What kind of thermometer do you have for your tank?

[sweetpoison]

I can’t find my thermometer since I moved. So I’m looking on Amazon. What do you guys think of the digital thermometer that you stick on the tank, no wires?

[modified lung]

I like these a lot (looks like they're on a big price drop right now):

POPETPOP LCD Digital Aquarium Thermometer High Precision Digital Fish Tank Thermometer for Aquarium/Pond/Reptile Turtles Habitats (Blue) https://a.co/d/4dr0x70

They aren't completely waterproof but I've dropped them in the tank a bunch of times and as long was you open the back, take out the batteries, and let it air out, they turn right back on the next day.

There's a cheaper black version on Amazon but the same isn't always true for that one.

[Flumpweesel]

I just use a cheap wired digital probably not the most accurate but I kept fish for 20 years without checking temp so I'm not too worried. I can't see a problem with the unwired ones as long as the place you want the reading from is ok for viewing.

I put mine at the opposite side to the heater about 2 thirds down the tank I like being able to lift the thermometer to check it without moving the sensor 

[sweetpoison]

I love the digital ones too.  What do you think of the ones that just stick on the outside of the tank? No wires or anything.  Are those accurate?

[redfish]

I've been through several of the cheap wired digital thermometers in the last year.  They don't hold accuracy for me.  Two right now show 10 degrees hotter than current tank temps.   I'm looking for something that will last longer.

[Guppysnail]

The little ones are never accurate for tanks or reptiles for me. I use inkbird so I also have a failsafe for when heaters fail on. 

Edited September 7, 2022 by Guppysnail

[Wrencher_Scott]

On 9/7/2022 at 9:03 AM, Guppysnail said:

The little ones are never accurate for tanks or reptiles for me. I use inkbird so I also have a failsafe for when heaters fail on. 

 

Me too.

There is a saying about concrete: There are two types of concrete, concrete that is cracked, and concrete that will crack. 

I think this applies to heaters too, and if they fail 'on' it can be a disaster. I only have one heater but it is best to have two small ones for this reason also. 

[TOtrees]

This is sort of a different question depending on how many tanks one has. 

If you have one or only a few tanks, you can choose to put in 2 heaters per tank, smaller is better, and so forth. But with my ~14 heated tanks (not including a few that run at room temp), the cost of doubling up is prohobitive. So I buy what works for my needs and my budget, and takes me chances. 

I like heaters that display the temp, and have external (out of the tank) controllers. The coop ones fit the bill, but I've only bought 1 and haven't even got it set up yet (these heaters don't ship to Canadia, so I managed to get it shipped to a location just across the border a month or so back). 

One advantage of multiple tanks is you can do a finger check on the temp every time you feed (at least for those tanks where you need to add the food right into the water, not on top). It's not about knowing if it's 75 or 78 or 79, it's about "feels ok... feels ok... feels ok... ope that one feels cool"). 

That being said, my go-to device to check tank temps or for mixing for water changes is a basic digital meat thermometer. I check it against known temps almost every time I use it, eg turn it on, stick it in a tank that runs at 78, check that it reads within a few decimals of that, then check the tank or bucket I want to know about. 

[MattyM]

I have the standard suction cup ones that AC sells for eyeball checks, but to really know, I use my trusty Thermapen - which works great for water changes too (matching the tap water to the tank). 

[modified lung]

If you're talking about the flat thermometers with the adhesive back, they seem to give a reading within 5°F which is good enough in a lot of cases. I've only had two of them though. The one I linked earlier is accurate within 1.5°F of every other temp reader I have. I've had one of them for 3 years and it's still going strong. It even spent a year of that outdoors.

[sweetpoison]

Carefree Fish Aquarium LED Thermometer Cordless Overtemperature Sound Alarm ±0.2℉ Precision Small Fashion Technology Sense Mirror SurfaceTouch Type https://a.co/d/9tbb0xq  
 

look at this one what do you think it would be accurate enough?

