What are you all using to measure water temp out of the tap?

[EVoyager31]

I connect my python to my shower (I don’t have another standard faucet to connect it to). How do you all measure temp out of the faucet? Previously I’ve filled a cup and used a thermometer.. but there has to be a better way without wasting water. 
 

Thoughts?

[CJs Aquatics]

I use a yellow cooper thermometer. I think it was intended for use with foods, it’s the one that looks like a pen that you see on cooking shows. It’s been very accurate as of this far. Sometimes I just bucket water from tap ahead of time and allow it a day or 2 to acclimate to room temp as well. 

[nabokovfan87]

With a python you're generally going to waste water.  Water is the pump so to speak.

When trying to fill stuff back up I would use my hand, check the tank, then go and match it on the python, turn off the water (with that setting in mind) double check everything, then turn it on.  Unfortunately you're going to likely be doing taps on the faucet handle to adjust things by one or two degrees.  It's fickle, but using my hand has been the most reliable method to match temp.

Once you have the water running, check the opposite side of the tank (that water is still original temp) and compare to the temp running out of the python directly into the tank.  Then, you adjust it that way.  For a lot of thermometers, unless it's a laser, you have to let it run for a little while to get a true reading of the temp.  Thermometers usually take a little bit to respond to temp changes.

[mountaintoppufferkeeper]

I have a AA battery temperature gun that I got off a big box building supply store.

I eventually bit the bullet and put in a shop sink with an analog intellifaucet. Our cold is low 40s year round. As a result of that I was getting some temp swings I didn't I Iike if someone was using water in the house while I was filling

Edited August 18, 2022 by mountaintoppufferkeeper

[EVoyager31]

On 8/17/2022 at 10:43 PM, nabokovfan87 said:

With a python you're generally going to waste water.  Water is the pump so to speak.

When trying to fill stuff back up I would use my hand, check the tank, then go and match it on the python, turn off the water (with that setting in mind) double check everything, then turn it on.  Unfortunately you're going to likely be doing taps on the faucet handle to adjust things by one or two degrees.  It's fickle, but using my hand has been the most reliable method to match temp.

Once you have the water running, check the opposite side of the tank (that water is still original temp) and compare to the temp running out of the python directly into the tank.  Then, you adjust it that way.  For a lot of thermometers, unless it's a laser, you have to let it run for a little while to get a true reading of the temp.  Thermometers usually take a little bit to respond to temp changes.

Yeah thats basically what I’ve been doing, was just looking for something a bit more efficient. My taps are incredibly finicky.

[mountaintoppufferkeeper]

My guess is some swings are always happening as the water supply temps fluctuate ......unless you do the thermostatic valve deal at the sink. That is essentially turning the taps constantly to keep a stable set temperature.

Input temperature must vary a bit either from the cold supply cooling as it flows or from the hot side warming more as the water heater fires off to replenish a tank of water. Even if the taps are set it seems plausible that there could be a variation even without another tap opening in the system

[lefty o]

i just use my finger. +/- a few degrees on a partial water change is fine.

[Lots Of Loaches]

Since I fill 5 gallon buckets to do my water changes, I use a digital meat thermometer to check the temp. 

[Flumpweesel]

Never check the temp, my water will always be colder than the tank.

[Huckleberry]

Digital meat thermometer works well.

[Tanked]

This time of year I don't need to check temperature.  Tap water is 80+- degrees.  Warmer than winter settings and cooler than summer room temp.

I use five gallon buckets with a digital thermometer in the water stream, and adjust accordingly.  Minimal water is wasted when swapping buckets

[Guppysnail]

I just use a laser temp gun and point it at the flow. I checked it using a dish of tap it’s pretty accurate just hitting the flow

[Biotope Biologist]

On 8/18/2022 at 7:34 AM, Guppysnail said:

I just use a laser temp gun and point it at the flow. I checked it using a dish of tap it’s pretty accurate just hitting the flow

Yeah in one of Corys vids you can spot him zapping his tank with an infrared thermometer like this one. It’s what I use although I had bought mine to spot check temps for my beardie since he had a climate controlled cabinet as his “room” 

 

My water sits pretty close to room temp (75 degrees)

[EVoyager31]

On 8/18/2022 at 12:28 PM, Biotope Biologist said:

