rust

[Reefer769]

hi, i have a metal tie think that its holding the tube onto the mag drive pump in my sump, and sometimes it is under water, i see that it is starting to rust, is this a real bad thing? should i remove it and replace it with something plastic or should it be ok?

[Reefland]

Yes that is a bad thing. MAG pumps have threaded outputs to make it easy to add PVC fittings to.

[Reefer769]

yea i have a pvc fitting, but then a plastic tube is around that, with the metal around holding it. but usually its not even underwater because the chamber usually doesnt go that high, but it does sometimes go under for a while. is there anykind of tape i can maybe wrap around it that is water proof or something, or should i just take it off and put a really big, and strong zip tie around it?

[Reefland]

Old tanks used to have metal used in the construction and this is one reason, including a lack of technology and understanding, that early reef aquaria was not sucessful.

I would take some teflon tape and wrap around the hose barb and then slide the flexible tube over top of it, making for a tighter fit, and then use a couple of zip ties.

[Ninong]

I would take some teflon tape and wrap around the hose barb and then slide the flexible tube over top of it, making for a tighter fit, and then use a couple of zip ties.

Why wouldn't you just use plastic clamps like everyone else does for underwater use?

http://www.marinedepot.com/md_viewIt...Product=FT1514

[Reefer769]

lol...good idea

[Reefland]

All of my plumbing it PVC today however in the past when I used flexible tubing, I didn't see a need for any clamps. In fact, I had to heat up the end of the flexible tube just to get it to fit over the hose barb; but I always did add a zip tie or two for ease of mind.

[Reefer769]

yea i had to heat the plastic tubing under HOT water to slip it over the pvs fitting. so i guess i really dont need a clamp, but i will still take the metal one off and put a few zipties in its place. thanks guys

[ick sucks]

rust is very bad for inverts and scaless fish. it is very toxic almost like ammonia in compariability.

[Ninong]

rust is very bad for inverts and scaless fish. it is very toxic almost like ammonia in compariability.

Have you ever seen those National Geographic videos of all the corals and other marine invertebrates growing on the rusting hulls of ships sunk during World War II? Just wondering.

Do you know what they use as a phosphate sponge in products such as Rowaphos and Phosban? They use rust (ferric oxide hydroxide).

I certainly would not recommend placing metal in your tank (especially aluminum, which is highly toxic) but a little rust will not harm anything. It might fertilize your algae a little, but that's about it. Aluminum or copper would be highly toxic but rust is not toxic.