Does your magnetic algae scraper scratch?

[montoya]

I bought an Aquarium Systems "Twister" magnetic algae scraper for my glass tank. I'm extra carefull to keep it several inches from the sand bottom to not pick up grit. Once every several days I remove it from the tank and flush it well with freshwater to remove any grit.

I still seem to get scratches on the inside of my tank everytime I use it. Not a huge number but one here and there. The problem is they add up over time and my glass is starting to show the scratches when algae grows in them.

I've got a couple theories:

1) This device uses the "stiff" side of common velcro on the inside half that scrapes the algae. Is it likely this plastic is hard enough to scratch glass? Doesn't seem likely........

2) My clown fish is constantly stirring up big clouds of sand making a nest of some sorts. Is it likely sand and grit are sticking to the algae film on the glass?

I guess I'm looking to find out if some scratching is just the nauture of the beast with these scrapers. I also want to find out if all brands use velcro as the cleaning pad? I'm thinking some others may be less prone to trapping grit.

 

[RyanG]

Thats pretty much the nature of the beast, the scrubbers on the stick work as well or better IMO and dont scratch nearly as much. I watched a biologist scratch an 8000 gal freshwater biotope all to hell the first time it was cleaned and decide then any there never to use one.

 

[yote]

About anything you use will eventually give you a scratch or 2.And all it takes is one little grain of sand to do it.

 

[Piggy]

No scratches using my Mag Float. I just love it. No more getting my hands wet to clean the glass.

 

[kimoy]

I don't get scratches using my magfloat too. but I usually use a razor blade to clean my glass.

 

[Bifferwine]

I use a MagFloat also, but I bought my tank used with soooo many bad scratches already (like the previous owners used to clean the glass with a chainsaw), so I have no idea if I'm making any new scratches. But the MagFloat also uses velcro on the inside.

 

[reeffreak]

I've been using a Magfloat forever now and never had any noticeable scratches.My hands are to soft and supple to get all dried out and crackly from sticking my hands in the tank.Make sure you don't get sand stuck between the glass and scraper.