March 19, 2013 in DIY Tips
Clean, Don’t Scratch Your Aquarium Walls
by Aletha Lang
One surefire way to scratch your saltwater or freshwater aquarium’s glass or acrylic panels is to leave your magnetic cleaner in the tank.
Sure, the various models on the market can be effective at removing unwanted algae from the interior surfaces of your aquarium, (and they can even be fun to swish back and forth as the dry side on the outside moves the wet side almost like magic through the tank walls!) but it is very important to remove them from the aquarium after each use.
This little step will prevent tiny critters such as barnacles (shown in the photo above), limpets, calcareous tube worms and other naturally-occurring saltwater reef aquarium organisms from taking up residence among the soft bristles of the wet side of the cleaner. Even in freshwater, tiny snails may do the same. If the cleaner is left in the water, these animals will surely move in as if you rolled out a red carpet and posted a “Free Rent” sign. When they do, they will attach to the cleaner with the strength of super glue and every time you move it (and them!) across your glass or acrylic, their hard shells will gouge into your aquarium walls.
Taking an extra 15 seconds after using your magnetic cleaner to remove both wet and dry sides from the tank and placing them separately in a dry spot until they are needed again will prolong the beauty of your aquarium and greatly minimize the scratching that inevitably occurs when cleaning algae. But be careful, some magnets are so powerful they can pinch your fingers and are even more prone to do so outside of water.
Keeping your aquarium walls clean is one of the many services we offer at Aquarius Aquarium, Inc. – be sure to contact us and we’ll be there to help!
