Digital Thermometer Accuracy

edaskalos · 08/18/2009, 05:04 PM

I have a couple Coralife digital thermometers. These seem to be common throughout the hobby and cheap. What have you all found? I compared it to a cheap glass therm, but was curious because I was going to get a new one for my refugium. Thanks

milkit · 08/18/2009, 05:38 PM

i have 2 that seem accurate and one that jumps several degrees every few seconds lol so i guess it just depends

100%hydrophylic · 08/18/2009, 05:39 PM

i think they are pretty accurate.... i have 3 and just cause i was curious i put them all in the same tank for a while and monitered the temps. they all said the same thing throughout the day. im sure you can come across a defective or inacurate one, but i personally havent. i like them ALOT better than any old glass ones (which get absolutely covered in coraline alge making them impossible to read. very much so a pain in the butt. all the glass thermometers i ever had came loose within a month also and would not stick any more) soooo i vote just stay with coralife thermometers.

o0jmadr0x0o · 08/18/2009, 06:59 PM

i borrowed a friends to compare to mine, and the two were 4 degrees diferent....

Aqua Keepers · 08/18/2009, 08:06 PM

The old glass ones are the most reliable/accurate. You'll find many threads here full of people who have probs with Coralife digital thermometers.

scuba guy ron · 08/18/2009, 09:09 PM

Dr fosters shows this at +- 1.5 deg F. I've compared mine to the glass one and they read the same.

http://www.drsfostersmith.com/produc...9&pcatid=12089

Aqua Keepers · 08/19/2009, 12:32 AM

Those are the ones most people have probs with. I have read of people having them off up to 8*
I have one and every time I turn it off/on it gives a different reading.

Aqua Keepers · 08/19/2009, 12:45 AM

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/sh...5&pagenumber=1

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/sh...readid=1511203

http://archive.reefcentral.com/forum...postid=9894506

http://mail.reefcentral.com/forums/p...219&perpage=16

http://reefcentral.com/forums/showth...readid=1589702

Want more???

Flipper62 · 08/19/2009, 01:00 AM

I have them, I use them,

They all seem to be all within a 0.2 to 0.6 of each other.

I still like the PinPoint Temp better.

Bignasty1 · 08/19/2009, 05:17 AM

I bought a Reefkeeper a few weeks ago, there was 3° difference between the RK and the coralife one. So I broke out my infrared thermometer and the RK was the correct one. I was slowly cooking my corals.

Psychographic · 08/19/2009, 08:59 AM

IMO, they're useless.

scuba guy ron · 08/19/2009, 10:28 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Psychographic
IMO, they're useless.

Mine matches the 2 old school glass ones exact. Not useless to me.

Aqua Keepers · 08/19/2009, 06:03 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by scuba guy ron
Mine matches the 2 old school glass ones exact. Not useless to me.

I would check them from time to time.

azsaltman · 08/19/2009, 06:11 PM

Being built in China.. The Coralife thermos are fine for most uses. If you want reliable, as others have said the older style mercury filled glass ones are infallable.

cloak · 08/20/2009, 03:12 AM

Your finger should be able to tell. No need for a thermometer anymore. Why buy a phosphate test kit if you have algae that you don't want?

jtrasap · 08/20/2009, 07:05 AM

I have one that's accurate and reads the same as my old school glass thermometer, and I have one that is about 5 degrees off. From my experience, I really wouldn't trust them to be accurate.

08/18/2009, 05:04 PM	#1
edaskalos Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Anchorage, AK Posts: 81	Digital Thermometer Accuracy I have a couple Coralife digital thermometers. These seem to be common throughout the hobby and cheap. What have you all found? I compared it to a cheap glass therm, but was curious because I was going to get a new one for my refugium. Thanks __________________ 37 Gallon FOWLR

