Cleaning Acrylic Tank with a Magic Eraser

[ckmullin]

From memory formaldehyde was used in the manufacturing process but not necessary in the product itself. Those 'erasers' are melamine foam and the structure looks almost like steel wool. So that's why it can remove stuff because of it's internal structure. For me I wouldn't use a product like that in such a delicate ecosystem too worried perhaps about what 'might be' during production. One thing that I don't like is that the product actually 'wears down'. Hence you'll now have minute particles of melamine foam in your tank which no doubly some critters will ingest. A few years back there was a story out of China with liquid baby food about someone adding melamine to inflate protein counts and of course went horribly wrong because melamine in any regard should not be consumed. Why the labels say to keep away from kids and pets because it's possible they could ingest the product.

I'm much happier with something like this.

http://www.homedepot.ca/product/razo...-blades/972573




my 2c

[Reef Pilot]

Hmmm, this sounds promising.... I have an acrylic tank, that is very hard to get really clean. But am heading off to Maui in a week, so probably not a good time to try it...

[sbcam]

I cut them using a fully extended sharp exacto knife. It doesnt sponge down while pressing them like a regular sponge would.. it was actually suprisingly easy to cut... failry straight. They dont have to be perfect.. just about 1/8" thick to allow the magnet to have enough pressure to do its job.

[brotherd]

I have used the original type (not the kitchen /bathroom one) in a freshwater glass tank in the past, no problems at all with livestock or plants. I would hesitate to use it in an sps tank though...

[The Codfather]

Guys have been using them for years, they do work incredibly well. If you want some reading there are several threads about them on RC.

[Reef Pilot]

Had a box of these in our laundry closet and was just reading the instructions. A couple things caught my eye.

"Rinse food contact surfaces with clean, potable water after cleaning."

"Rinse required for surfaces in direct contact with food."

So if it needs to be rinsed off before using with food, is it safe in my SPS tank?

[reefwars]

i used one on my 110g acrylic tank no ill effects for a long time , that was years ago