Tank Cleaning Magnets

[szidls]

What cleaning magnets do ya use? I am looking for a new magnet for my 150 gal acrylic tank. I have always used mag-float. Just wondering if anyone had experience with some of the newer magnets on the market........Hammerhead, Tunze, Magnavore.....etc.
Thanks, Scott

 

[jlehigh]

I use Algae Free's "Great White". Man is it strong!! Without the pads it removes everything through 3/4"! Apparently it isn't acrylic safe without the pads but mine has not scratched my tank at all except when debris is caught in it like any other mag cleaner..

 

[CarlaW]

I use the Magnavore 8 on my 300, which is glass. This is a good thread, as I will soon be the owner of a 180 acrylic, so I'll be interested in what comes down here.

 

[NaH2O]

I use the Hammerhead. Love it.

 

[CarlaW]

I use the Hammerhead. Love it.

Nikki, how thick is your acrylic? Do you have a pic of any special pads that you have to use for the acrylic?

 

[NaH2O]

The acrylic is 1/2". I use the white pad that goes on the inside (it came with one, if I remember correctly). I also bought a packet of the pads and just cut to the size I need. For the outside, I use a cloth diaper under the magnet. The one time I didn't, there must have been something stuck to it because it put a nice scratch. This probably wouldn't happen to folks that leave their magnets on all the time. I can't because the little one would likely mess with it, so I have to put it away.

 

[keener1830]

great thread I was wondering about cleaning acrlic since I am getting a 110 gallon the first non glass tank I have owned. need something my 2 year old couldn't break on accident.

 

[NaH2O]

LOL - that was one of the pros for me with the acrylic tank. I thought about my little one kicking a ball or something and having it crash thru a glass tank - "Mom always said, don't play ball in the house." (Brady Bunch flashback). Like I mentioned earlier, I purposefully take the magnet off the tank, that way my little one won't get a hold of it (even though she is too short to reach it...you never know).....or anyone else that can't resist the urge to swipe the tank .

 

[szidls]

Just got my Hammerhead last week. I tryed it in a corner of the tank and works great. The alge build up is slight so I'm leaving it for the snails to work on.
Scott

 

[NeuroDoc]

I realize I'm digging up an old thread here, but why would I pay $60-70 for an Algea-Free hammerhead when I can buy a Mag-float for $20? Is there that much of a difference?

 

[meitzler]

Big Difference

I just started using the tiger shark which is superior to the mag floats that I havel on acrylic (100gal) and glass (135gal). I do use the separate pads with the Tiger Shark

 

[Ed Hahn]

I just started using the tiger shark which is superior to the mag floats that I havel on acrylic (100gal) and glass (135gal). I do use the separate pads with the Tiger Shark

I have a hammerhead. It worked good on the old tank I had (1/2 inch acrylic). I am going to look at a Tiger shark because the Hammerhead does not really work very well on 3/4 inch acrylic, really slow(oops).
Wayne,
Where did you get your Tigershark?
Scott,
When I get a new Tigershark. You can have my hammerhead.
Ed

 

[meitzler]

I bought mine at blue zoo in California. Premium aquatic and a couple of other places have them for $79. They sell a separate cover for acrylic made by another manufacturer that seems to work well. I have not tried them on 3/4" acrylic yet since I am still seting up my 300.

 

[NeuroDoc]

I just started using the tiger shark which is superior to the mag floats that I havel on acrylic (100gal) and glass (135gal). I do use the separate pads with the Tiger Shark

So what exactly makes them superior? At $50 dollars more they should clean all by themselves!