Drop checker sucktion cup quit sticking to glass.

[audioaficionado]

OK my DC works great except it just won't stick to the glass anymore after a year. It's those cheap clear soft plastic that came with my DC. I think repeated scrubbing of algae finally put too many scratches in the cup surface. What can I use to glue it under water (with my fish) that will allow me to razor blade it off in the future? Super glue gel?

[Zefrik]

Super glue gel will work. As long as it says something on it like Cyanocrylate or something like that. But it might be hard to get off to clean later on though. Could you just try to find a replacement suction cup?

[Complexity]

I've heard using hot water or zapping them in the microwave can bring them back to life. The heat makes them pliable again.

[Diana]

There are magnet replacements for suction cups, too. Special magnets that have a larger than average magnetic field. Glue one of them to the suction cup, and place one outside the tank.
For aquarium use these magnets are usually covered in a plastic layer. You can do this yourself using that liquid plastic dip that is sold for replacing the covering on hand tools.

[PlantedRich]

I would go for finding a much larger suction cup and a plastic tie to fasten the drop checker.

[nicks7.1985]

that magnet idea sounds great!
--speaking of drop checkers, a snail crawled into mine last year, took a dump then left...not cool.

[audioaficionado]

Snail PortaPotty LOL.

[audioaficionado]

Originally Posted by Diana

There are magnet replacements for suction cups, too. Special magnets that have a larger than average magnetic field. Glue one of them to the suction cup, and place one outside the tank.
For aquarium use these magnets are usually covered in a plastic layer. You can do this yourself using that liquid plastic dip that is sold for replacing the covering on hand tools.

http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/sp...g-magnets.html

[talontsiawd]

Soak them in boiling water. Once they feel "new", bend them around, ball them up, do it again. I have thought many of my suction cups were long gone but some boiling water has now kept them in use for years.

[HD Blazingwolf]

Originally Posted by talontsiawd

Soak them in boiling water. Once they feel "new", bend them around, ball them up, do it again. I have thought many of my suction cups were long gone but some boiling water has now kept them in use for years.

boiling water does work.
plastic actually is like a woven fiber and can lose its shape over time. HOWEVER most plastics go back to their designed shape with heat.

plastics loose their shape by becoming uniform. itsl ike taking a comb and brushing ur hair. when plastics are laid in parrallel they lose their shape, when they are heated up they revert back to their basic form which is usually a twisted mess/mesh by pressing onto the glass over and over and leaving it there you are essentially combing ur plastic.

this is the essence behind much color changing plastic objects. one side is painted one color, and the other side a different color. and those plastics respond to heat and cold in varying ways