Help! Broken Thermometer

kelley_mc · 12/14/2006, 08:18 PM

Hello Everyone,

I just walked by my 37 gal FW tank and noticed the bottom of my thermometer was blown out! All the red stuff is gone and half of the metal balls they use to weight it down were also missing. I have no idea how it broke but I was wondering, does anyone know what the red stuff is and what the metal weights are made out of? I am pretty sure that I heard somewhere that they don't use mercury anymore. I hope that is true.

Here is the type of thermometer I have.

http://www.drsfostersmith.com/produc...pc=1&N=0&Nty=1

Remember this is a freshwater tank. Anyone know what the effects of this may be?

Thank you!
Kelley

mr pink floyd · 12/14/2006, 08:20 PM

im pretty sure the balls are steel(magnetic) use your magfloat, and the red stuff is alcohol if im not mistaken, so id say water changes, carbon, skim heavy

if it is alcohol your skimmer would probably go crazy, people use it to lower 'trates

kelley_mc · 12/14/2006, 08:34 PM

mr pink floyd - good call using the mag float. I used that and picked up what seems to be all the steel balls. Thanks for the tip.

The tank is a freshwater tank, so no skimming is possible. I always run carbon so I will continue to do so and change it to keep it fresher.

Thank you very much again!

12/14/2006, 08:18 PM	#1
kelley_mc Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Connecticut Posts: 1,543	Help! Broken Thermometer Hello Everyone, I just walked by my 37 gal FW tank and noticed the bottom of my thermometer was blown out! All the red stuff is gone and half of the metal balls they use to weight it down were also missing. I have no idea how it broke but I was wondering, does anyone know what the red stuff is and what the metal weights are made out of? I am pretty sure that I heard somewhere that they don't use mercury anymore. I hope that is true. Here is the type of thermometer I have. http://www.drsfostersmith.com/produc...pc=1&N=0&Nty=1 Remember this is a freshwater tank. Anyone know what the effects of this may be? Thank you! Kelley __________________ Thank you to our troops! Current Tank Info: 37 gal AGA with 20 gal sump/refugium, Coralife Super Skimmer 125, Current Sunpaq 150 watt MH, 2 Koralia Nanos for flow, Ebo Jager 200 and 150 watt heaters, 65 lbs LR (Fiji, Caribbean, Uaniva), Chaeto, Quiet One 4000 return pump, 24 watt UV sterilizer

12/14/2006, 08:34 PM	#3
kelley_mc Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Connecticut Posts: 1,543	mr pink floyd - good call using the mag float. I used that and picked up what seems to be all the steel balls. Thanks for the tip. The tank is a freshwater tank, so no skimming is possible. I always run carbon so I will continue to do so and change it to keep it fresher. Thank you very much again! __________________ Thank you to our troops! Current Tank Info: 37 gal AGA with 20 gal sump/refugium, Coralife Super Skimmer 125, Current Sunpaq 150 watt MH, 2 Koralia Nanos for flow, Ebo Jager 200 and 150 watt heaters, 65 lbs LR (Fiji, Caribbean, Uaniva), Chaeto, Quiet One 4000 return pump, 24 watt UV sterilizer

12/14/2006, 08:20 PM	#2
mr pink floyd Moved On Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: west hartford, CT Posts: 3,480	im pretty sure the balls are steel(magnetic) use your magfloat, and the red stuff is alcohol if im not mistaken, so id say water changes, carbon, skim heavy if it is alcohol your skimmer would probably go crazy, people use it to lower 'trates