how to minimize acrylic tank scratching?

[allenho1]

I bought a new 300-gallon acrylic tank a couple of years ago and its been sitting on a home-made stand in my garage ever since. The reason it's sitting there is I am scared to death of scratches from cleaning it. I once had a fresh-water 55-gallon acrylic tank that I had to toss after a few years because of scratches. I ended up running a similar-sized glass tank, but I wonder if I was over-reacting.

I'd like to get some feedback from you guys running larger acrylic tanks (mine has 1/2" walls). What magnetic cleaners do you like, and how do you minimize scratching? I believe in bare-bottom tanks, so that will help, but I suspect live rock (or any rock) will still generate grit over time. I know that you can buff out scratches, but my goal is to minimize scratching in the first place.

 

[dawguy]

I used a great white magnet. They make an acrylic safe pad but I cut a magic eraser the long thin way and use that instead in my magnet. For the stubborn coralline I use a softer acrylic scrapper blade that I got from the guy that made my tank.

 

[JPG@CFI]

Bare bottom will help greatly. Try a Algae Free for their magnetic cleaners. Change the inside pad every few uses, and the felt outside every 10+ uses. Just keep an eye on both. Don't let little ones "help", keep the magnets in a safe spot. Don't let the tank get too overgrown before you work on it. You'll be a-ok. If you treat your acrylic tank like the paint on a Porsche, BMW or whatever your dream car is, you'll be just fine. The aquarium keepers that tear into it with reckless abandon are the ones that cry acrylic tanks scratch too easily. Just my .02, Jason

 

[allenho1]

Thanks, Dawguy. What is a magic eraser and where would I get it? And how would I attach it to the magnet?

 

[allenho1]

Thanks for the cleaning advise, JPG. The idea of changing pads (both inside & outside) hadn't occurred to me, but it seems obvious now that you've mentioned it. I also assume I will need to clean the acrylic weekly so that the algae doesn't get a foothold.

 

[dawguy]

Thanks, Dawguy. What is a magic eraser and where would I get it? And how would I attach it to the magnet?

Mr clean magic eraser, household cleaning supplies pretty much any store have them. Target, Freddie's....etc. Cut it bigger than the size of the magnet and the force of the magnets would just sandwich it together. I start by holding both the piece of eraser and the inner magnet in the water and then just place the outside magnet in place. Then start cleaning.

 

[allenho1]

Aha, something that isn't going to cost $$! I love it. Thanks!

 

[micah]

Bare bottom will help greatly. Try a Algae Free for their magnetic cleaners. Change the inside pad every few uses, and the felt outside every 10+ uses. Just keep an eye on both. Don't let little ones "help", keep the magnets in a safe spot. Don't let the tank get too overgrown before you work on it. You'll be a-ok. If you treat your acrylic tank like the paint on a Porsche, BMW or whatever your dream car is, you'll be just fine. The aquarium keepers that tear into it with reckless abandon are the ones that cry acrylic tanks scratch too easily. Just my .02, Jason

Exactly right. Treat it like you care and you will be fine.

 

[conradryaan]

+ a million on the magic eraser. it is seriously a life saver

 

[spieszak]

they sell magic erasers now with detergent in them. i think they are marked kitchen and bath.
you ONLY want "original' .. (or the heavy duty, but still original)

 

[micah]

I was wondering about that, I thought all the magic erasers had some kind of cleaning agent?

 

[spieszak]

I was wondering about that, I thought all the magic erasers had some kind of cleaning agent?

the origninals don't. also, depending on the strength of your magnet and the acrylic, you can split them into smaller layers pretty easily with a bread knife.

 

[micah]

That's pretty cool I will have to give it a try. Would have never of thought about this.