Tunze Care Magnet Strong Review
A German-made magnet cleaner engineered to reduce scratching: the inner magnet sits a few millimetres off the glass so trapped grit is less likely to score it, and the outer half floats if it separates.
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👍 Pros
- Strong magnet rated for glass up to about 1 in (25 mm) thick
- Inner magnet stands a few millimetres off the glass to reduce grit scratching
- Outer half floats, so it is easy to retrieve if the pair separates
- Well made and durable — a buy-once tool for a big tank
👎 Cons
- Expensive next to a basic magnet or a manual pad
- Powerful magnets can pinch fingers — keep them apart until on the glass
- Overkill for a small, thin-glass nano tank
Engineered against the one real risk
Every magnet cleaner shares the same danger: a grain of sand trapped under the pad drags across the glass and leaves a permanent scratch. The Tunze Care Magnet Strong is designed to blunt that risk. The inner magnet is held a few millimetres off the glass, so grit is less likely to get pinned hard against the pane, and the outer half floats — if the two separate mid-clean, the outer piece bobs to the surface instead of sinking where you have to fish for it. It is a well-made German tool that pulls confidently through glass up to about an inch thick, which is where cheaper magnets give up.
Who it is for
That strength is also the catch: on a small thin-glass nano tank it is overkill, and the price is well above a basic magnet or a manual pad. Where it makes sense is a large or thick-glass tank — the kind where a scratch is expensive and a weak magnet simply will not grip. Handle the two halves with respect, too; strong magnets can pinch fingers, so keep them apart until they are on the glass.
It clears glass, not nitrate
A magnet keeps the inside pane clear between changes, but wiping film off the glass does nothing for the water chemistry behind the algae. The weekly 25–30% water change is still the job that exports nitrate and starves algae — the magnet just keeps the view clear in between.
How it fits with the rest of your kit
Use it for routine film and reach for a blade like the API Algae Scraper on hard green spot. Do the all-important water change with a Python No Spill Clean & Fill, and keep jumpers in with an Aqueon Versa-Top lid. For the full line-up see the aquarium maintenance hub, match tools to your tank on the aquariums page, and track nitrate with a kit from the water testing hub.
The magnet to buy for a big or thick-glass tank: strong enough to work through the glass, engineered to minimise scratching, and built to last. Costly, but a genuine buy-once tool where a cheap magnet would struggle.
Tunze Care Magnet Strong — frequently asked questions
What makes the Tunze worth more than a cheap magnet?
Two things: strength and scratch design. It pulls through thick glass a budget magnet cannot manage, and the inner magnet is held a few millimetres off the pane so a trapped sand grain is less likely to score the glass. On a large, valuable tank that margin is worth paying for.
Can it scratch my glass?
Any magnet can if a hard grain gets trapped under it — the Tunze reduces the risk but does not eliminate it. Keep the pad clear of the substrate line, and never drag it across sand that has settled on the glass.
Does a magnet replace the rest of my cleaning routine?
No. It keeps the glass clear between water changes, but it does not export nitrate. The weekly 25–30% water change is still what actually keeps the water healthy and starves algae of the nutrients feeding it.
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