To solve this, aquarium owners can purchase a magnetic scrubbing tool and can use it to scrub the inside of the aquarium walls. on Introduction. This cleaner tool could scrape algae off the tank effectively. If youre keeping it in the tank, you likely want something that wont become an eyesore. A nunchuck specialist, I've kept aquariums for over two decades, enjoy experimenting with low-tech planted setups and an avid South American cichlid enthusiast. I really wanted to like this scraper because I think the design is cool, but sadly, it didnt quite measure up. The blades are super thin razors, so thin that you can easily bend them. Its really soft/slimy and its fairly easy to scrape off. Im not sure of the exact species, but it looks similar to black beard algae in structure when it really gets going. And hey, isnt a nice looking tank the whole point of why we keep aquariums in the first place? 
They are too big to climb on plants and generally don't. Take everything listed in the previous step. But, you have to scrape very slowly with the scraper blade. Wood appearance grip Are you looking for a magnet with a scraper attachment? It also comes with a small brush attachment thats good for getting into tight corners. You have to be careful and slow as you clean along the substrate line anyway, so its no big deal to slow down and take the time to use the scraper blade on the Fl!pper in this area. The difference between algae magnets for glass and magnets for acrylic is the material in which the scrubber pad is made from. Size Medium, measures 4.1 L 2.1 W 1.1, fits for fish tank glass thickness ranges from 3/8 3/5. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Works well and very useful! I like some of the different attachments on the Hygger kit, but I also found that the Fzone scraper was simple yet extremely effective. Scrapers used on glass would scratch an acrylic tank; do not ever use a hard scraper on acrylic. The integrated blades are made of a very durable plastic material to maintain a sharper cleaning edge for long-lasting performance. The microfiber cleaning cloth can be found at any grocery store for a under $4-5. Magnetized scrapers are great for the front glass, but they can be hard to use on the side glass and theyre near impossible to use on the back glass. This way you can easily retrieve it. You can easily measure your tank walls with a ruler or micrometer. I was surprised by how such a simple tool could work so well. 7. Once take down the external grip, the internal cleaner floats on the surface of aquarium which you can fetch it without getting your hands wet. TLDR: This scraper has a really cool handle and large scrubbing pad, but its not as strong as the Mag-Float. Filter the selections down to only those within your budget and then start comparing the options. 
I scrubbed and scrubbed and the algae didnt come off. Our products are specially designed to accommodate a wide range of aquarium sizes and wall thickness. TLDR: The design of the Fl!pper is really unique, but for me, its a tie between this scraper and the Gulfstream Tropical Mag-Float for first place. You can see it floating on the water surface. Hey, there! The walls in that aquarium grow a combination of green dust algae thats very soft and green spot algae thats particularly difficult to scrape off. It was really hard to just let my tanks look terrible for two weeks, but I did it in the name of helping my readers. Reply 4. 2. The problem with stick and sponge is you can't evenly apply pressure to areas that need scrubbing and it is hard to scrub tight areas. TLDR: This cleaning kit comes with some really handy attachments and some downright useless ones. 
For most of us, an algae magnet will not be removed from the display in between uses. he difference between algae magnets for glass and magnets for acrylic is the material in which the scrubber pad is made from. I will update my tutorial with that idea. Highly suggested and you wont waste your money. As you said, it also is much better for the fish as well. Made a similar one myself using a kitchen scrubber sponge and a stick. The end of the handle has spring loaded quick release so that you can easily swap out for the different attachments. 
This little scraper is kind of simple, but its also really effective. The swivel its on is too loose so you cant actually scrub with it except at really awkward angles. I wouldnt recommend buying this scraper for green spot algae, its an exercise in frustration. 