Yeah in one of Corys vids you can spot him zapping his tank with an infrared thermometer like this one. It’s what I use although I had bought mine to spot check temps for my beardie since he had a climate controlled cabinet as his “room” 

 

My water sits pretty close to room temp (75 degrees)

Thanks! I was just looking at these. Maybe I’ll invest to make my life easier

[Guppysnail]

On 8/18/2022 at 12:28 PM, Biotope Biologist said:

spot check temps for my beardie

That’s why I bought my first one years ago. Now I keep a spare since I dropped the first one in a tank. I’m incredibly doppy 🤣

[procyg]

I use a meat thermometer something simple like AmazonSmile: Kitchen Food-Cooking Meat Coffee Thermometer – Pocket Espresso Thermometer for Milk Foam Frothing Chocolate Water Grill, Turkey, BBQ Temperature Stainless Steel 1" Dial 5" Long Stem: Home & Kitchen

[Rube_Goldfish]

On 8/17/2022 at 11:04 PM, lefty o said:

i just use my finger. +/- a few degrees on a partial water change is fine.

 

On 8/17/2022 at 11:52 PM, Lots Of Loaches said:

Since I fill 5 gallon buckets to do my water changes, I use a digital meat thermometer to check the temp. 

I use 5 gallon buckets and use a meat thermometer, too, but after the first six-ish months of fishkeeping (I'm about a year in to the hobby) I started challenging myself to guess the temperature before checking.  I'm now usually within 2 or 3 degrees Fahrenheit, but I still double-check with the thermometer anyway.

[FlyingFishKeeper]

Honestly just eyeball it with my finger, I know roughly what temperature my tanks should be at, and aim around there then just am done

[Ken Burke]

I don’t measure it

[Gwallace]

Spring, summer, and fall I don't check it at all.  It's always with 5 or 10 degrees of my tanks and I usually do 20 to 30% water changes so no need.   In the winter i just use the touch method.  Unless your doing a huge water change the temp fluctuation is a non issue for all but the most delicate species.  Just to give you an example...

I keep the 75 gallon tank in my office at 78F.  I did a 40% water change with 72F water.  The temp in the tank dropped 1 degree.  Don't over think it. 

[EVoyager31]

On 8/18/2022 at 8:51 PM, Gwallace said:

Spring, summer, and fall I don't check it at all.  It's always with 5 or 10 degrees of my tanks and I usually do 20 to 30% water changes so no need.   In the winter i just use the touch method.  Unless your doing a huge water change the temp fluctuation is a non issue for all but the most delicate species.  Just to give you an example...

I keep the 75 gallon tank in my office at 78F.  I did a 40% water change with 72F water.  The temp in the tank dropped 1 degree.  Don't over think it. 

Lol living wild 😂

This whole question was brought on because I had forgotten to check.. and I was pumping steaming hot water into my barb tank. They survived thank goodness but it got me nervous 😅

[Melkor]

I use a digital meat thermometer. Eventually ill pick up a tds and ph tester that has temp as well as a comparison.  I calibrate using this method https://www.thermoworks.com/thermapen101-creating-an-icebath/

[Colu]

I use a cooper Atkins temperature probe it has a temperature range of -40 to 232°C gives you an accurate reading in in a couple of seconds

[Chick-In-Of-TheSea]

This one.

https://www.amazon.com/ThermoPro-Digital-Instant-Thermometer-Kitchen/dp/B01IHHLB3W/ref=sr_1_15?crid=1ELCBOBTRFP0F&keywords=digital+meat+thermometer&qid=1660917361&sprefix=digital+meat+thermomet%2Caps%2C133&sr=8-15

[Ken Burke]

On 8/18/2022 at 7:51 PM, Gwallace said:

Spring, summer, and fall I don't check it at all.  It's always with 5 or 10 degrees of my tanks and I usually do 20 to 30% water changes so no need.   In the winter i just use the touch method.  Unless your doing a huge water change the temp fluctuation is a non issue for all but the most delicate species.  Just to give you an example...

I keep the 75 gallon tank in my office at 78F.  I did a 40% water change with 72F water.  The temp in the tank dropped 1 degree.  Don't over think it. 

I’m right there with you.  If you had done a 50% change I would expect about 1.5 degrees, so not too surprised by 1 degree at 40%.  I wouldn’t want to mix 78 degree water with say 38 degrees during a water change, but 5 or even 10 degrees should be ok. Especially if you add the water slowly.