How to make a magnetic fish tank cleaner

I recently got a fish tank that has lots of fish in it. Sooner or later its gonna get dirty.
Those commercially sold fish tank cleaners are expensive. So why not make one?

Step 1 Materials + Tools

Materials:

• Gatorade cap
• At least 2 magnets (I used four)
• The spiky side of the Velcro
• Fabric
• A Ring - (I used one from a hello kitty play set that my sister offered)

Tools:

• Glue Gun

Comments

[desmondtheredx]

Hong Kong don't use chinese words on their caps, should be China's.

[bobtet]

the fish might be a tiger barb

[oddysea682]

Actually its a black widow tetra or known as hi-fin tetras

[mguima]

The fish is a Black Tetra, scientific name is Gymnocorymbus ternetzi

[Robotponys]

I know these are reallyyyyy stupid question, but I'm new to the fishkeeping business... Does the bottle cap go on the inside of the tank and the ring holds it in place? Also, I don't understand how this attracts filth and muck. Explanation please... I can't tell cause your tank is already sparkling clean! :D Don't rage at me for being a complete noob :P

[Robotponys]

Oh wow.. Just re-watched the vid a few times... The answers were right there! So cool! Thanks :)

[Warlrosity]

(removed by author or community request)

[TNEN]

There is a similar one by puffin_juice but its not quite the same. There's a reason why I put a ring and some Velcro, plus mine is built ON the bottle cap while the one by puffin_juice is built INSIDE it. Still, puffin_juice's instructable is quite good.

[Warlrosity]

(removed by author or community request)

[gnawlej]

Yes, they are available commercially, but they are a tad pricey (especially compared to the cost of crafting your own). Also, this reuses materials, reducing post-consumer waste. TNEN, I would like to suggest gluing some cork on the inside part of the bottle cap to make it float. That way the scrubber goes to the surface and gets pushed to the tank walls by the filter, making it easier to recover with your magnetic ring.

[Warlrosity]

(removed by author or community request)

[M!chael]

screw u mrpug if u wanna buy things why bother sign up for this website go get a life

[Kacheeker]

Wow this was a really good idea! Thanks!

[lancmaltby]

I love this!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Twogunrocky]

Don't know if anyone mentioned  it but you need to glue the magnet/s  the correct way on both inner and outer pieces,otherwise you will have non-reverse polarity and they will repel each other............cracking little idea,gonna make three for my Musk turtle tank.

[komecake]

  Thiiiiiiiis is pretty awsome. :D

[Tenz]

Would rare earth magnets work better the have a far greater pull and magnetism???

they can be normally forund in Spend Hard drive

[mason0190]

GREAT!!! My guppy tank is so cloudy i cant tell the difference between fish food and fish! I will definitely try it!!!

[shakyabrothers]

nice good

[zigzagchris]

Hey nice instructable. Who thinks of these ideas.

[my_key]

Thinkerers :)

[pyromonkey]

Im going to give it a try too. My betta fish's bowl gets so yucky, this may help me from having to change the water so often :D!

[TNEN]

Great, can you post pics of it when your finished?

[pyromonkey]

Sure :)

[TitanTechRobotics]

My betta fish's bowl gets pretty nasty to, but I don't think he would like having a sponge in the bowl very much, it flares its gills at any new object I place around the bowl :)

[pyromonkey]

Aww poor betta. I dunno how mine will react, he seems pretty cool with new objects.

[teeps]

Great instructable! Perhaps a bit of synchronicity, my father was just recommending I obtain one of these for cleaning my windows in my new apartment. It's on the seventh floor and they aren't the kind that easily pop out. I might have to make a new 'ible about it since I think the bottle cap would be a tad thick for the small gap between the panes.

[TNEN]

Haha, I was thinking of the same thing just a few days ago! Just I was thinking of making a huge version

[bwpatton1]

The professional ones are only like five bucks, well here in south Texas..... I wish I would have seen this before I bought one, lol Great Ible

[TNEN]

Thanks

[pgm3rlk]

I'd be careful using a rare earth magnet like this in my tank. There's only a thin nickel/copper plating covering the neodymium-iron-boron core and I don't know if any of those metals would be too healthy for your fish, shrimp, snails, etc. Better cover the magnet surface with silicone so it never comes in contact with the water. What kind of tank is that in your video/pictures?

[TNEN]

So far no fish has died since doing this, but I'll consider that. The tank is a US$6 one that I bought in Hong Kong

[swimmer95]

wat is the ring thing

[TNEN]

For your finger

[swimmer95]

yeah was it off some cheap toy

[itsachen]

So clever! Great instructable

[TNEN]

Thanks!

[11richie21]

what if the material breaks up over time and shreds into your tank

[TNEN]

Then you pick it up!

[snotty]

HA!