Help! Floating Thermometer Broke in sump and tank.

digital_dragon · 11-24-2002, 07:36 PM

I bought some cheap floating glass thermometers from WalMart's fish department. Today I found the one in my sump broken and the little balls that sit in the paraffin fell into my sandbed along with a little broken glass. Well after seeing this I pulled out the one in my main thank that was floating in my tank the tip on that one was broken off as well and the little balls along with the small peices of glass are somewhere in my tank's sand bed. The paraffin wax prevented any of the solution in the thermometer to leak out that is why I was not aware of them being broken because they where still showing the proper temperature. Is the small balls which I don't know what they are made or the small particals of glass going to be a problem in my tank? I don't know how to go about finding the little balls or the small peices of glass with out taking out a large area of sand. Has anyone had this happen to them? Help.

Earl

digital_dragon · 11-24-2002, 09:16 PM

The balls after close inspection had rust on them but would not stick to a magnet so I think that they are some type of iron or steel but I thought all steel or iron stuck to magnets. Anyway I don't think the little bit of rust that these put out I don't think will hurt the tanks would they?

Earl

Alice · 11-24-2002, 09:19 PM

Bummer!

I think that mercury is actually very rarely found in thermometers anymore, so no worries on that score.

I just called Woody at my LFS, SeaHorse Aquarium Supply, and he said if it was a floating thermometer it was probably filled with alcohol and the little balls are lead weights. He also said that lead under alkaline conditions will turn into lead hydroxide, which is about as soluble as sand. So not a horrendous occurance but certainly not an especially good one either. You may have to try to syphon out that top layer of the sand in that area to try and remove the bits of glass and the lead if you can.

I used a floating thermometer for a while but was too afraid of breakage so now I use a sinking glass one in the sump. I'm just careful to take it out if I'm working down there.

Good luck!

Alice

Alice · 11-24-2002, 09:20 PM

The fact that they wouldn't stick to the magnet seems to bear out that they're probably lead.

tdwyatt · 11-24-2002, 11:18 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Alice
The fact that they wouldn't stick to the magnet seems to bear out that they're probably lead.

There are no rust-colored salts of lead on exposure to seawater. Lead use in consumer items in the US is very tightly controlled at this time and is unlikely to be part of aquarium-related objects, especially enclosed in glass (heck, too many regulations for other things as it is in the hobby). There are forms of iron that will both rust and not be capable of forming dipole moment alignment that will make them stick to magnets, such as slag high-carbon metals and certain forms of steel, especially if they have already begun to rust. Mercury thermometers are just about nonexistent for consumer use any more (try buying an oral mercury thermometer now), and too expensive for cheap thermometer use. Most thermometers with red fluid in them use alcohol-based liquids that have a red or blue coloring added to make them visible. There will be a characteristic smell of Iron rust if there is enough of it (Ferric or ferrous oxide, a little like blood). Compared to lead, small steel balls are VERY cheap and most likely the metal in the base of the floating thermometers. Try crushing one with a pair of pliers. Lead is very malleable and will mold to the shape of the pillar jaws with little effort; steel will either resist crushing (better grades) or crumble (cheap high carbon forms). I am sure Woody means well, but he is most likely guessing that the pellets will be lead. One additional test: if the pellets are lead, you will be able to melt them with a propane torch. Steel and iron will not. There are some other metals that form red oxides, but out of the possibilities for cheap thermometers, the only one is Iron.

As far as the glass goes, I would be more worried that you might get a cut from it than the fish, so don't be stirring the sand with bare fingers (heh! Just another reason NOT to stir the sand). If you're really concerned, do like Alice has suggested and siphon out the sand.

My 2 cents on the topic...

Alice · 11-24-2002, 11:28 PM

Heheh...actually, I asked my husband about the lead/magnent relationship and I didn't think to mention the rust to Woody. I'm just glad digital dragon doesn't have much to worry about tank-wise.

Alice

Doug1 · 11-25-2002, 09:03 AM

Radio Shack, $15, had mine for several yrs

Jeremy1973 · 11-25-2002, 11:05 AM

Hmm..Doug1, how reliable is that? That is a good idea. How do you secure the lead in the tank?

Hommeworks · 11-25-2002, 01:37 PM

I dive with 27 pounds of lead weight. They've been using lead for this purpose for years. It doesn't rust. I've seen 20 year old lead weights. I don't expect that they leach anything toxic into the water. Else in the interest of reef protection lead would be banned.

I to use the Radio Shack thermometer as Doug1 displays. 7 months, no worries. Just wish I could get the remote sensor to stick to the glass and not wave in the current.

cath · 11-25-2002, 11:01 PM

Yup, I use the Radio Shack one too. Though I run a heater all the time, so I don't check temp that often. Maybe I should...

tdwyatt · 11-25-2002, 11:31 PM

I use a similar one that has a programmable temp range and alarms if the range is exceeded on either the high or low limit. I set mine at 79.0 F low alarm and 84.8 high. The digital thermometer cost me $29.00 and has warned me every time there have ever been temp problems, of course, you have to be home for it to work...