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Coated magnets for frag shelf

I'm thinking about putting a magnet held shelf up in my display for all the DBTC frags I'm gowing out. Something like this
DSC02147.JPG

http://www.oceanswondersonline.com/catalog/item/4221106/4962425.htm

I can get some neodymium magnets from here
http://www.kjmagnetics.com
but I'm not sure about 2 things;

1) kjmagnetics sells a magnet coated with nicole and Plastic but I don't know if that's reef safe
2) in case Ni-Cu-Ni-Plastic isn't safe what do you think about coating their standard magnets with epoxy or something like liquid plastic that's intended for took handles

Does anyone know of anyone local that sells a similar product? I can make it work without magnets but it would be a lot cleaner with them. CLEAN IS GOOD :D
 
[quote author=Apon link=topic=2854.msg30414#msg30414 date=1200595923]
So did you buy one? Can you ask anyone at the company how is it working? if they know
[/quote]

Well they are using neodymium magnets but I haven't ordered one to see what they are coated with. I'm sure the KJ plastic coated mangets are fine but I was headed toward coating my own since that would give me more options with both the shelf configuration and the magnets I want to use.
 
If the magnet sits within the "cube", epoxy it in place and then seal the open top and bottom with aquarium safe silicone.
 
[quote author=Gomer link=topic=2854.msg30445#msg30445 date=1200601330]
If the magnet sits within the "cube", epoxy it in place and then seal the open top and bottom with aquarium safe silicone.
[/quote]

Not a bad idea. I'm thinking coating it in a paint like epoxy or something that would be water tight so there is almost no chance of anything leaching into my tank.

Levi
 
I'm willing to get that the plastic coated ones are perfectly fine. So much so that I'll be ordering those very things. Infact that is what it looks like in the photo. It also looks like they just siliconed the cubes into the grid (1/2" cubes in 5/8" grid)
 
[quote author=Gomer link=topic=2854.msg30501#msg30501 date=1200616791]
I'm willing to get that the plastic coated ones are perfectly fine. So much so that I'll be ordering those very things. Infact that is what it looks like in the photo. It also looks like they just siliconed the cubes into the grid (1/2" cubes in 5/8" grid)
[/quote]

I have some coming Monday or Tuesday next week. I ordered some coated and some not. I kept with the round ones since they have more pulling force.
 
What size did you get, what size is your eggcrate holes, do they fit well, and where did you get your eggcrate lol. (some you can answer now, others later)
 
3 @ 1/2" dia x 1/4" thick & 10 @ 7/8" dia x 1/16" thick
My thought was that I could use the coated ones to start and running then I could tinker with the plated ones and try & get them coated to use later since they are stronger.

I haven't picked up the eggcrate yet but I planned on getting it from HD or Lowes. The holes are about 5/8 squares (I think). I'll have to trim out a square if I decide to coat the 7/8 magnets and depending on the load I may need to put a small leg/cantilever underneath.

EDIT: revised
 
Plated ones are only seemingly stronger because of how the strength is defined. These magnets are defined by contact pulling force. With coated magnets, you effectively have a contact gap.

If you hold a magnet 1mm away from a metal plate, it will pull MUCH harder then if it is 1" away from the metal plate. Exaggerated for the plastic coat thickness, but the idea is the same.
 
I've been using the coated magnets from KJ for a while now (~ 1 yr). I used them to make racks and I also use them as frag mounts because I was running out of real estate, so I started mounting stuff to the walls. All in all, I like them and I'd buy more of them.

The only complaint I have so far is that it's hard to keep stuff glued to it because the surface is so smooth. I have to be careful when working around the magnets because it's easy to detach my frags.
 
[quote author=Raddogz link=topic=2854.msg31121#msg31121 date=1201545729]
I'm wondering if you could use the uncoated ones and just use JB Weld to adhere and "paint" the surface of the magnet.
[/quote]

I actually started the thread with the intent of just that, what can I coat these with? You can get an arisol plastic/coating or a dip type plastic but I don't know how safe they are. I'll take a closer look at the packages next time I'm at HD.
 
[quote author=Gomer link=topic=2854.msg31133#msg31133 date=1201552084]
I know this may sound nuts, but couldn't you paint it with nail polish?
[/quote]

Well I know a lot of people used to paint their return pipes with black Krylon spray paint but I don't think that company is around anymore.

Come on vets/ise scientist, can magnets leak anything and what's up with painting/coating?
 
The only problem with magnets in the tank is the potential for them to oxidize soluble oxides. Lets take the most extreme example. Would you use a copper plated magnet in any tank?

I'd have to look up neo composition and their oxide toxicities. I think many neo's are nickel coated and nickel is pretty resistant in NORMAL environments. Not sure about marine environments.
 
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