You can use it to gather up trailing algae, like staghorn or hair algae, and remove it from the tank. I just searched and found one result on Amazon for them. A net attachment is also included. Glue the magnet to the interior of the cap. 8. The metal blade is great on glass but it could easily gouge and scratch acrylic tanks. 4. The adjustable handle is very stable and can be set from 23-34 inches (58-86 centimeters) long. It all depends on the thickness of your fish tank. Required fields are marked *. There are two different sponge attachments, a flat one and one thats shaped to fit into the tank corners. And it is not for acrylic tank. Your algae magnet is essential and is likely one of the most frequently used tools on your reef tank. The Flipper is designed as a versatile solution with both a scrubber and a scraper integrated into its design with a very thin profile. I feel like the Fl!ppers flipping trick is an innovative design, and I like that you get a scrubbing pad on one side and scraper on the other, but I found this scraper to be precise in tight areas and way too slow to do large areas with. About: Hi. While in the case of an acrylic tank, the scrubber pads material is softer, like the loop side of Velcro, to prevent scratching the acrylic. But, it was harder to get rid of the algae along the substrate and close to the corners. http://i01.i.aliimg.com/photo/v7/276778537/2pcs_pack_kitchen_sponge_scrubber_pad.jpg. Once youve narrowed your search to only algae magnets that are suitable for your tank size and material, youll next want to consider your budget and any additional features that appeal to you. They don't seem to eat everything so I thought a scrubber was a good idea for my tank. Getting even a single grain of sand trapped between the scrubbing pad and the glass can cause major scratching. Use the outside cap as a handle to scrub. I would recommend that if making this for an aquarium and you are concerned about toxicity, use the silicone. Be sure that you measure all panels individually because it is not uncommon for the panels to be different. I let the scrubber sit in a separate bowl of my fish water for about two weeks. This is by far one of the best cleaner Ive used and experienced! 
We tested the long-handled scrapers on the side and back glass of my 40 gallon (151 liter) bowfront tank. 3. 6325 Sandburg Road, Suite 400 Golden Valley, MN 55427. I guess I was probably thinking in that context. The Gulfstream Tropical Mag-Float has a much simpler design than the Fl!pper. Then, take the micro fiber cloth and cut two circles out that are about 3 inches in diameter. The store will not work correctly in the case when cookies are disabled. Your email address will not be published. 
For example, the back wall may be a little different than the side and front panels. This smooth, curved wood-like finish grip is ergonomically designed so its comfortable to use and visually appealing to the eyes. JavaScript seems to be disabled in your browser. 
In fact, for some reason, the green spot algae in that tank is the hardest to scrape in the whole house. 
Does it need to be thin or small enough to fit in tight spaces between the rocks and tank walls? 
Theres no gimmick about it flipping around between a scrubbing pad and scraper blade. I'm Katherine from Northwest Florida. However, I really like your idea of aquarium silicone. Please go to contact us for superior customer service. Package includes: Learn how your comment data is processed. And youd have to rub your finger to the bone to get this stuff off glass without a tool. The magnets can be ordered on amazon for a few dollars too. Test 2: The scrubbing pad on the Fl!pper couldnt remove the tough green spot algae at all. Both are handy tools that make cleaning the back tank wall so much easier. Then you can detach the outside part, turn it 180 and put it right next to the inner scrubber. 
Aquarium magnetic cleaner comes with two blades, one is metal and the other is plastic. 
2. I'm Jacob, a high school student interested in science and math. all done now in the warm & dry & NO ladders required. Modestfish.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. Ive gotta say, the design behind this thing is pretty darn cool. The scraper blade side was much better at removing the green spot. Pick up wooden grip and attach on the outside of aquarium. I hope my project tutorials help, Summer Holidays for Chicken (using Poor Man's Fibreglass). To use the scrubber, place on bottle cap on the inside of the wall and the other on the outside. I tried out all the attachments that both scrapers included so I could see how useful they were as I cleaned the tank glass. Shown as below. I will definitely buy a few packs. The tank material is important because some algae magnets are going to be designed specifically for use only with acrylic tanks and others strictly for tanks made from glass; some magnets include a suitable option for both! For example, the back wall may be a little different than the side and front panels. The wood grain finish on these algae free magnets helps tremendously in terms of keeping the magnet cleaner discreet. Just look at the corners of your tank and measure the wall thickness where the panels meet. Getting your hands, and likely your sleeves, wet is typical with a scraper because this is the only way to apply enough pressure to effectively employ the scraper. For the best experience on our site, be sure to turn on Javascript in your browser. Long handled scrapers are nice for hard to reach areas but the longer the handle, the harder it is to apply a suitable amount of pressure. 7 years ago. It always surprises me when I think my inside glass is clean.. Snails and pleco fish are good for algae eating. I thought these might be too flimsy for green spot algae, but in reality, the thin blade is able to get behind the algae and scrape it off cleanly. 
