Mobile Bay Reef Keepers

What is everyone's thoughts on cleaning the glass with a razor blade, or have you had bad experiences with that ? Our two tanks get different kinds of algea. The 29 gallon gets hard green / red algea and the normal credit card does not do much. The 26 gallon gets film algea, I can wipe this off with anything. I am thinking about taking a razor to the 29 gallon, what do you think ?

BAD, BAD, BAD idea. You can never hold it perfectly straight and the thickness of a good razor at the edge will cut the molecular structure of glass very easily.

Did I mention it was a BAD idea.

Use a Pro Scrapper.

Lots of things can cut glass easily. I have been using razor blades on my particular tank for well over ten years and there is no visible damage. Sure, if you angle it incorrectly it will cut glass, but the only visible scrapes on my tank over the years are from fallen rocks. Most of the glass that is used in tanks is plenty hard enough from various impurities (at least when using the blade correctly) to prevent scratches via routine scraping.

This was just a one time thing to get the glass back clean after someone I am married to let her tank go way too long. Well it is perfect ATM the blade did a great job on the algea, and the Clownfish did a great job on my hand.

uMMMm bite me...

I use razor blades and have never had a problem. Just make sure you watch out around the silicon.

Yeah that is what bothered me, and why I will not do that often.

I always used razor blades. I scratched the crap out of my glass using the magnets one time and only used razor blades from then on.

Scott wrote:I always used razor blades. I scratched the crap out of my glass using the magnets one time and only used razor blades from then on.

same reason here, except my magnet cleaner was also rusting to hell and back.

Redfish wrote:BAD, BAD, BAD idea. You can never hold it perfectly straight and the thickness of a good razor at the edge will cut the molecular structure of glass very easily.

Did I mention it was a BAD idea.

Use a Pro Scrapper.

Huh? I think your trying to sound like you know something about this?

Both glass and a razor blade can very in hardness depending on the formulation of each. But generally, glass will have a hardness of approximately 6, while a razor will have a hardness of 5 to 5.5. This means that the razor is softer than glass. Worst case senario, they have the same hardness. Either way you would have to try really hard to scratch your glass with a razor.

I have used razors for over 20 years on glass tanks with no ill effects. There is no reason you have to hold it straight. Holding it at an angle works better.


"...cut the molecular structure of glass"...that's funny. Just what is the molecular structure of glass?

This is gettin good

Oh no! Busting out the Mohs scale:) While its theroreticaly possible since glass can drop down into the 5's based on percentage of amorphous SIO2 and steel can get up into the 6's, I think practical experience from most people is they have never had a problem with scratching the glass. Just be carefull. I use a utility knife razor blade all the time and have never had a problem.

So basiclly, I concur with Stonefish.

So does that mean I can't use my deluxe quartz razor blade?

I used a razor for 8 years on my 190 and it scratched it up in a few spots. I have been lucky enough with the new tank that I have not had to clean the glass yet (just run the magnet over it about every 3 weeks or so). My opinion is the razor will scratch the glass if held impropperly or is the blade is bent/warped.

Good Luck,
Jeremy

I have been using a paint scraper that you can buy at any home improvement store or some auto parts places to hold the razor blade. I have never had any real problems with them.