron, boron, and neodymium into your system.

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Although I've no reason to believe small amounts of those are a problem. Seawater has a lot of borate, I dose iron, and I do not know if neodymium is toxic or even soluble in seawater.

[pdelcast]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12662514#post12662514 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Randy Holmes-Farley
Although I've no reason to believe small amounts of those are a problem. Seawater has a lot of borate, I dose iron, and I do not know if neodymium is toxic or even soluble in seawater.

Dosing iron? Hmmm, I always assumed that would cause an algae bloom. All those iron fertilization experiments in the open ocean...

"give me a tanker full of iron, and I'll give you the next ice age"


Guess I need to read your articles on iron... :)

[Duane867]

Yeah just make sure you coat them well, or make sure they are coated well before you use them if you purchase them.
There are tons of cheap magnets out there that are only pressed into a formed composite ( or what ever it is) with only the water permeable algae pad over top of it. ( pretty much ALL those cheap'o green back magnets with the little thin grip are made that way)

[pdelcast]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12662514#post12662514 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Randy Holmes-Farley
Although I've no reason to believe small amounts of those are a problem. Seawater has a lot of borate, I dose iron, and I do not know if neodymium is toxic or even soluble in seawater.

Neodymium is considered low toxicity (LD50 is high at 5000mg/kg in rats.)

[melev]

Don't forget that most of our pumps' impellars have magnets in there, right in the reef display. Some people glue frag racks to large cleaning magnets and still see good growth.

[sabbath]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12675631#post12675631 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by melev
Don't forget that most of our pumps' impellars have magnets in there, right in the reef display. Some people glue frag racks to large cleaning magnets and still see good growth.

Good point! If the pumps have them exposed to the water. Then why not for frags?

[pdelcast]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12675631#post12675631 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by melev
Don't forget that most of our pumps' impellars have magnets in there, right in the reef display. Some people glue frag racks to large cleaning magnets and still see good growth.

The magnets in the impellers are epoxy or nylon coated.

Rare-earth magnets (neodymium or cobalt) will corrode very quickly in salt water. They must be protected with an inert coating (not nickel!) to be used in salt water.

[MCsaxmaster]

Yeah, the idea that ordinary magnets do a darn thing to living critters is a lot of new age hooey based on absolutely nothing but widespread credulity if you ask me. If well sealed (like magnets for cleaing glass) I see no more reason to be concerned than to worry about the alignment of Mars and Jupiter ;)

[sabbath]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12690019#post12690019 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by MCsaxmaster
Yeah, the idea that ordinary magnets do a darn thing to living critters is a lot of new age hooey based on absolutely nothing but widespread credulity if you ask me. If well sealed (like magnets for cleaing glass) I see no more reason to be concerned than to worry about the alignment of Mars and Jupiter ;)


No no no... lol. What some of us are looking to do is DIY some magnets for frag MOUNTING. Not HEALING :lol:

But I read Melev's post and wondered why not bare magnets. But as what was posted. They are sealed as well.

He is a link to a magging your frags idea.
http://aqua-mags.com/

[MCsaxmaster]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12690990#post12690990 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by sabbath
No no no... lol. What some of us are looking to do is DIY some magnets for frag MOUNTING. Not HEALING :lol:

But I read Melev's post and wondered why not bare magnets. But as what was posted. They are sealed as well.

He is a link to a magging your frags idea.
http://aqua-mags.com/

Haha, no I know. But as long as we're all on board about the merits of eco-aqualizers I'm on board. My tank only had an aqualization level of 38 before I bought it, and now it's over 350--it's been thoroughly aqualized :lol:

Chris

[ReefNOut]

Magnets make the corals grow faster too, I have small magnet bracelets I bought to go around all my sps.

[J. Montgomery]

I have over a dozen magnetic Frag Mags in my tank without any problems. I also keep a magnetic glass cleaner in there. And to top it off I have three magnetic powerhead holders.
http://i159.photobucket.com/albums/t133/baronpsjosh/FTS0805.jpg