Rusted Vortech Magnet leading to killing SPS and High Phosphates?
 

Hey Everyone,

I have a newish tank up (5 months), I bought a bunch of SPS a month and a half ago, and for the first 3 weeks it was doing great and growing and coloring well.

3 weeks ago, things started browning, and also bleaching. I couldn't really figure it out. I traveled for work for 5 days, and when I returned things were pretty bad. Everything was bleached, I did some water changes, and changed Rox Carbon, and GFO, I tested and my Phosphates were 0.18, up from 0.02.

So I did some more big water changes, and changed the media, but still everything was doing poorly. I had algae growing on my vortech, so I decided to take it out and clean it off so it didn't spread.

When I opened it up, this is what I found!!

http://gallery.me.com/colione/100213...13359833780001

I don't know what a vortech mp40 magnet is made out of, but I feel like this probably isn't good for the tank.

Most of my SPS is dead and my RTBA that I've had for 3 years (and that has split 5 times) is bleached to hell.

Does anyone know what these magnets are made of, or had anything similar happen? It's a bummer, but I'm glad I know what caused this all, and how to fix it. I was pretty perplexed for a while..

Sorry to hear and see that. I had the same thing happen on an MP10. I'd run some carbon in the tank to help it out.

Is this a common problem? Was going to order an MP10 for my Biocube......

Interested in what ecotech has to say.

I've never opened that section of the vortech...can we clean it up and silicone around the edge to seal it and prevent this type of disaster?

that must be an OLD vortech as all the vortechs in the past year plus have magnets that are coated in plastic.

Two years expensive pump shouldn't be considered old...

i had a hydrosponge that was i guess cracked in the bottom, regardless nobody made it out of the 10g q/t tank alive until i noticed the bottom most portion of the hydrosponge base was cracked and clearly rusting.

this was in a f/w application

You can always just buy a new wet side for the vortech pump. Instead of trying to rebuild that one. Your still might be under warranty and can get a free replacement.

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You better get a free replacement..... That's some bs..

Mine was out of warranty, so I had to pay for the replacement parts. Granted, the impeller assembly was only 32 bucks on an MP10, but I'd have thought they would have sent me one considering everything I had done to the unit as far as cleaning and care was exactly as they would have done it. They (customer service) had no explaination for why a sealed magnet could rust in place, freeze to the housing, and then get shot accross the tank :hmm4:

Drop us a line at the number below so that we can get this problem taken care of for you.

It's very rare that a magnet fails like this.

It happened to me also... Exact same scenario, couldn't figure it out and ended up bleeching SPS.

Took it to my LFS and the echotech distributor in Canada said that they couldn't do anything... I'm on the 3rd wetside in 2 years.

I'm sorry to hear that. Did you call in? I just spoke to them and they were very helpful and are rectifying the situation for me. If it happens again, I'd try perhaps taking pictures and emailing them in.

But if it does keep happening, then maybe it has to do with your tank somehow?

They were really helpful, and I'll be happy to purchase more EcoTech products in the future.

That's a pretty big leap of faith to blame the deteriorated magnet on the SPS bleaching

I'm glad we were able to assist you.

PS- Love the Helfrichs in your avatar! :)

I did take photos... Actually, I'll post them in this forum when I get home. That way people can be aware of it... Last thing you want is this to last too long in anyone's tank.

I don't think it has to do with the tank. I've got 1/2" glass and the adjustment/spacer on the dry side is on the correct setting....

Maybe it was just a bad batch of magnets...

Elevated amounts of any metal in a reef tank can spell disaster depending on the concentration and/or length of time. It starts with the inverts dying off and then goes from there.

Try it sometime, if you're not convinced.

We use "rust" to remove PO4

True. But do you know exactly what is happening with the oxidation when your magnets rust? Do you know exactly the materials and metals being released as this rusts?

I'd say this is the equivalent of finding a rusted pipe outside and throwing it in your tank. Who knows what's on it!

You can't just say "oh well, it's rust, it's good for the tank" None of us have any idea what that magnet is made out of, and as the chemical reaction occurs for that rust to form, some of it is being released into the water.

I have three MP40s that were used when I bought them 2 years ago, never had a problem like that. They are taken out, broken down and cleaned every three weeks. I started doing this to all my pumps after I had a skimmer pump do this.

My theory is something gets into the pump and because of the spinning eventually wears through the plastic coating to the real magnet and then the fun starts. That reminds me, I need to clean my return pump.

Thats just the point. No one really knows for sure. That is why it was premature to blame the losses on the oxidation of the magnets.

My reference to the rust had to do with your high phosphates, which bind to rust so I don't believe the rust is the cause of the high phosphates. It can definitively be the cause of the corals dying but for other reasons.
I'm sure ecotech will take care of the pump, but it sucks you have lost some corals.

From the pics it looks like something was trapped between the magnet and the back cover scratching the back cover (visible in the pic) and the rubber coat on the magnet (not visible in the pic) to the point where the magnet was exposed and rusted.

Hope everything in the tank improves, run some GAC and do large WC.

Hey Ganjero,

Yes, the rust itself wouldn't have to do with the high phosphates, and I have no idea if any phosphates are in that magnet ... regardless, I have been running GAC and GFO and doing water changes to get things right again. Since I've taken out the wet side of the vortech things have been looking better, but I still have some improving to do. So fingers crossed for the best!