by AquaNerd | Jun 3, 2014 | Corals, Events, Funny, Science, Tanks
More new products from Tunze today, as they’ve unveiled their magnetic algae scraper at Interzoo. Called the Care Magnet, this new scraper sports a thin, ergonomic handle to which plastic blades are attached at either end. This patented algae scraper has an inconspicuous profile within the aquarium, making it less obtrusive to the look of the tank while also letting it slip behind rocks, plants, and corals with ease. The Care Magnet’s patented features center around the scrapers themselves. It uses plastic blades of varying lengths, which place different pressures on the glass or acrylic during its use. This allows the narrow blade to remove tough algae, such as coralline, while the wide blade allows the magnet to tackle larger areas or places where the algae is easier to remove. This unique design allows the Care Magnet to work in tight corners and even on curved aquariums, while at the same time not scracthing up the inside of the tank. The inner magnet is said to be 3mm from the walls of the aquarium, which prevents sand from getting stuck between it and the glass. That said, the strenth of the magnets is said to make separation of the scraper “nearly impossible”. In addition to that, the blades on one end can be removed, effectively turning the Care Magnet into a handheld algae scraper by AquaNerd | Sep 23, 2013 | Equipment, Industry
Flipping and flopping magnetic algae scrapers are all the rage these days, giving hobbyists multiple options when cleaning their aquariums with a single device. The latest scraper to surface in this expansive hobby is this Magnetic Scraper from ZetLight, and it puts a slightly different twist to the otherwise straightforward process. Besides having the typical algae scrubbing pads and bayonet style scraping blade, the ZetLight version of the scraper also has a thick foam pad for finely polishing all those internal aquarium surfaces when heavy duty algae scraping just isn’t needed. Attached with velcro and held in place by the magnetic force, this thick pad helps significantly in the cleaning process. It provides a soft and very acrylic safe cleaning pad that will remove all of the dust-like algae without scratching the tank up, and glass aquariums will certainly benefit just as well. The Magnetic Scraper is quite powerful despite its size, as it is suitable for tanks with a wall thickness up to 18mm (nearly 3/4″). The Magnetic Scraper isn’t listed on the ZetLight sight, and we don’t have a retail price or a release date, but those details will emerge soon enough. by AquaNerd | Aug 16, 2013 | Equipment, Industry, Opinion, Tanks
Vertex Aquaristik recently loaded us up with a whole bunch of their products for review, and in an attempt to work methodically and at a sufficient pace to properly cover each item leading up to MACNA later this month, we are going to take things slowly and start off with a preliminary review of the Cleaner-Mag lineup. Like the rest of the Vertex product line, the visual experience (e.g. style and simplicity) are held right up there with function. Simply put, these magnets are probably the best looking ones around and they work like a charm. Currently, the Cleaner-Mags consist of four models, the Simplex, Duplex, Triplex, and Hexaplex, all of which range in size and shape from a quarter to an index card. All of them share many of the same features, which include a clear plastic housing that allows hobbyists to see the stylishly powerful magnets. by AquaNerd | Jul 8, 2013 | Equipment
A couple of days ago, we spied a photo of the new Hexaplex Cleaner Mag from Vertex Aquaristik, but at the time, we had literally zero details about the magnetic device. Fortunately, Vertex reached out to us shortly after our article went live to offer up a few more details (mainly price and glass thickness), though it appears we’ll still be left without certain ones for the time being. According to their statement, the new Hexaplex will be rated for glass up to 15mm thick, or about 5/8″. As far as pricing goes, the magnet has a European retail price of just under 60 Euro, which includes the German VAT. This price translates to roughly $65-70 US, which is slightly less than what we anticipated. That’s about it on this product for now. We’re still going back and forth with Vertex getting details, and we will continue to update with whatever they send our way. The overall size of the magnet was not stated, though we firmly believe that it’s about the size of a business card, give or take. But again, that’s one of those details we’re waiting to hear back on. by AquaNerd | Jul 2, 2013 | Equipment, Industry, Tanks
It’s sleak, it’s stylish, and it’s big. We’re talking about the new Hexaplex aquarium magnet, and it’s one that Vertex Aquaristik recently teased on their Facebook page. Now, there’s no product description or any reference to size of the latest addition to the Cleaner-Mag line, so anything we say about this new magnet is going to be purely based on assumption…and assume we shall. From the looks of it, the magnet will be around the side of a credit card, and it carries the same design cues from its smaller siblings. Six magnets adorn each side of the magnet, which can be easily seen through the clear body of the stylish algae scraper. The magnets are a little different than what are seen in the other products of the Cleaner-Mag line. Instead of just a few uninspiring circles of metal wrapped in clear resin, Vertex decided to be a bit more creative. Their magnets are connected to each other with a thin piece of metal, making the overall look of the cleaner resemble the connections on a circuit board. It may not appear like much, but it just goes to further show how Vertex is attuned to making their products stand out visually. Getting back into the realm of assumption, the retail price of this new Hexaplex magnet probably won’t be cheap. We are thinking it will retail somewhere in the range of $75-100. We based this off of the fact that the second largest magnet in the line, the Triplex, retails for $35. This new magnet is easily double the size of that model, if not larger, and it’s magnets probably have to be a bit stronger as well. Still, considering that other less visually appealing magnets can easily cross the $100 barrier, if our assumptions hold true, it’s not a bad price at all. This Hexaplex magnet will probably be suitable for aquariums with 3/4″ glass. We are awaiting more detail from Vertex, and we’ll be sure to update accordingly once those have been revealed.