Frankly, after doing these experiments, my recommendation would be to get a Fl!pper and a Mag-Float so that you have something thats good for tight corners and something that can quickly clean up big open areas.
They are too big to climb on plants and generally don't. Take everything listed in the previous step. But, you have to scrape very slowly with the scraper blade. Wood appearance grip Are you looking for a magnet with a scraper attachment? It also comes with a small brush attachment thats good for getting into tight corners. You have to be careful and slow as you clean along the substrate line anyway, so its no big deal to slow down and take the time to use the scraper blade on the Fl!pper in this area. The difference between algae magnets for glass and magnets for acrylic is the material in which the scrubber pad is made from. Size Medium, measures 4.1 L 2.1 W 1.1, fits for fish tank glass thickness ranges from 3/8 3/5. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Works well and very useful! I like some of the different attachments on the Hygger kit, but I also found that the Fzone scraper was simple yet extremely effective. Scrapers used on glass would scratch an acrylic tank; do not ever use a hard scraper on acrylic. The integrated blades are made of a very durable plastic material to maintain a sharper cleaning edge for long-lasting performance. The microfiber cleaning cloth can be found at any grocery store for a under $4-5. Magnetized scrapers are great for the front glass, but they can be hard to use on the side glass and theyre near impossible to use on the back glass. This way you can easily retrieve it. You can easily measure your tank walls with a ruler or micrometer. I was surprised by how such a simple tool could work so well. 7. Once take down the external grip, the internal cleaner floats on the surface of aquarium which you can fetch it without getting your hands wet. TLDR: This scraper has a really cool handle and large scrubbing pad, but its not as strong as the Mag-Float. Filter the selections down to only those within your budget and then start comparing the options. I scrubbed and scrubbed and the algae didnt come off. Our products are specially designed to accommodate a wide range of aquarium sizes and wall thickness. TLDR: The design of the Fl!pper is really unique, but for me, its a tie between this scraper and the Gulfstream Tropical Mag-Float for first place. You can see it floating on the water surface. Hey, there! The walls in that aquarium grow a combination of green dust algae thats very soft and green spot algae thats particularly difficult to scrape off. It was really hard to just let my tanks look terrible for two weeks, but I did it in the name of helping my readers. Reply 4. 2. The problem with stick and sponge is you can't evenly apply pressure to areas that need scrubbing and it is hard to scrub tight areas. TLDR: This cleaning kit comes with some really handy attachments and some downright useless ones. For most of us, an algae magnet will not be removed from the display in between uses. he difference between algae magnets for glass and magnets for acrylic is the material in which the scrubber pad is made from. I will update my tutorial with that idea. Highly suggested and you wont waste your money. As you said, it also is much better for the fish as well. Made a similar one myself using a kitchen scrubber sponge and a stick. The end of the handle has spring loaded quick release so that you can easily swap out for the different attachments. This little scraper is kind of simple, but its also really effective. The swivel its on is too loose so you cant actually scrub with it except at really awkward angles. I wouldnt recommend buying this scraper for green spot algae, its an exercise in frustration. You can use it to gather up trailing algae, like staghorn or hair algae, and remove it from the tank. I just searched and found one result on Amazon for them. A net attachment is also included. Glue the magnet to the interior of the cap. 8. The metal blade is great on glass but it could easily gouge and scratch acrylic tanks. 4. The adjustable handle is very stable and can be set from 23-34 inches (58-86 centimeters) long. It all depends on the thickness of your fish tank. Required fields are marked *. There are two different sponge attachments, a flat one and one thats shaped to fit into the tank corners. And it is not for acrylic tank. Your algae magnet is essential and is likely one of the most frequently used tools on your reef tank. The Flipper is designed as a versatile solution with both a scrubber and a scraper integrated into its design with a very thin profile. I feel like the Fl!ppers flipping trick is an innovative design, and I like that you get a scrubbing pad on one side and scraper on the other, but I found this scraper to be precise in tight areas and way too slow to do large areas with. About: Hi. While in the case of an