Aargh, Thermometers!

[RedeyesUK]

Just had a thermometer break on me.

Looked in the tank, noticed it was a bit cloudy looking, so took the thing out of the water and it literally fell apart in my hands!

This is the third time I've had one of these break on me - luckily, this time it was outside the tank, so I didn't have to spend half an hour picking bits of broken glass out of the substrate like the last two times.

I'm giving up on the glass thermometers - I know they're probably the most accurate, but they're a PITA to read (I tend to get a line of sludge/algae where the plecs can't get to it, right where I need to see it!), and the breakage thing is just getting too much for me.

So, discounting the stick on types (useless) and the digital ones (inaccurate, or so I'm told), that doesn't leave me with a lot of choice - unless anyone can suggest anything else?

Otherwise, I'll look around for a half decent probe type thermo, and just pull it out to test when I feel it's necessary.

*grumble*

 

[OohFeeshy]

Can't you just get a glass one, but only put it in the tank when you actually want to know the temperature?

 

[keenonfish]

Not sure why digital therms are considered inacurate? You don't have to buy one designed for aquariums either just a half decent digital therm with external (waterproof) probe will do the job and very well too! Min / max memory is also useful as it gives you some idea as to the accuracy of your heater.

 

[bronzecat]

Digi thermometers can be inaccurate. We had one that was reading 9 degrees low! Glass ones are probably the most accurate. How come they keep breaking? Only time a glass one broke on me was when i dropped it lol

 

[kribensis12]

That doesnt make any sense. What do you have in your tank?

 

[rdd1952]

I use digitals. They are somewhat inaccurate. If you put 2 side-by-side, you may get 2 degrees differene as I've seen with mine. But for the most part, 2 degrees (F that is) isn't a big deal. If your looking to keep the temp at 78, then 76 to 80 is fine.

 

[RedeyesUK]

That doesnt make any sense. What do you have in your tank?

In that tank, endlers.

I'll admit the first time was probably my fault (was a bit enthusiastic pulling the sucker off the tank wall), but if you've ever seen one of these break, you'll see how thin the glass really is. They are extremely fragile IMO. And the consequences of having one break in the tank without me noticing make it too much of a risk for me, so I'll be taking mine out.

TBH, I don't really see much value in having a thermo in the tank all the time - the fish will soon let me know if there's a temp issue anyway, much more clearly than reading the thermo, and that can easily be backed up by taking a reading when necessary. Like OohFeeshy says, I can drop the glass ones in to take a reading.

Although I'll be looking around for a halfway decent probe unit (any recommendations?) for the future. When you think about it, although the glass ones are cheap, I currently have nine tanks - at £2.50 or so a pop, that's £22.50 I've spent on thermometers!

 

[keenonfish]

That doesnt make any sense. What do you have in your tank?

In that tank, endlers.

I'll admit the first time was probably my fault (was a bit enthusiastic pulling the sucker off the tank wall), but if you've ever seen one of these break, you'll see how thin the glass really is. They are extremely fragile IMO.

Wow it's a good job you don't use a drop checker Why not leave the thing floating or you could slide it out of the sucker. I still don't understand how you are breaking it!

My digi therm is spot on accurate but it isn't designed for aquariums and I paid about £15 for it about 75 years ago.

 

[RedeyesUK]

I don't get how it broke, either - in this case, I saw it was looking a bit cloudy and carefully removed it, at which point it just fell apart. No pressure on my part, it just broke into three pieces, dropping a load of those little balls all over the sofa.

Don't get me wrong here - this isn't a daily occurrence, I've been using these thermos for years now, and like I say I have a few of them. I just feel that when they do break (which seems inevitable, sooner or later), they cause too much aggro and the broken glass presents a danger to the fish which I am not willing to chance.

 

[zelda_leonhart]

Why are digital thermometers so inaccurate? You'd think it would be the other way around?

I'm a bit gutted at spending £20 on a decent digital one now....

 

[Inchworm]

I've been using one of these for several years. I haven't checked it against other thermometers, but it seems to work well enough for me.

http/www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod...amp;pcatid=9853

I was not happy to have spent that much money at the time, but in the long run, it's proving to be worth it.

 

[saz326]

Sounds a bit nasty - but get a thermometer from the pharmacist. (check the range tho!) There are ones made to "pop under your tongue" or put in other places! These are quite resistant to damage - after all you wouldnt want one breaking when its somewhere...sensitive!

You should be able to use a sucker to keep it in the aquarium, or pop it in the aquarium a few minutes before you want to take a reading.