Best glass cleaner

[paul b]

I have built a few of these over the years by just adding a little attachement to a magnet cleaner and it is great for cleaning off coralline algae or just algae. It is free to build and just takes a few minutes. If you slide out the razor blade it works just as it did as a regular magnet cleaner.

 

[MBVette]

if only that would work on an acrylic tank.

[paul b]

if only that would work on an acrylic tank.

It would, but just once, then you would have to buy a new tank which is the reason I don't have an acrylic tank.

[Origami]

I use something similar on one of my mag floats - this Easy Blade attachment glues to the back of a mag float and makes quick work of about anything on my GLASS panel.

 

http://premiumaquatics.com/aquatic-supplies/EB-SA-G.html

[paul b]

Tom that's cool. I had to make this with the longer arm because some of my corals are almost up to my front glass and it is hard to get in between there. I can maneuver this better.

[scott711]

how do you keep the razer blade attached to the plastic?

[Jason Rhoads]

Can you give more detail on this? What did you use for the plastic arm, how did you attach it to the mag float, and how do you get the razorblade to attach to the plastic?

[paul b]

The arm is a piece of acrylic but Home Depot sells 3/8" PVC tubing in 3' lengths to connect sinks with.

I glued it to the float with Goop glue which I use for everything. There is a slot cut in the end of the tube just wide enough so the blade slides in there snugly. The completed model is bent such that when you put it on a flat surface with the blade in it, the front part of the mag cleaner is off the table by about 1/8" This way there is sufficient tension on the blade to clean the glass.

It takes 2 minutes to build and costs about $2.00 besides the mag float

[Djplus1]

Does this work at all with a bow front?

[paul b]

I guess so but I never tested it on a bowfront.  I would not use it on acrylic

[Mattiejay6]

Very nice DIY!

[andersonweaver3]

Very cool idea!

[Origami]

Paul, one of the things that I really love about this is that it uses regular single edged blades that you can get just about anywhere. Some other similar products that I've used have blades that are harder to find and more expensive. The only downside is the relatively narrow width. I'd like a larger blade. There are these carpet blades that are about 4" wide that I think would be ideal, even if a bit more expensive than the single sided blade. One would probably want a little wider holder for a blade that large to keep it pressed down smoothly across the glass.

 

Anyway, another good idea. Thanks for sharing it with us.

[Der ABT]

Tom check out a windsheid wiper blad holder for a headlight (off a merceded/landrover/etc) ill bet that could be modified to work...just be careful with the rusting.

[Origami]

Tom check out a windsheid wiper blad holder for a headlight (off a merceded/landrover/etc) ill bet that could be modified to work...just be careful with the rusting.

I'll look at it. Sounds expensive, though, if it comes off of those cars! I was thinking more like, "start out with two expired credit cards or hotel keys..."

[paul b]

Or just fill your tank with "Windex" instead of seawater and it will continousely clean the inside of your glass.