# Temperature & Thermometers bugging me



## Fishy_Cichlid (Aug 4, 2011)

I have 3 tanks and one of them recently setup waiting to be stocked. Each one of the tank has a thermometer, 2 are of the same brand and 1 from a different brand.

I put all of them in my newly setup tank with the heater set at 27 Deg C. the same brand thermometers are showing 28.5 & 29 deg C and the other brand is showing 31 deg C.

This variation is really bugging me. Put my hand in the tank and it appears its around 26-27 deg C. The temperature isnt all that important since winter months are just for around 2 months and its pretty hot for the rest of the year when I dont need to use a heater. But I would like to know the correct temperature. How am I find to find out which of the thermometer and/or the heater is correct.


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## skurj (Oct 30, 2011)

Thats easy... buy thermometers and put them in each tank... but... to have even more peace of mind.. buy 3 thermometers from 3 different manufacturers for each tank...

Well you see where this is going...

I don't rely on the temp setting of the heater, I keep a thermometer in each of my tanks, not the stick on the glass sort though. I have 2 different types, one digital rest are floating glass ones suctioned to the glass.


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## Fishy_Cichlid (Aug 4, 2011)

I think you misread my post. I have a different thermometer for each of my 3 tanks. Yesterday, I pulled out the thermometers from the 2 different tanks and put them on in my new tank just to check up my temperature on the new tank as an experiment. The readings I mentioned are the water reading in a single tank.


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## zimmy (Aug 13, 2010)

Most thermometers available in the hobby have only a correlation with reality. They are not precise instruments. If that's what you're looking for, you can get a science grade or restaurant supply thermometer but you'll have to pay a hefty sum for it.

One alternative is to rely on your judgement of what the water feels like.

I have a Lifeguard digital thermometer it gives pretty much the same reading as the controller on my heater. They both may be slightly off but as long as I stay consistent based on the readings they give me, the fish seem okay. I only use the thermometer for the barrel I fill when doing water changes. For the tank I just use the temperature reading on the controller or stick my finger in the tank.


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## skurj (Oct 30, 2011)

Sorry Fishy I completely missed it....


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## Fishy_Cichlid (Aug 4, 2011)

Hey Guys, LOL this is funny .... could I just pull out those thermometers and check them on me ???? Should come up to 37.6 deg C right. And I am not having fever, LOL.


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## prov356 (Sep 20, 2006)

These thermometers aren't precise and don't need to be. I hardly pay attention to mine. I go by feel of the water temp. In a range is good.


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## ranchialex (Dec 4, 2011)

I've got one of these infrared thermometers and they are extremely accurate and have come down in price (got one for my dad recently for <$20). I can bring you one in June. My analog stick thermometer ran 2 degrees C cool and digital thermometer with sensor inside runs 1 C cool.


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## Fishy_Cichlid (Aug 4, 2011)

That would be so nice of you Alex. Would surely want one of those. Thanks again.


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## Steveboos (Dec 23, 2011)

Yeah i found that thermometers vary way to much from one to the other. I've been keeping reptiles for years and we use Infrared Thermometers that measure surface temperature, also used in the HVAC industry. For about $30-40 you can have an amazing multi-use thermometer.

I don't use any other thermometer now. When you have over a dozen snakes and cages, and a few fish tanks, you need something that will work for everything!

Top is my 125 Gallon with 550 watts of heaters set at 80 degrees, and the bottom 2 are my 10 gallon quarantine 100 watt set at 80 degrees.


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## ranchialex (Dec 4, 2011)

Ok I'll bring one over. They use normal AAA batteries and a pair lasts me a year-ish. Also useful for measuring for leaks for AC or heating use in a house and complaining more precisely about how hot my upstairs house gets on Facebook 

Also to check roasts or other meats on the BBQ.


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## TrashmanNYC (Dec 10, 2007)

Steveboos said:


> Yeah i found that thermometers vary way to much from one to the other. I've been keeping reptiles for years and we use Infrared Thermometers that measure surface temperature, also used in the HVAC industry. For about $30-40 you can have an amazing multi-use thermometer.
> 
> I don't use any other thermometer now. When you have over a dozen snakes and cages, and a few fish tanks, you need something that will work for everything!
> 
> Top is my 125 Gallon with 550 watts of heaters set at 80 degrees, and the bottom 2 are my 10 gallon quarantine 100 watt set at 80 degrees.


Where can I find one of these?


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## Steveboos (Dec 23, 2011)

TrashmanNYC, check your PM's.

I've had my gun for 4 years and just changed the batteries about 4 months ago!


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## Fishy_Cichlid (Aug 4, 2011)

On what principle does these infrared thermometers work on ??? Is it with the color or something else ??? I know that they use thermometers which take readings of very hot materials (like molten Iron, Steel etc) by directing infrared rays towards the material and getting a reading based on color temperature. But these are not very accurate and not meant to be either.


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## ranchialex (Dec 4, 2011)

I don't know the principal, but afaik it's very accurate. I've had readings of 775Ã‚Â°f from a red coal during a bbq. These are usually used to find leaks in rooms where AC/heat is leaking out or hot spots or whatever, very repeatable precise measurements. If it's 100% accurate, well I don't have anything known to be more accurate to compare it to


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## ranchialex (Dec 4, 2011)

For those looking to buy, amazon has some cheap ones that don't have the nice carrying case, but work fine. Infra-red thermometer is the search query. I have the $45 one, the $16 one works just as well... for my purposes anyway.


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## malady (Nov 20, 2011)

a simple tds meter will have a temp reader on it as well

they are like $15-20 online


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## Dadwith2boys (Mar 3, 2014)

Has anyone tried using La Crosse Alerts Mobile 926-25102-GP Wireless Monitor System Set with Wet Probe?

https://www.amazon.com/Crosse-Alerts-92 ... JY6RRQDVVY


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## Bd79 (Apr 11, 2011)

ranchialex said:


> I don't know the principal, but afaik it's very accurate. I've had readings of 775Ã‚Â°f from a red coal during a bbq. These are usually used to find leaks in rooms where AC/heat is leaking out or hot spots or whatever, very repeatable precise measurements. If it's 100% accurate, well I don't have anything known to be more accurate to compare it to


I've been using one for years. I've replaced the battery once. I greatly prefer it to the in tank thermometers. Then again, I have 14 tanks.


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