How Good Are Magnetic Glass Cleaners?

[2day]

Hi guys...

Off to my lfs today, and was looking at these things. One of my relatives has one on her tank in the wall..

How good are they? Are they worth it?

Any help appreciated!

 

[dthoffsett]

I use one in both my 75gal & 29gal and I absolutely love it, it does a great job, my tanks are glass, from what I understand you can't use them on acrylic. The only thing I have to be careful of, is to not kick up the sand and accidentally get sand stuck between the glass and magnet, that can scratch the tank.

 

[2day]

Yeah i get you with the sand bit, so overall they are worth it in the end hey? I guess i am going to get one, get my glass cleaned and get it looking good because i can't change the water that often because of the water scare in Sydney...

 

[rdd1952]

Just make sure you get one with a good strong magnet. I use one called a Mag Float and they are very strong and do a good job. The sand issue isn't really a problem unless you hae an acrylic tank. I've never had it scratch my glass before.

 

[Lhutch]

ya the magnetic cleaners are good i prefer using that instead of using a stick with a petsmart sponge on the end, i was actually suprised to see that it cleans that good

 

[rdd1952]

The sticks with the sponges/scrapers are pretty much useless. They flex too much to really get any leverage to remove the algae.

 

[backley420]

what do they do tho? do you stick them on and let them sit there or do whatever?? i was gonna buy 1 but didnt understand how it worked and the directitions were un clear

 

[rdd1952]

I just leave mine sticking on the glass. I move it to the top on the side so you really don't notice it. Basically, you just put the side that looks like vercro in the tank and the other piece outside the tank and let them clamp together with the glass in between. Then just move it along the glass just like you were erasing a chalk board.

 

[MattD]

Proven tools throughout the industry, I doubt you will find a negative review anywhere.

And I also just let mine sit in my tank. When I see any type of growth - wipe away. I've also convinced my girlfriend and my buddy to get them too.

 

[SouthernCross]

Mine's great, I love it. Makes the glass so clean.

Except the magnet in it is so freaking strong I've actually crushed my fingers in it a few times - it hurt! Also, sometimes it's very hard to separate the two pieces, so I keep a little piece of cloth between them.
I also have to be very careful when putting it in not to let go until they're very close together - otherwise I'm worried the impact would break the glass.

My only complaint is that mine only came with a thin piece of string joining the two pieces, and sometimes it breaks or the knot comes undone, and then its a pain retrieving the other piece if it falls inside the tank. I think they make floating ones though to avoid this problem.

 

[rdd1952]

Except the magnet in it is so freaking strong I've actually crushed my fingers in it a few times - it hurt! Also, sometimes it's very hard to separate the two pieces, so I keep a little piece of cloth between them.
I also have to be very careful when putting it in not to let go until they're very close together - otherwise I'm worried the impact would break the glass.

My only complaint is that mine only came with a thin piece of string joining the two pieces, and sometimes it breaks or the knot comes undone, and then its a pain retrieving the other piece if it falls inside the tank. I think they make floating ones though to avoid this problem.

Actually, that is a good thing. The stronger the magnet, the more force it exerts on the glass and the more it cleans. The first one I bought was pretty weak and it really didn't clean at all. I son't worry about the glass as I never take mine out of the tank. The one I have (Mag Float) does float so you don't have to worry about a string. If it gets loose some how, it just floats back to the top.

 

[tetraqueen]

I like them as they dust both the out side and inside of the tank.

The only trouble I have is my fish don't like it when it is moving the silver sharks freak a bit and the barbs get in the way and the clown loaches look at it as if it is some great fish. The gibicepts loves to catch what it can when it sitas on the side which proves to me it does take algae of or it wouldn't try to get anything from it.

 

[*Fishkies*]

I have one I use with my 55gallon tank. I love it!!!!! I don't have to take a bath when I have to clean the walls in there anymore...

 

[SouthernCross]

Except the magnet in it is so freaking strong I've actually crushed my fingers in it a few times - it hurt! Also, sometimes it's very hard to separate the two pieces, so I keep a little piece of cloth between them.
I also have to be very careful when putting it in not to let go until they're very close together - otherwise I'm worried the impact would break the glass.

My only complaint is that mine only came with a thin piece of string joining the two pieces, and sometimes it breaks or the knot comes undone, and then its a pain retrieving the other piece if it falls inside the tank. I think they make floating ones though to avoid this problem.

Actually, that is a good thing. The stronger the magnet, the more force it exerts on the glass and the more it cleans. The first one I bought was pretty weak and it really didn't clean at all. I son't worry about the glass as I never take mine out of the tank. The one I have (Mag Float) does float so you don't have to worry about a string. If it gets loose some how, it just floats back to the top.

LOL, I know it's a good thing, I wasn't complaining about it, as it does a beautiful job of getting my glass clean with very little elbow grease required by me. I just mentioned it as more of a cautionary tale to people with magnets as strong as mine to watch their fingers!

One of these days I'll get a floating one, but there's nothing really wrong with the one I've got, just need to be a bit more careful to not let it drop.

 

[2day]

Just got mine a couple of hours ago, and it is brilliant... Best invention ever!