How nice it is when there is an aquarium at home - a small piece of your personal sea in the apartment! And behind its glass, colorful fish swim in crystal clear water. But, unfortunately, it will be impossible to see this beautiful picture without one small detail - the clean walls of the aquarium.
During the life of fish and various plants, glasses become overgrown with algae and mucus, which makes them cloudy, and there can be no talk of any beauty. This is not a problem if you have a small aquarium. But what if the amount of water in the fish house is hundreds of liters? To clean such glasses, you will have to dive into the water, in the truest sense of the word.
In this case, magnetic scrapers for the aquarium will help solve the problem. They are very convenient to use. By sliding the scraper along the outside of the glass, you automatically clean the inside of the glass.
What kind of scrapers are there
Glass cleaners were designed to make it easiercleaning deep aquariums, when it is no longer possible to wash the glass with an ordinary sponge for washing dishes. There are a fairly large number of different scrapers, but all of them can be divided into 3 groups:
- A device with a fairly soft working surface, something like the same sponge. Such a scraper is attached to a handle about 40-50 cm long.
- Metal scrapers. Such products use a safety razor blade or a special knife for aquarium glass. On sale you can find various variations. Combined scrapers are often offered, where you can change the blade for a sponge as needed.
- Magnetic scrapers consist of two halves, which are connected to each other by attraction with a built-in magnet. We will talk about them in more detail.
Features of magnetic scrapers
Of course, these scrapers are extremely easy to use. It is not necessary to wet your hands or stand on a chair to clean the glass well, as is the case with products equipped with a handle. But when you come to the store to choose magnetic scrapers for an aquarium, the description of such products must be studied with great care. After all, they also have their own characteristics, and if you do not understand them, then you can end up buying a completely unnecessary thing.
So, basically, magnetic scrapers are divided into floating and sinking, as well as by the force of attraction between the halves of the product. Before purchasing any product of this type,be sure to measure the thickness of your glasses - the larger it is, the more powerful you will need a copy. It would still be better to acquire a waterfowl look, otherwise, falling down, the scraper can cripple some overly curious fish, and it will be difficult to get the fallen half.
Pros and cons
Of course, the main advantage of magnetic scrapers is the convenience and ease of use. No need to wet your hands or stand on a stool to reach the top, no need to remove the lid from the aquarium. It is enough just to drive such a scraper along your side of the glass, and that's it. If this is done once a week, when the deposits have not yet hardened, then the magnetic scraper will turn cleaning the aquarium into an easy and pleasant procedure. But some aquarists also see disadvantages in such products.
Let's deal with this question:
- The second half of the scraper may fall to the bottom. Yes, this can really happen if you approach the process of buying a product incorrectly. It is important to accurately calculate the power of the magnet for your aquarium. Indeed, with a weak attraction, it will not only fall, but also not clean very well. In the end, you can buy a waterfowl scraper, then the problem will definitely be solved.
- We can assure you, any scraper can scratch the glass if used improperly.
Choosing a magnetic scraper
If you want to get fish, then you should pay attention to the magnetic scrapers for the aquarium. How to choose a product so thatdid you have to regret the money thrown away later or return it to the store? First you need to clearly understand what kind of scraper you want to purchase. Do not save much, because a quality thing cannot be cheap. Decide on the type of scraper. We advise you to take a waterfowl to avoid unpleasant situations. Decide how wide you want 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 company of the product. Do not trust little-known manufacturers. Scrapers with a low price should not be preferred - this is a dubious option. The packaging must indicate the power of the product or the thickness of the glass. Having a comfortable ergonomic handle is extremely important. It is desirable that the scraper has beveled edges so that it does not damage the silicone seams of the aquarium. Remember, the more powerful 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 must also be uniform and smooth, yet hard enough to clean the glass. Sometimes magnetic scrapers are equipped with a blade, so be sure to check the tightness of its fit to the surface. And finally, do not forget to take a receipt so that in case of a malfunction you can return the purchased item to the store.
DIY magnetic scraper
If you don't want or can't buy the finished product, it's not a problem. You canmake a magnetic scraper for the aquarium with your own hands. It's pretty simple. It is enough to take two magnets, thread with a needle, electrical tape, old felt, a plastic card and fishing line
The first magnet should be rectangular. We wrap it with boiled felt and sew it tightly with threads. For a better effect, you can use a fishing line to attach a piece of a plastic card to the edge of an almost finished product, the width of which will be slightly larger than the width of the edge. Thus, the protruding part of the plastic will additionally clean hard-to-remove deposits on the glass.
The second magnet can be absolutely any shape. You need to wrap it well with electrical tape so that it does not scratch the outside of the glass. That's it, the homemade magnetic scraper is ready. You can clean the glass. Practice has shown that it is magnetic scrapers for the aquarium that are very convenient to use. The reviews of a large number of people who prefer this method of cleaning glasses show how versatile magnetic-based products are. The choice is huge: waterfowl, with a blade, with a sponge, wide and small. You can find a scraper for every taste. And then it will be not only convenient, but also pleasant to clean the aquarium!
