I think I messed up....

tubbsds · 03/24/2006, 10:40 PM

I was cutting out a few of the slots in my overflow box when the small cutting "disc" that I was using broke. It was one of those small spinning cutting disc things that you put on the end of a small drill. Anyway a small portion of this disc fell down into my return and I could not retreive it. It was probably a quarter of an inch by a half of an inch big. I do not know what this cutting disc is made of but it did have what looked like metal flakes in it. My question is does anyone think this will be enough to pollute my tank with "metals". I know that the portion was small but I am still worried. My tank is 75 gallons with a 30 gallon sump. Thanks in advance for your thoughts.

iCam · 03/24/2006, 10:44 PM

Do you have a MagFloat or anything you can lower down to try to pick up any small pieces? I don't know what metal the disc is either,so I don't know if it will be harmful for the tank, or if it's magnetic,but it would probably be in the best interest of the tank to get it out.

tubbsds · 03/24/2006, 10:52 PM

Thanks for the quick reply. I thought about that but unfortunately (or maybe fortunately) the mag float barely picks up a simular size portion of another disc. It drops it pretty easily. That might be good news I guess as there probably is not a lot of metal in it. Still, is just a little too much? I went to A&M by the way!

der Riff-Konig · 03/24/2006, 10:55 PM

I believe they are metal shavings or particles bonded together with fiberglass and a resin adhesive.

tubbsds · 03/24/2006, 10:58 PM

That sounds about what it looks like. So do you think a portion this small would cause a problem?

der Riff-Konig · 03/24/2006, 11:11 PM

It will depend on the types of metal particles used. I would look up the manufacturer on the web and hit their "contact us" button and ask what is the composition of that particular wheel and then occasionally test for it or what condition it might cause.

tubbsds · 03/25/2006, 09:02 AM

Update. Well I got that piece out! I don't know why I didn't think of this last night but all it took was a shop-vac and some long attachments. I actually even found the piece in the debris holder. It looked almost exactly like a new disc so hopefully it didn't leach anything into my tank.

03/24/2006, 10:40 PM	#1
tubbsds Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Posts: 12	I think I messed up.... I was cutting out a few of the slots in my overflow box when the small cutting "disc" that I was using broke. It was one of those small spinning cutting disc things that you put on the end of a small drill. Anyway a small portion of this disc fell down into my return and I could not retreive it. It was probably a quarter of an inch by a half of an inch big. I do not know what this cutting disc is made of but it did have what looked like metal flakes in it. My question is does anyone think this will be enough to pollute my tank with "metals". I know that the portion was small but I am still worried. My tank is 75 gallons with a 30 gallon sump. Thanks in advance for your thoughts. Last edited by tubbsds; 03/24/2006 at 11:35 PM.

03/24/2006, 10:55 PM	#4
der Riff-Konig Premium Member Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: New Mexico Posts: 686	I believe they are metal shavings or particles bonded together with fiberglass and a resin adhesive. __________________ People who think they know what they're doing are especially annoying to those of us who do. Current Tank Info: 125 with 30 sump, two 58's with 20 sumps. 55, two 30's.

03/24/2006, 11:11 PM	#6
der Riff-Konig Premium Member Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: New Mexico Posts: 686	It will depend on the types of metal particles used. I would look up the manufacturer on the web and hit their "contact us" button and ask what is the composition of that particular wheel and then occasionally test for it or what condition it might cause. __________________ People who think they know what they're doing are especially annoying to those of us who do. Current Tank Info: 125 with 30 sump, two 58's with 20 sumps. 55, two 30's.

03/24/2006, 10:44 PM	#2
iCam Window Seat Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: D/FW, Texas Posts: 4,135	Do you have a MagFloat or anything you can lower down to try to pick up any small pieces? I don't know what metal the disc is either,so I don't know if it will be harmful for the tank, or if it's magnetic,but it would probably be in the best interest of the tank to get it out.

03/24/2006, 10:52 PM	#3
tubbsds Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Posts: 12	Thanks for the quick reply. I thought about that but unfortunately (or maybe fortunately) the mag float barely picks up a simular size portion of another disc. It drops it pretty easily. That might be good news I guess as there probably is not a lot of metal in it. Still, is just a little too much? I went to A&M by the way!

03/24/2006, 10:58 PM	#5
tubbsds Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Posts: 12	That sounds about what it looks like. So do you think a portion this small would cause a problem?

03/25/2006, 09:02 AM	#7
tubbsds Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Posts: 12	Update. Well I got that piece out! I don't know why I didn't think of this last night but all it took was a shop-vac and some long attachments. I actually even found the piece in the debris holder. It looked almost exactly like a new disc so hopefully it didn't leach anything into my tank.