# aquarium algae cleaning magnets



## belo (Sep 25, 2010)

Hey Folks,
Which is the best algae cleaning Magnet......I need a magnet which can clean the algae without scratching the glass.
Please help.
Thanks


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## Antoine Doinel (Dec 20, 2010)

The magnetic cleaners are interesting, but can be trouble. I've heard plenty of stories of a piece of gravel getting stuck in between it and the glass and scratching the tank.

I'd save yourself some money and just use a squeegee, abrasive sponge, piece of velcro, etc. The blue filter sponge you can get at Big Al's works great. Better yet, invest in a clean-up crew (nerite snails, pleco, oto's, SAE's, etc).


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## carmenh (Dec 20, 2009)

I use these in all my tanks and love them...

http://www.aquariumsupplies.ca/larg...-p-142.html?osCsid=i5ri6otdfk0jjb4ajgjiol9c47

I recently added one of these to the magfloat for my reef tank since stuff tends to be harder to get off and it's AWESOME!

http://www.aquariumsupplies.ca/easy-blade-original-scraper-attachment-p-128.html

Yea, you have to be careful but it's not that difficult. If I think I may have picked up a bit of sand or gravel, I just pull away the outside magnet, allowing the inside magnet to float to the top. Anything on it drops off on the way up...


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## Will (Jul 24, 2008)

Depends what size tank you have. The overpriced Mag Float work well IMO. I'll be buying a Two Little Fishies NanoMag Glass Cleaner for my pico tank.

Gravel can get stuck between any algae cleaning item. Just be conciencious of what your doing with it.


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## carmenh (Dec 20, 2009)

Maybe overpriced but I've used quite a few brands and imho, it's soooo worth it  Personally, I would never go with a non-floating again...but then again my tanks are deeper, no nanos, so retreiving them is more of a pain...



Will Hayward said:


> Depends what size tank you have. The overpriced Mag Float work well IMO. I'll be buying a Two Little Fishies NanoMag Glass Cleaner for my pico tank.
> 
> Gravel can get stuck between any algae cleaning item. Just be conciencious of what your doing with it.


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## Will (Jul 24, 2008)

They are overpriced, but they are the best of the bunch, agreed.


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## fishclubgirl (Mar 4, 2010)

I have smaller tanks and use my old credit and debit cards to remove algae. Seem to work well and underpriced too!!


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## coldmantis (Apr 5, 2010)

do yourself a favour and use a razor blade, it's take me an hour to clean my 45 gallon with a magnet, around 30 with a sponge and a brush, 5 minutes or less with a razor. I was scared at first to use the razor because I might take off some silicone in the corner or scratch my tank, but it never scratches your more likely to scratch your tank when you use a magnet and if you leave your magnet in your tank for too long and don't use it. it will rust and leave a rust mark in your tank.


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## Will (Jul 24, 2008)

coldmantis said:


> do yourself a favour and use a razor blade, it's take me an hour to clean my 45 gallon with a magnet, around 30 with a sponge and a brush, 5 minutes or less with a razor. I was scared at first to use the razor because I might take off some silicone in the corner or scratch my tank, but it never scratches your more likely to scratch your tank when you use a magnet and if you leave your magnet in your tank for too long and don't use it. it will rust and leave a rust mark in your tank.


There's no metal to rust on a MagFloat. Mine's been in the tank for two years or more. No rust no chance of it by design.

It takes me under 120 seconds to clean my 75 Gallon tank (3 walls) with my MagFloat. I do this several times a week. This prevents any algae from colonating those surfaces.

Magnet cleaners are not mean to be scraping or chipping away at coraline algae or hard green algaes. They will easily remove the film that promotes the growth of these more resilient algaes.

A razor doesn't replace a magnet, they are two essential tools for different reasons in my opinion.


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## carmenh (Dec 20, 2009)

That's why I love my little magnet/blade combo  Can be used with or without razor, with the simple twist of a thumb screw!










I never would have believed how awesome it is. I'd seen them at MOPS and thought "yea, whatever" but then I went to a guys house to buy frags and he had one. I saw it at work, and bought one the next day!



Will Hayward said:


> A razor doesn't replace a magnet, they are two essential tools for different reasons in my opinion.


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## Naoko (Jan 22, 2011)

Will Hayward said:


> They are overpriced, but they are the best of the bunch, agreed.


You've obviously never tried one of these , I use that one and its little brother. They are a little expensive but well worth the price of admission. I find the Mag-Float's magnet is not strong enough for 0.50 - 0.75" glass, however they do have a larger one that I've never tried.


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## szar (Apr 8, 2010)

Ok i got algae problems.

I got green, spot and hair alge.

Would the magnet help.


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## peterpd99 (Oct 18, 2010)

I agreed with Will Hayward!!!!!!


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## Chris S (Dec 19, 2007)

carmenh said:


> That's why I love my little magnet/blade combo  Can be used with or without razor, with the simple twist of a thumb screw!
> 
> 
> 
> ...


I've been using the magfloat/blade combo for awhile now - no complains and I've never scratched anything with it.

For SW applications, I remove and rinse - extends the life of the blade!


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## saltwater junkie (Feb 18, 2011)

Will Hayward said:


> They are overpriced, but they are the best of the bunch, agreed.


+1 on the magfloat i have 4 of them


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## ohmyfish (Feb 20, 2010)

coldmantis said:


> do yourself a favour and use a razor blade,


I use a $6 steel blade that I bought from BigAls. In one direction, it removes everything off the glass with just one swipe. I wouldn't want to get any sand in between those magnet cleaners. It could permanently scar your entire tank. I had an acrylic tank once and the scratches drove me insane. I was looking more at the scratches than the fish.


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## theSICKNESS (Mar 3, 2011)

maxed out credit card works best for me... and a plastic window squeegee from Canadian tire used it exclusively on my 180g works great. 

I have the magfloat, very rarely use it though. It scratched my tank glass, a piece of sand got stuck between the 2 pieces of the magfloat, they work well but, one must be careful not to have a piece of gravel or sand caught between the glass and the mag.

Cheers


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