Magnetic scrapers for the aquarium: the pros and cons

It's nice to have an aquarium at home - a small piece of your own private sea in the apartment! And behind its glass floating colorful fish in crystal clear water. But, unfortunately, you will not be able to see this beautiful picture without one small detail - the clean walls of the aquarium.

In the process of vital activity of fish and various plants, glass is overgrown with algae and mucus, from which they become cloudy, and there is no question of any beauty anymore. This is not a problem if you have a small aquarium. But what if the amount of water in a fish house is hundreds of liters? To clean such glasses, you have to dive into the water, in the literal sense of the word.

In this case, the magnetic scrapers for the aquarium will solve the problem . They are very convenient to use. Driving a scraper on the outside of the glass, you automatically clean its inner surface.

Which scrapers are

Glass cleaners have been devised to simplify the cleaning of deep aquariums when it is no longer possible to wash the glass with an ordinary dishwashing sponge. There is a rather large number of different scrapers, but all of them can be divided into 3 groups:

1. Device with a fairly soft working surface, something like the same sponge. Attaches such a scraper to the handle of a length somewhere 40-50 cm.
2. Metal scrapers. Such products use a blade from a safety razor or a special knife for aquarium glass. On sale you can find different variations. Often, combined scrapers are offered, where, as necessary, you can change the blade to a sponge.
3. Magnetic scrapers consist of two halves, which are connected together by attraction with the help of an integrated magnet. We'll talk more about them.

Features of magnetic scrapers

Of course, such scrapers are extremely convenient to operate. Do not wet your hands or stand on a chair to clean the glass well, as it happens when using products equipped with a handle. But when you come to the store to choose magnetic scrapers for the aquarium, the description of such items should be studied with the utmost care. After all, they also have their own characteristics, and if you do not understand them, you can as a result buy a completely unnecessary thing.

So, basically the magnetic scrapers are divided into waterfowl and sinking, and also by the force of attraction between the halves of the product. Before buying any product of this type, be sure to measure the thickness of your glass - the more it is, the more powerful you will need a copy. It will be better still to acquire a waterfowl, otherwise, falling down, the scraper can cripple any excessively curious fish, and it will be difficult to get the fallen half.

Advantages and disadvantages

Of course, the main advantage of magnetic scrapers is the convenience and ease of use. Do not need to wet your hands or stand on a stool to get to the top, do not need to remove the lid from the aquarium. It's enough just to drive a glass scraper on your side of the window, that's all. If you do this once a week, when the deposits do not have time to harden, the magnetic scraper will turn the cleaning of the aquarium into an easy and pleasant procedure. But some aquarists see and cons in such products.

Let's look at this question:

1. The second half of the scraper can fall to the bottom. Yes, it really can happen if you incorrectly approach the process of buying a product. It is important to accurately calculate the power of the magnet for your aquarium. After all, with a weak attraction, it will not only fall, but also not clean very well. In the end, you can buy a water scraper, then the problem will be definitely solved.
2. We dare to assure you, any scraper can scratch the glass if it is not used correctly.

Choosing a magnetic scraper

If you want to start fish, then you should pay attention to the magnetic scrapers for the aquarium. How to choose a product so that you do not have to later regret the discarded money or return it to the store? First you need to clearly understand which scraper you want to purchase. Do not save much, because a quality thing can not be cheap. Decide on the type of scraper. We advise taking a waterfowl to avoid unpleasant situations. Decide how wide you need the product, because it will be extremely inconvenient to clean the huge glass with a small magnetic scraper.

What to look for when buying

Be sure to pay attention to the product company. Do not trust the little-known manufacturers. Do not give preference to scrapers with a low price - this is a dubious option. The packaging must show the power of the product or the thickness of the glass. Having a convenient ergonomic handle is extremely important. It is desirable that the scraper has beveled edges, so it does not damage the silicone seams of the aquarium. Remember, the stronger the magnetic scraper, the more expensive it is.

Check all the seams on the product - there should not be any burrs, they can scratch the glass. The work surface should also be uniform and smooth, but hard enough to clean the glass. Sometimes magnetic scrapers are equipped with a blade, so be sure to check the density of its adhesion to the surface. And finally, do not forget to take a check, in case of a malfunction, it was possible to return the purchased item to the store.

Magnetic scraper with own hands

If you do not want or can not buy a finished product - this is not a problem. You can make a magnetic scraper for the aquarium with your own hands. It's pretty simple. It is enough to take two magnets, threads with a needle, an insulating tape, an old felt, a plastic card and a fishing line

The first magnet must be rectangular in shape. We wrap it with a boiled felt and sew it tightly with threads. For a better effect, you can use a fishing line, to attach a piece of plastic card to the edge of the almost finished product, the width of which will be slightly larger than the width of the rib. Thus, the protruding part of the plastic will additionally clean hard-to-remove deposits on the glass.

The second magnet can be of absolutely any shape. It is necessary to wrap it around with an electrical tape, so that it does not scratch the outside of the glass. Everything, a self-made magnetic scraper is ready. You can clean the glass.

Practice has shown that magnetic scrapers for the aquarium are very convenient to use. Reviews of a large number of people who prefer this method of cleaning glasses show how universal products are on a magnetic basis. The choice is huge: waterfowl, with a blade, with a sponge, wide and small. You can find a scraper for every taste. And then clean the aquarium will not only be convenient, but also nice!