Can I put Magnents in my tank?

Interesting answers here. No ne seems to remember that a lot of us have magnets in the tank via Koralia power heads and glass cleaners. I realize they are enclosed to some degree but I would have to say over time water is getting in. As far as any ferric rust entering the tank, some aquarists dose Iron and the amount that may be leeched to the tank would amount to "trace" amounts. Now the quality of the magnets used for power heads and glass cleaning may be of a different quality than those found at craft stores.

 

You can buy very powerful gold plated rare-earth magnets.... gold is reef safe, right?

http://www.kjmagnetics.com/proddetail.asp?prod=B882G

 

My memory is just fine, Jed. I'd bet that the metal inside the rubberized base on the wet side of the Koralia is well-thought, and engineered to the point where it won't leech its compounds into my water. That's an assumption, but I'm comfortable with it.

I'd assume gold is not problematic in salt water, but keep in mind they're not solid gold. (as I'm sure you know). Oftentimes an electroplated precious metal coating is so thin, that the accidental brush of a fingernail is sufficient to bare what's underneath. Now if you took the gold plated neodymium magnets and put them in epoxy, you'd probably be well insured against accidents.

 

Go to Home Depot and get some 1/2" PVC caps. Then find some magnets that are just smaller than the inside of the cap. Then use epoxy and glue the magnets in the caps, about 1/16" from being flush. Then coat with epoxy so that there is a 1/16" layer of epoxy over the magnet.

That seals the magnet from water. Just make sure you orient the inside and outside magnets opposite of one another and definitely make sure the magnets are strong enough to hold through the tank but not too strong.

If I can find the thread on RC about the DIY frag rack I will post a link but its in the DIY area.

 

Simple---Go buy a Mag-Float--Silicone your rack to the cleaner side and place the other side on the outside--just like you would use the mag-float--another person here did that with a maxi-jet instead of suction cups--worked great!!

 

Here's what I'm thinking, browntrout. In your pic with my crude addition; cut 6 rectangles roughly the size of what you see. Cut a hole in 4 of them slightly larger than the diameter of the magnet. Each side will use 3 rectangles. Orient your frag holder short-side down, (where the magnets will be) and place a magnet at each "hole" site. Using a liquid weldon product; glue the two cut pieces with the holes on the magnet so that the magnet is centered, and doesn't touch the rectangles you glue "over" it. After two circular cutout rectangles are stacked, then glued in place, fill the well with epoxy (if you want, but optional), and place the last, third, uncut (no hole) rectangle, on top. Then you have a watertite scenario with magnets in place.

Hope that was clear.

 

Well it turned out the magnents I had bought didn't have the strength to hold the rack in place anyways. Here is what I did enjoy

 

There is a company that makes magnets sealed in a perfectly fitting plastic case especially for aquarium use. (I've seen them on Amcarrig's 90 gallon recently, but forgot the name brand). I guess you could use them to attach those plate shaped montipora corals to you overflow walls, etc.