acrylic tank, the scrubber pads material is softer, like the loop side of Velcro, to prevent scratching the acrylic. But, it was harder to get rid of the algae along the substrate and close to the corners. http://i01.i.aliimg.com/photo/v7/276778537/2pcs_pack_kitchen_sponge_scrubber_pad.jpg. Once youve narrowed your search to only algae magnets that are suitable for your tank size and material, youll next want to consider your budget and any additional features that appeal to you. They don't seem to eat everything so I thought a scrubber was a good idea for my tank. Getting even a single grain of sand trapped between the scrubbing pad and the glass can cause major scratching. Use the outside cap as a handle to scrub. I would recommend that if making this for an aquarium and you are concerned about toxicity, use the silicone. Be sure that you measure all panels individually because it is not uncommon for the panels to be different. I let the scrubber sit in a separate bowl of my fish water for about two weeks. This is by far one of the best cleaner Ive used and experienced! We tested the long-handled scrapers on the side and back glass of my 40 gallon (151 liter) bowfront tank. 3. 6325 Sandburg Road, Suite 400 Golden Valley, MN 55427. I guess I was probably thinking in that context. The Gulfstream Tropical Mag-Float has a much simpler design than the Fl!pper. Then, take the micro fiber cloth and cut two circles out that are about 3 inches in diameter. The store will not work correctly in the case when cookies are disabled. Your email address will not be published. For example, the back wall may be a little different than the side and front panels. This smooth, curved wood-like finish grip is ergonomically designed so its comfortable to use and visually appealing to the eyes. JavaScript seems to be disabled in your browser. In fact, for some reason, the green spot algae in that tank is the hardest to scrape in the whole house. Does it need to be thin or small enough to fit in tight spaces between the rocks and tank walls? Theres no gimmick about it flipping around between a scrubbing pad and scraper blade. I'm Katherine from Northwest Florida. However, I really like your idea of aquarium silicone. Please go to contact us for superior customer service. Package includes: Learn how your comment data is processed. And youd have to rub your finger to the bone to get this stuff off glass without a tool. The magnets can be ordered on amazon for a few dollars too. Test 2: The scrubbing pad on the Fl!pper couldnt remove the tough green spot algae at all. Both are handy tools that make cleaning the back tank wall so much easier. Then you can detach the outside part, turn it 180 and put it right next to the inner scrubber. Aquarium magnetic cleaner comes with two blades, one is metal and the other is plastic. 2. I'm Jacob, a high school student interested in science and math. all done now in the warm & dry & NO ladders required. Modestfish.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. Ive gotta say, the design behind this thing is pretty darn cool. The scraper blade side was much better at removing the green spot. Pick up wooden grip and attach on the outside of aquarium. I hope my project tutorials help, Summer Holidays for Chicken (using Poor Man's Fibreglass). To use the scrubber, place on bottle cap on the inside of the wall and the other on the outside. I tried out all the attachments that both scrapers included so I could see how useful they were as I cleaned the tank glass. Shown as below. I will definitely buy a few packs. The tank material is important because some algae magnets are going to be designed specifically for use only with acrylic tanks and others strictly for tanks made from glass; some magnets include a suitable option for both! For example, the back wall may be a little different than the side and front panels. The wood grain finish on these algae free magnets helps tremendously in terms of keeping the magnet cleaner discreet. Just look at the corners of your tank and measure the wall thickness where the panels meet. Getting your hands, and likely your sleeves, wet is typical with a scraper because this is the only way to apply enough pressure to effectively employ the scraper. For the best experience on our site, be sure to turn on Javascript in your browser. Long handled scrapers are nice for hard to reach areas but the longer the handle, the harder it is to apply a suitable amount of pressure. 7 years ago. It always surprises me when I think my inside glass is clean.. Snails and pleco fish are good for algae eating. I thought these might be too flimsy for green spot algae, but in reality, the thin blade is able to get behind the algae and scrape it off cleanly. Frankly, after doing these experiments, my recommendation would be to get a Fl!pper and a Mag-Float so that you have something thats good for tight corners and something that can quickly clean up big open areas.