08/18/2009, 05:39 PM	#3
100%hydrophylic Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: GA Posts: 1,636	i think they are pretty accurate.... i have 3 and just cause i was curious i put them all in the same tank for a while and monitered the temps. they all said the same thing throughout the day. im sure you can come across a defective or inacurate one, but i personally havent. i like them ALOT better than any old glass ones (which get absolutely covered in coraline alge making them impossible to read. very much so a pain in the butt. all the glass thermometers i ever had came loose within a month also and would not stick any more) soooo i vote just stay with coralife thermometers. __________________ :) Current Tank Info: 75g mixed reef, 28g nano SPS

08/18/2009, 06:59 PM	#4
o0jmadr0x0o Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: bergen county NJ Posts: 318	i borrowed a friends to compare to mine, and the two were 4 degrees diferent.... __________________ 75g mixed Current Tank Info: 75g Last edited by o0jmadr0x0o; 08/18/2009 at 07:11 PM.

08/18/2009, 09:09 PM	#6
scuba guy ron Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Clearwater, FL Posts: 1,455	Dr fosters shows this at +- 1.5 deg F. I've compared mine to the glass one and they read the same. http://www.drsfostersmith.com/produc...9&pcatid=12089 __________________ Ron Current Tank Info: 6yr old 37 Gallon Column mixed reef

08/19/2009, 01:00 AM	#9
Flipper62 Premium Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Naperville, Il. Business Owner, President & CEO Posts: 3,045	I have them, I use them, They all seem to be all within a 0.2 to 0.6 of each other. I still like the PinPoint Temp better. __________________ If todays automobile had followed the same development as the computer, A Rolls Royce would cost $100.00. It would get a million miles per gallon, but it would explode once a year killing everyone inside." Current Tanks... 90 gal Reef... My awesome Office BioCube....( 180 was on hold ..no time ) ... The 180 gal has been sold...Yay..yay..yay. Hobby Experience: 19 years Reef...22 years FW

08/18/2009, 05:38 PM	#2
milkit Registered Member Join Date: May 2009 Location: Dallas Posts: 325	i have 2 that seem accurate and one that jumps several degrees every few seconds lol so i guess it just depends

08/18/2009, 08:06 PM	#5
Aqua Keepers Moved On Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Clearwater,Fl Posts: 2,915	The old glass ones are the most reliable/accurate. You'll find many threads here full of people who have probs with Coralife digital thermometers.

08/19/2009, 12:32 AM	#7
Aqua Keepers Moved On Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Clearwater,Fl Posts: 2,915	Those are the ones most people have probs with. I have read of people having them off up to 8* I have one and every time I turn it off/on it gives a different reading.

08/19/2009, 12:45 AM	#8
Aqua Keepers Moved On Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Clearwater,Fl Posts: 2,915	http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/sh...5&pagenumber=1 http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/sh...readid=1511203 http://archive.reefcentral.com/forum...postid=9894506 http://mail.reefcentral.com/forums/p...219&perpage=16 http://reefcentral.com/forums/showth...readid=1589702 Want more???

08/19/2009, 05:17 AM	#10
Bignasty1 Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: HSV Alabama Posts: 134	I bought a Reefkeeper a few weeks ago, there was 3° difference between the RK and the coralife one. So I broke out my infrared thermometer and the RK was the correct one. I was slowly cooking my corals.

08/19/2009, 08:59 AM	#11
Psychographic Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2005 Posts: 439	IMO, they're useless.

08/19/2009, 06:11 PM	#14
azsaltman Registered Member Join Date: May 2009 Posts: 138	Being built in China.. The Coralife thermos are fine for most uses. If you want reliable, as others have said the older style mercury filled glass ones are infallable.

08/20/2009, 03:12 AM	#15
cloak Moved On Join Date: Jul 2000 Location: Stockton, CA Posts: 14,854	Your finger should be able to tell. No need for a thermometer anymore. Why buy a phosphate test kit if you have algae that you don't want?

08/20/2009, 07:05 AM	#16
jtrasap Elite Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: St. Elmo, Illinois Posts: 2,361	I have one that's accurate and reads the same as my old school glass thermometer, and I have one that is about 5 degrees off. From my experience, I really wouldn't trust them to be accurate. __________________ Jason Knowledge is knowing a tomato is a fruit; Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.