Its no fun having that glass or acrylic box of life if you can't see what's inside it!  Cleaning magnets and scrapers are a handy tool to remove excess algae buildup from the walls of your tank.  Be sure to select the specific type of scraper or magnet for your type of tank. Floating magnets are easy to retrieve, while long handled scrapers may be key to getting to those hard to reach areas.  There are both glass and acrylic cleaning tools available. As well gloves not only protect you from harmful effects of your tank, but they protect the tank from harmful effects of you, such as creams or oils you may have on your hands.