6 Best Aquarium Cleaning Tools

Whether your tank is overrun with algae or you're looking to improve your routine tank maintenance, having reliable cleaning tools is a crucial part of aquarium keeping. In this post, we'll cover 5 of the best tools to keep your aquarium in tip-top shape.

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Our Top 6

Before we get into our top 6 tools, keep in mind that none of these tools will completely replace an aquarium water change. Stay on top of 50% weekly water changes to keep your tank in tip-top shape! 

Magnet Cleaner

Arguably the most popular aquarium cleaner has to be the magnet-based cleaner. These little devices are simple magnets with an adhesive scrub pad attached to them. One side of the magnet sits outside the glass, while the other is placed directly in the tank. Hobbyists can maneuver the magnet cleaner around the tank glass to remove dust algae or diatoms that often grow along the aquarium glass.

Razor Cleaner

Next up on our list is the Razor cleaner. This tool is typically around 10 inches in length and contains small screws where the hobbyist places a small razor. The razor can be used to scrape different types of algae from the aquarium glass. While the razor cleaner is much more efficient than the magnet cleaner, hobbyists will want to proceed with caution, as it's capable of scratching the aquarium glass. Make sure to use the razor cleaner by brushing in long strokes, and also make sure that there are no snails where you intend to scrape, as their calcium-based shells can easily scrape the glass.

Aquarium Clean-up Crew

Arguably one of the best cleaning tools is hiring a "clean-up crew". Hobbyists will add a variety of different freshwater inverts to their tanks to keep things in peak condition. Even some of the most famous aquascapes of all time feature clean-up crews who help keep algae at bay. Amano shrimp, otocinclus vestitus, and nerite snails are just a few of the many different types of critters that can help clean your aquarium.

Aquarium Tweezers

For folks with larger-sized aquariums, owning a good pair of aquascape tweezers is an absolute must! These large-sized tweezers can help hobbyists reach hard-to-reach places, and can also be used to help place aquatic plants along the substrate. Keep in mind that these tweezers are often made up of metal, so you'll want to dry them thoroughly after each use to prevent rusting.

Aquarium Net

Whether you need to relocate some fish to another tank or are looking to scoop up things that have floated to the surface, an aquarium skimmer net is an essential tool for most hobbyists. These fine-mesh tools will capture anything you need to catch along the surface, and are quite efficient at doing their job! Similar to the previously mentioned tweezers, you'll want to pat any metal dry after each use.

Toothbrush

Last on our list is the good old-fashioned toothbrush! While you may be surprised to find this on our list, a toothbrush is the perfect tool to clean up hair algae. Hobbyists can spin a toothbrush around hair algae to remove it from their tanks, leaving aquarium hardscape or plants undisturbed.

Conclusion

That concludes our list of some of the best aquarium cleaning tools. Did you have a favorite tool that we forgot to mention? Let us know in the comments, and be sure to visit our marketplace, where you can buy and sell anything aquatic-related with other hobbyists.