Avoiding scratches on an acrylic OR glass tank

Sk8r · 08/11/2014, 10:29 AM

Powerful magnetic cleaners and razor blades on glass, or plastic blades on acrylic...all have the potential to pick up sand and create a really bad scrape on your tank 'glass'.

Best rule is---never use a magnetic cleaner near the sand. Period. When it comes down to that last thin line of algae, don't use the magnetic cleaner: leave it alone, and go in by hand, with a hand-held scraper of whatever nature is appropriate. The point is---no magnet.

If you accidentally pick up a grain of sand, remove the outer magnet from the glass immediately and recover the inner, to be sure it is clean. Yes, you're going to get your hands wet. It's better than the next 20 years looking at a scratch.

Likewise don't leave your magnetic cleaner pinned to the glass if you have children or other people, including dinner guests, who cannot be trusted to keep their hands off it. 'Helping' you out is likely to give you a lasting memento of the help. Remove the thing. Don't have it available.

You can't pick up sand and scratch your tank if you don't let your mag scraper come in contact with the sandbed---or a dinner guest. Right?

GSep · 08/11/2014, 10:32 AM

Words of wisdom. I leave about the last inch at the bottom for my handle scraper.

reef_aholic · 08/11/2014, 03:14 PM

Same here, I have a long handled scraper with interchangeable heads, if it comes off easy, it gets the pad, harder buildups get the plastic or metal blade. Not worth getting a nasty scratch in the glass. My tank already has a few (lesson learned)!

08/11/2014, 10:29 AM	#1
Sk8r RC Mod Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Spokane WA Posts: 34,628 Blog Entries: 55	Avoiding scratches on an acrylic OR glass tank Powerful magnetic cleaners and razor blades on glass, or plastic blades on acrylic...all have the potential to pick up sand and create a really bad scrape on your tank 'glass'. Best rule is---never use a magnetic cleaner near the sand. Period. When it comes down to that last thin line of algae, don't use the magnetic cleaner: leave it alone, and go in by hand, with a hand-held scraper of whatever nature is appropriate. The point is---no magnet. If you accidentally pick up a grain of sand, remove the outer magnet from the glass immediately and recover the inner, to be sure it is clean. Yes, you're going to get your hands wet. It's better than the next 20 years looking at a scratch. Likewise don't leave your magnetic cleaner pinned to the glass if you have children or other people, including dinner guests, who cannot be trusted to keep their hands off it. 'Helping' you out is likely to give you a lasting memento of the help. Remove the thing. Don't have it available. You can't pick up sand and scratch your tank if you don't let your mag scraper come in contact with the sandbed---or a dinner guest. Right? __________________ Sk8r Salinity 1.024-6; alkalinity 8.3-9.3 on KH scale; calcium 420; magnesium 1300, temp 78-80, nitrate .2. Ammonia 0. No filters: lps tank. Alk and cal won't rise if mg is low. Current Tank Info: 105g AquaVim wedge, yellow tang, sailfin blenny,royal gramma, ocellaris clown pair, yellow watchman, 100 microceriths, 25 tiny hermits, a 4" conch, 1" nassarius, recovering from 2 year hiatus with daily water change of 10%.

08/11/2014, 10:32 AM	#2
GSep Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: Boston, MA Posts: 85	Words of wisdom. I leave about the last inch at the bottom for my handle scraper.

08/11/2014, 03:14 PM	#3
reef_aholic Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2010 Posts: 130	Same here, I have a long handled scraper with interchangeable heads, if it comes off easy, it gets the pad, harder buildups get the plastic or metal blade. Not worth getting a nasty scratch in the glass. My tank already has a few (lesson learned)!