How do I make my mercury thermometer work right in my fish tank?
by Aquaboy on Sunday, May 2nd, 2010 | 4 Comments
I bought the thermometer and put it in my fish tank. Its been in there and still can’t get a reading off of it. The red is all the way up to where the C* F* is and I know the water isn’t that hot because I filled the tank from my garden hose. Any Idea on what I should do?
I forgot to also tell you that it has a gap in the line where its not connected at all. It has goes up from the bottom then theres a gap before it gets to the numbers then it starts again when it gets to about 40* then all the way up past the C* and F*
All the ones at the 2 stores I went to read the same way. I didn’t know if there was a trick to making them work. I have never used one before but we are planning on getting fish soon and I want the water to be ok for them.
buy a magnetic thermometer they work better and are way cheaper (i use one)
well i suggest exchanging it for a another one.
You could try “shaking it down,” but I’d be afraid to use a mercury thermometer in a fish tank. Just go buy a stick-on thermometer for the side of your tank. They cost less than $5, and will do the job just fine. Don’t dispose of your mercury thermometer in the trash, mercury is highly toxic. If you don’t know where to dispose of hazardous materials in your area, call your pharmacy. They might take it off your hands, or can tell you where to properly dispose of it.
Mercury is silver so if there’s red…it has to be red ink that works the same as mercury. It appears to have a vacuum or air pocket that’s causing it not to work properly. Hold it at the top and shake it then hold it under cold running water and get down bekow 0,if that don’t work you will have to buy another one or different thermometer.