mag drive housing split open - contaminated tank

S

starfishjackedme

Guest
Hey all,
I have a mag drive as a return pump on a 75 gallon tank that is curing some LR. My pump stopped and I took it out to find the back plate had peeled back like it burst from pressure. There were some hard brown pieces that fell out when I looked inside. Maybe the epoxy? It smelled like a burned up electric motor and I realized the case cracked open under this back plate and let out whatever is inside the epoxied part that contains the copper motor assy. Nitrite readings off the chart. Purple, so it must be toxic - is it the copper? Nitrate is off the chart as well. It leaked something toxic into the tank because the levels before were 20ppm nitrate and .5ppm nitrite.
I have heard about other brands that can leak oil or contaminants into the tank and kill everything. Is this one too? All I really care about is whether the toxic release in the aquarium permanently ruined my LR or system. Any ideas or comments?
 
grumpygils

grumpygils

Active Member
Originally Posted by starfishjackedme
Hey all,
I have a mag drive as a return pump on a 75 gallon tank that is curing some LR. My pump stopped and I took it out to find the back plate had peeled back like it burst from pressure. There were some hard brown pieces that fell out when I looked inside. Maybe the epoxy? It smelled like a burned up electric motor and I realized the case cracked open under this back plate and let out whatever is inside the epoxied part that contains the copper motor assy. Nitrite readings off the chart. Purple, so it must be toxic - is it the copper? Nitrate is off the chart as well. It leaked something toxic into the tank because the levels before were 20ppm nitrate and .5ppm nitrite.
I have heard about other brands that can leak oil or contaminants into the tank and kill everything. Is this one too? All I really care about is whether the toxic release in the aquarium permanently ruined my LR or system. Any ideas or comments?
bump
 
gsd

gsd

Member
There is nothing in a MAG drive pump to leak out. Its a dry epoxi filled pump, not oil filled like others are.....About all y9ou may smell is burnt electrical crap, or smoked epoxie, all of which would be removed with a water change. I can't see how it could have made your nitrite or trate go up, and would think that was normal for the LR since its in the process of curing. You really did not release anything thats gonna do any damage intothe system by any means..
 
S

starfishjackedme

Guest
Thanks everyone. I thought that they were "dry" on the inside, but wasn't sure. The pump was submersed in my sump. I am have changed my setup for an outboard now. I have never seen any test read like that before, and now that the pump is replaced the tests are nitrate 20ppm and nitrite 0ppm. I might cut the thing apart on my table saw with a grinder wheel just to see. I'll post pics if I do.
 
gsd

gsd

Member
Before I cut it apart I would give a call to Danner the manuf. of the MAG drive pump, and talk to them. They are pretty darn good at helping with tings. I have had them replace a pump for me already that was out of warranty period, and another time they told me they actually had a recall on a certain range of pumps and if I had one in that range they would replace it......and it was well over 4 years old at the time....
 
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