Best magnet for large acrylic tanks

[Flame*Angel]

I'm setting up an 8' 300g Tenecor acrylic tank. The acrylic is 1/2" thick. I'd like to get a very powerful but safe for acrylic magnet to clean it. Any suggestions?

[crescent1]

tiger shark, great magnet.http://www.aquariumcleaner.com/images/tiger_shark2002.jpg

[imsqueak]

Most acrylic people scrape rather than using a mag if they have sand. You dont have to worry about that if you go bare bottom. I actually bought some mags to build cleaners after finding the price to handle 3/4" glass. My first attempt was an utter failure. My next will be w/ urathane or something. tigers and magnavors will be your best bet, but I have no experience to recommend one over the other.

[Flame*Angel]

Thanks guys.

So what's a good scraper for a 30" tall acrylic tank? I made my own with a razor blade for my glass reef tank but I won't be able to use that on the acrylic.

[MAS]

2 best Magnets are Magnavore and Schuran. Both are Neodynium based. Im sure there are a few other similiar products on the market too though.

[crescent1]

Originally posted by Flame*Angel
Thanks guys.

So what's a good scraper for a 30" tall acrylic tank? I made my own with a razor blade for my glass reef tank but I won't be able to use that on the acrylic.

you're on your own with this one, but get ready for scratches.

[MAS]

The Kent proscrapers work good. THey have many different lengths of carbon fiber handles and come standard with a plastic acrylic scraper.

[eljefe3]

I use the mag 10 on my tank along with purchasing extra pads for cleaning. So far the mag 10 has been doing a good job.

[Travis]

I asked the same question a while back for my 1.25" thick acrylic tank. From the responses I got, the Tunze was the way to go. In your case you don't need a super powered magnet so a magnavore or algae free should be ok too.

[Nemesis911]

Susan,

I agree with crescent1, the Tiger Shark is a great magnetic scraper, plenty strong and it floats! They have a special pad for it that does not scratch acrylic. I have one and it has never scratched my tank in the year+ that I have used it. A couple of things to be careful of though:

- Make sure the front of the tank is clean and has no salt streaks on it left over from drips. These can build up on the outside pad and be a potential cause for scratches.

- Be extra careful when you are down near the substrate on the bottom that you do not get sand or other material caught under the scraper as it will act like sandpaper.

Other than that it does an awesome job and goes around corners which is nice for quick cleanups.

Cheers,

Mike V. <><

[wstellwagen]

Harker has a very good review of such in AF

Walt