Rusty pump.

[pheallox]

So not sure if this is the right spot, but here I go.
2 years no issue with my 80 gallon mixed reef, about 3 months ago corals started dieing off, inverts dieing and tank looking like crap.
Fish are all good and macro is fine, all parameters are right where they need to be, but something isnt right.
I have not changed and equipment or light schedules, nothing has changed.
Today I did a deep dive into the hardware inspecting all pumps and testing for stray voltage, everything was good until I checked the pump for my salt mixing station and discovered a large long crack bleeding rust inside the impeller housing.
So please let me know the consensus on this issue, if it is just iron is it the issue, is there a chance it could be leaking copper into the water I use for my ATO and mixing for WC?
And what should I do to clean out this contamination from my system?

 

[JohnBRZ]

I would do WC and add polly filter to remove the heavy metals

per chatgpt...
If the rust is coming from the impeller housing of a return pump in a reef aquarium, what enters the water depends on the metal that's rusting.

If it's ordinary steel or iron​

The rust is primarily:

• Iron oxide (rust)
• Small amounts of dissolved iron

In a reef tank, iron is actually a trace element that corals, macroalgae, and some microorganisms use. A tiny amount usually isn't immediately toxic.

However, excessive iron can:

• Fuel nuisance algae growth
• Encourage cyanobacteria outbreaks
• Discolor water if severe

If it's stainless steel​

Many pump shafts and internal components are stainless steel. When stainless steel corrodes, it may release:

• Iron
• Chromium
• Nickel
• Manganese

Nickel and chromium are more concerning than iron because they can be toxic to sensitive reef invertebrates at elevated levels.

If it's a magnet swelling and rusting​

This is a common failure in aquarium pumps. The impeller magnet coating cracks, allowing water to reach the metal core.

Potential contaminants include:

• Iron
• Rare earth metals (depending on the magnet)
• Other alloy components

When an impeller magnet starts rusting, many reef keepers replace it immediately because it can continue degrading and releasing metals.

Signs of metal contamination in a reef tank​

You might notice:

• Corals staying closed
• Loss of color in SPS corals
• Shrimp, snails, or other invertebrates dying unexpectedly
• Increased algae or cyano growth
• Unexplained drops in coral health

What to do​

1. Remove and inspect the pump.
2. Replace any rusting impeller, shaft, or housing component.
3. Run fresh activated carbon.
4. Perform a water change.
5. Consider running a metal-absorbing media such as Poly-Filter or CupriSorb if you're concerned about heavy metals.
6. If livestock are showing symptoms, an ICP test can identify elevated iron, nickel, chromium, copper, and other metals.

 

[drexel]

Run poly filter, cuprisorb and maybe metasorb. Add some carbon and do water changes. I would also send an ICP. More than likely, high iron, nickel, zinc and copper.

 

[pheallox]

Looking for poly filter now but no local shops have it so I need to order, pump is in the trash since I have a redundancy mental disorder, and if I cant find poly fill by tomorrow I will order it, but what about using chemipure elite until poly arrives?

 

[JohnBRZ]

Looking for poly filter now but no local shops have it so I need to order, pump is in the trash since I have a redundancy mental disorder, and if I cant find poly fill by tomorrow I will order it, but what about using chemipure elite until poly arrives?

per AI,
Yes, Chemi-Pure Elite can help, but it's not the most effective product specifically for removing metals.

Chemi-Pure Elite contains:

• Activated carbon (removes organic contaminants)
• Ion-exchange resins (helps with some dissolved impurities)
• GFO (granular ferric oxide) for phosphate control

It may remove some dissolved metals, but it's not designed as a dedicated heavy-metal remover.

For rust contamination from a pump, reef keepers typically have better success with:

• Poly-Filter — Excellent at removing a wide range of metals including copper, iron, nickel, and chromium. It even changes color depending on what it's absorbing.
• Seachem CupriSorb — Very effective for copper and many other heavy metals.
• High-quality activated carbon — Helpful as a general cleanup measure but not as effective as Poly-Filter for metals.

 

[Jimbo327]

Send in an ATI ICP, the one that also includes the tank and RO water test.

So you know exactly what's in the water.