thermometer broke

cyclops23 · 04/16/2006, 09:49 PM

i was doing a water change on my live rock curing in the basement and the thermometer in the container broke and the gray balls (mercury?) went in to the container. i immediately switched the rock to another container, but how bad is a 30 min exposure? is my rock still "live"?

Fast Fred · 04/16/2006, 10:00 PM

Those little balls are either lead or steel, more likely steel. As long as you think you got them off of your rock, you should be OK.

James77 · 04/16/2006, 10:02 PM

Did the "gray balls fall onto the Live Rock, or fall right to the bottom. If it is mercury, be careful-it is very toxic, I do not know how harmful it would be in a tank. It could also be another type of metal called galinstan that is made of tin and gallium, not toxic to you, again I don't knowabout your rock.

Fast Fred · 04/16/2006, 10:04 PM

How old was the thermometer?

cyclops23 · 04/16/2006, 10:36 PM

not very old, maybe 1 month

Fast Fred · 04/16/2006, 10:58 PM

They don't use mercury in thermometers anymore. I think you'll be OK.

cyclops23 · 04/16/2006, 11:10 PM

thanks! i was worried i wasted a bunch of money on rocks!

04/16/2006, 09:49 PM	#1
cyclops23 Premium Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Milton, WI Posts: 613	thermometer broke i was doing a water change on my live rock curing in the basement and the thermometer in the container broke and the gray balls (mercury?) went in to the container. i immediately switched the rock to another container, but how bad is a 30 min exposure? is my rock still "live"?

04/16/2006, 10:00 PM	#2
Fast Fred Registered Member Join Date: May 2004 Location: Northfield, NJ 08225 Posts: 1,170	Those little balls are either lead or steel, more likely steel. As long as you think you got them off of your rock, you should be OK. __________________ Ya know, for a clown fish, you're not very funny! Member of the New Jersey Reefers Club Current Tank Info: 125g Reef Ready AGA /55g Top Fin Tank for a sump/refugium/ LifeReef Skimmer/ Changing over to SPS only

04/16/2006, 10:02 PM	#3
James77 Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Rhode Island Posts: 8,158	Did the "gray balls fall onto the Live Rock, or fall right to the bottom. If it is mercury, be careful-it is very toxic, I do not know how harmful it would be in a tank. It could also be another type of metal called galinstan that is made of tin and gallium, not toxic to you, again I don't knowabout your rock. __________________ Jim Current Tank Info: 120g Mixed Reef and 75g Freshwater

04/16/2006, 10:04 PM	#4
Fast Fred Registered Member Join Date: May 2004 Location: Northfield, NJ 08225 Posts: 1,170	How old was the thermometer? __________________ Ya know, for a clown fish, you're not very funny! Member of the New Jersey Reefers Club Current Tank Info: 125g Reef Ready AGA /55g Top Fin Tank for a sump/refugium/ LifeReef Skimmer/ Changing over to SPS only

04/16/2006, 10:58 PM	#6
Fast Fred Registered Member Join Date: May 2004 Location: Northfield, NJ 08225 Posts: 1,170	They don't use mercury in thermometers anymore. I think you'll be OK. __________________ Ya know, for a clown fish, you're not very funny! Member of the New Jersey Reefers Club Current Tank Info: 125g Reef Ready AGA /55g Top Fin Tank for a sump/refugium/ LifeReef Skimmer/ Changing over to SPS only

04/16/2006, 10:36 PM	#5
cyclops23 Premium Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Milton, WI Posts: 613	not very old, maybe 1 month

04/16/2006, 11:10 PM	#7
cyclops23 Premium Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Milton, WI Posts: 613	thanks! i was worried i wasted a bunch of money on rocks!