Mag Pumps?

[Neoz]

I mixed up a new batch of SW to do a weekly change. 30 gallons worth. I use a Mag 18 to move my water around. So I get ready to do my water change and notice in the 33 Gallon Brute Can I see what looks to be like rust color along the top edge. Upon further inspection I lift my Mag 18 pump out and notice the chrome screws on the front face are rusted pretty good. I wiped them off with a cloth and sure enough that is the residue I am seeing on the rim of the brute can.

Some questions of course, how do the screws rust up when its always submersed in water? Anyway to prevent this? Is the pump any good now? Its only 7 months old.

So this gets me thinking about my Mag 18 return pump in my sump. So I take a flashlight and look in my sump and sure enough on 1 screw I see the same rust color starting to happen. You have to really look but its there.

Now I'm thinking this can't be good for the tank. I should toss out the new 30 gallon of water I just mixed up correct? Will the brute can be reusable if I clean it very good or should I toss it and get a new one?

Last question what about these Mag pumps. If they are known for rusting screws then I sure don't want to be purchasing more. Almost seems way better to use an external return pump. Any thoughts here?

 

[briangsxr1000]

the heads will prob. snap off when you try and remove them. Call Mag and they may send you a new pump if they snap. Or if you can get them out they will replace the screws. This is a known problem with them.

 

[Capt_Cully]

Dave, I get a biofilm in my mixing vat all the time. I think the problem with the mag pump and the film are independent of one another. I'm not sure if it's a result of impurities in the salt, or RO water, or mineral deposit and oxidation. If it's super cloudy and has chunks in it, I wouldn't use it. But if it's a film on your brute, I use it all the time. About every 4 or 5 water changes, I give the brute and hose a good scrub. Haven't noticed anything adverse. But that's just me. If you're not comfortable with it, don't use it.

I used to heat my water with a heater (duh) and I notice that IF it wasn't sufficiently circulated AND I let it sit for a while, it'd get really cloudy with clumps of God knows what in it. I used to pitch that water out. Now I don't heat the water (stays room temp) around 70 and I circulate the snot out of it with a panworld 50px-x. Haven't had that clumping problem. I also don't let new salt water sit around more than 2 or 3 days max.

 

[Neoz]

I usually mix new salt and let it circulate with the Mag 18 for 24 hours. Then do the water change and fill the brute back up with RO/DI water for top off water.

The water looks very clear. I put some in a glass and could not see any particles at all. I think I'll give it a go and use this water. Then clean the heck out of the can.

I'll work on the Mag pumps after I get the water change all set... Thanks for the help..

 

[shawna1972]

I would think someone sells plastic screws?

 

[Piazzon12]

There is nothing wrong with the water. If it is rust, a little rust won't hurt (ie GFO), and if it is the biofilm, I also get that all the time, especially with IO salt. As far as the rusting screws... that's pretty bad in terms of the quality of your pump, I'd call and ask for replacements. My two mags have never rusted.

 

[Posidion]

i use a mag 7 to mix my salt for 24 hrs in my brute cans. I also get the film on the can it is just some sort of mineral deposit, we also got huge amounts of this at the store where i used to work. if the film is super thick then you can scrape it off, the rest will easily wipe off with a rag and some white vinigar. I do this to my own brute about once a month before refilling with RO to prevent the large build up. As for the rusting screws i havent seen any yet and my pump is over 8 yrs old.

 

[pimpinitup6969]

I have a few different mag pump.s that have never rusted at all

 

[Neoz]

Thanks for all the replies. I contacted Mag and they wanted me to send some pics. So off they went and we'll have to wait and see.

I did the water change and hosed out the can and wiped everything down. The can only had the film on the edges on the inside. I didn't see anything in or on the surface of the water. I think I'm all good now. Just wanted to make sure everything was OK before preceding with the water change. Thanks everyone..

 

[Gravesj1s]

Just to pass along my thoughts as I've ventured down a similar path recently and wondered about my saltwater mixing vat as well.I noticed what appeared to be diatoms or something in the vat.I found a thread on reef crystals salt mix where someone got a response from the manufacture. They stated /recommended cleaning the vat after every mixup of impurities left behind by the salt. Further stating if left to accumulate it could fuel nusiance algaes.That was about the extent of their response though.
A sticky in the chem forum on salt mix results shows PO4 in all the salts I checked into.So its not unlikely that some of that would precipitate out as CaPo4.(found on heaters ,pumps ect.)Insoluable at the higher ph of saltwater as we all know.
I tested the PH of my RO/DI output and found its in the 5-6ppm range,certainly acidic enough to disolve the precipitated CaP04 in the mixing vat and liberating P04.I've changed my past routine and now regularly clean the vat after each water change.

 

[exotic3412]

put a dab of silicone and rub around with ur finger, just make sure u dry off very good before!