Which Lcd Temperature Gauge/display

[sjolliff]

AT the min iv got an Aquaraline lcd temp display
at the mo it shows 30.1c and my new fluval e series heater is at 28c and there at the oppisite ends of the tank,

not sure if its the lcd temp gauge or the fluval

i had the lcd temp next to my clock with temp readout and the clock was 22.6 and the lcd temp was 24.5c

 

[rabbut]

Well, all LED temperature gauges I've come across have been inaccurate to a point of being closer the actual temperature buy guessing I'd go with a "common" glass stick-in-corner thermometer personally

 

[sjolliff]

Are you saying that the LCD temp display is right or the heater display,
i dint want to spend nearly £30 on something that is wrong

 

[BigC]

Speaking from experience (ATC300)I think no matter what type of lower priced Temp gauges you buy there will always be a difference in readings due to a wider tolerance range with the cheaper equipment of plus or minus a degree or two. Unless your going to get into Lab designed equipment and pay out a fair bit of money for such privilege then its better to take rabbutt's advice and stick with the bog standard glass type thermometer. They have been around for eons now and are adequate for the everyday aquarist
ATB
BigC

 

[sjolliff]

The fluval e is a glass one just in a case to stop fish coming into contact with the glass and has a built in display for the temp,

which one should i trust the £30 fluval heater or the £7 lcd temp display?

 

[rabbut]

Neither, I'd put money on them both being out. Both heater temperature gauges and LCD temperature displays have a reputation for being inaccurate... You could probably take a mean average between the two and be near enough, but I doubt either is accurate TBH

All the best
Rabbut

 

[Rooster]

I'm a confirmed gadget nut - and I've tried all sorts over the years.... I now use 99p LCD stick ons !!! Just as accurate as the "bells and whistles" ones, and seem more consistent

The WHOLE point to this is CONSISTENCY... if your fish are "happy" then the temp is ok, the game is keeping it there ! (or near) and it doesn't matter what the thermometer reads, as long as it stays the same !

I've been woken a few times by an alarm that was wrong... the last time this happened, it was beaten flat with a hammer, dont waste your money !

Truth of the matter is, who DOES look at the thermometer every five minutes ? The ONLY time I look is a quick glance at feeding times (maybe !) and only a real check if "something odd" catches my eye... like fish behaviour etc.
Trust your heater/stat to look after the temp, if it ever DID go wrong you would be lucky to notice anyway, so why worry ?
Equipment is usually very reliable, I have gear 30 odd year old in daily use... the ONE time it failed was due to user error (forgot to plug the heater back in during a refit !)

 

[sjolliff]

I just been out and bought an old type thermometer that stick on the inside and its reading at 27.1 while the digital ones reads 29c
my fluval heater is reading 27c so my digital lcd one has been wrong all this time

 

[rabbut]

Wow, an accurate (ish, if we assume the stick on is accurate) heater temperature gauge, that must be a first As Rooster says though, stability is more key than the actual value in most instances

 

[sjolliff]

The fluval heater lcd display is the same as the stick on one, ( the old glass tube type)
im goin to go with them
cheers

 

[Tropical_Fish]

I have my heater set to 27 degrees and my glass thermometer says 29. I reckon the glass one will be closer.

A tip another forum member gave me on here is when you buy your thermometer look at all of them in the shop - if they all read the same buy any of them - if one is showing different then avoid it.

 

[jmkgreen]

My ETH 300 is set to 29C. My Marina £1.99 stick-on says 29C stuck on the other side of the tank.