magnets in water?

[rogergolf66]

I want to make my own magnet frag mounts for the back glass of the tank. I'm out of room on my rock, so the research I have done people have told me to cover the magnet with epoxy to seal it. The question is why? Why do I have to seal the magnet what do they do that is bad to the water in the tank if I don't Seal them?

I bought the magnets already they r ceramic magnets.

Roger

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

There is the potential for heavy metals to be released from some types of magnets as they corrode.

 

[rogergolf66]

Will ceramic corrode in salt water?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Depends on what it is. Do you know the composition?

 

[rogergolf66]

No I don't, but could I just test one in a high salinty bucket of salt water and see how it dose? How long would I have to run the trial to make sure I'm safe? I know I have rusted a golf club head on purpose and it only took 24 hours to rust.

Roger

Or is there a way to look us the comp of the magnet?

 

[BlueCorn]

Every manufacturer of magnetic mounts for aquarium use coated magnets on the wet side. If it wasn't a necessary expense, they wouldn't do it.

Epoxy == cheap
Dead livestock == expensive

 

[Percula9]

You can coat the magnets in plastidip. You can get it at any hardware store. It is a liquid rubber, used to coat the metal handles of pliers.

 

[rogergolf66]

Every manufacturer of magnetic mounts for aquarium use coated magnets on the wet side. If it wasn't a necessary expense, they wouldn't do it.

Epoxy == cheap
Dead livestock == expensive

Agree I do plan on coating them , but I like to learn why I needed too was all. Because mine where ceramic I didn't think they would corode was all. So I didn't know if still had to coat it for a different reason also.

Thanks for all ur help everyone. It is always ver appreciated!!!

Roger

 

[BlueCorn]

Ceramic magnets are magnetic because of rare earth metals. If it was just pottery there wouldn't be an issue.

 

[rogergolf66]

Ok so if the metal is inside and it is ceramic coated is it safe then? Is ceramic coating ok for tank?

 

[BlueCorn]

It's not a ceramic coating. It's mixed with the ceramic.

Unless you know, 100% definitively, what your magnets are made of you're throwing the dice. If you're right, you saved $5. If you're wrong, you could lose the entire tank. You do what you think is right.

 

[bertoni]

Also, the equipment you'd need to test the water after the soak is prohibitively expensive. Even getting a lab to test it would be hundreds of dollars.

 

[rogergolf66]

Ok already coated a couple with epoxy and just for fun I put one in a cup with tank salt water. Will I be able to see the rust on the magnet over time of there is a problem with it?

Thanks

Roger

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

No. It is the release of heavy metals other than iron that is the potential concern. If you put a copper wire in seawater, there is no apparent change but copper is released.

 

[fishflorist]

magnet can be rusted.

I use acrylic to cover the magnet, use acrylic glue or glass cement to seal.