[modified lung]

On 9/7/2022 at 1:12 PM, sweetpoison said:

Carefree Fish Aquarium LED Thermometer Cordless Overtemperature Sound Alarm ±0.2℉ Precision Small Fashion Technology Sense Mirror SurfaceTouch Type https://a.co/d/9tbb0xq  
 

look at this one what do you think it would be accurate enough?

No idea. Inkbird has some good thermometers on Amazon. If they have something similar to that I'd be more willing to trust it 

[TeeJay]

On 9/7/2022 at 12:03 PM, Guppysnail said:

The little ones are never accurate for tanks or reptiles for me. I use inkbird so I also have a failsafe for when heaters fail on. 

Yes I like there stuff as well. Always nice to have the external control to regulate the temp. That's why I like the hygger heaters. The titanium ones that come with the controller. So easy just to look on the wall beside the tank and always see the temp.

[Tazalanche]

I need to clean up my electrical wiring, and get the 135's heater attached, but add me to the inkbird crew.

[flyingcow]

I've got 2 sticky color turny ones at the moment. I'm in the process of making one from a Dallas sensor that will hopefully work as a safety shutoff if the heater fails on.

[_Eric_]

On 9/7/2022 at 3:12 PM, sweetpoison said:

Carefree Fish Aquarium LED Thermometer Cordless Overtemperature Sound Alarm ±0.2℉ Precision Small Fashion Technology Sense Mirror SurfaceTouch Type https://a.co/d/9tbb0xq  
 

look at this one what do you think it would be accurate enough?

Looks cool.  If you get one, let us know how accurate it is (if you have a trusted thermometer)

Will add to the inkbird  recommendation. 

 

[Guppysnail]

On 9/7/2022 at 9:32 PM, Tazalanche said:

I need to clean up my electrical wiring, and get the 135's heater attached, but add me to the inkbird crew.

I’m very fond of your cord octopus monster 🥰🤗🤣. I keep them as “pets” on all my tanks 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

[DaveO]

I have that crappy floating glass thingy with a suction cup. They are very hard to read and the suction cups always fail. Oh, and some can vary 6° in temperature readings. I don't know how many of these junkers I have thrown away.

[Tanked]

I don't like the stick on thermometers for several reasons.  The one I still have is off by 6 degrees. 

My thermometers must do double duty in the kitchen.  I presently use a Thermapen  $40.  because it is fast, accurate, has an auto rotate feature, and is backlit. The Thermapen replaced the OXO digital meat thermometer $16. It isn't as fast, but over all better than the cheaper digitals and various dial thermometers I own.   When testing multiple aquariums, and changing water, speed becomes more important.  The OXO was replaced only because I put it someplace safe and forgot where that was.🙄

[Chick-In-Of-TheSea]

I love this one. It works great for me. Also has a magnet on the back, so I just stick it on the side of the fridge when not in use. https://www.amazon.com/ThermoPro-Digital-Instant-Thermometer-Kitchen/dp/B01IHHLB3W?source=ps-sl-shoppingads-lpcontext&ref_=fplfs&psc=1&smid=ASOOYMPIKYKXM

[drewzero1]

I stopped using glass thermometers in my tanks after one broke and gave me a stinky red oil slick on the water. Now I use a digital readout on my main tank and stick-ons on the rest, plus feeling the glass and/or water with my hand whenever I pass by. I trust the hand method about as much as the stick-on ones, which is not a whole lot.

[Chick-In-Of-TheSea]

On 9/7/2022 at 12:03 PM, Guppysnail said:

so I also have a failsafe for when heaters fail on. 

How often does this happen really?

[Gannon]

I use the cheap digital ones in most of my tanks, but they eventually die and go haywire. Always have a reliable temp gun on hand so you know whether or not a digital thermometer is lying haha. 

[sweetpoison]

On 9/8/2022 at 5:52 AM, DaveO said:

I have that crappy floating glass thingy with a suction cup. They are very hard to read and the suction cups always fail. Oh, and some can vary 6° in temperature readings. I don't know how many of these junkers I have thrown away.

I had a floating thermometer at one time I was chasing that damn thing all over my 55 gallon!!  😂😂

[Gannon]

On 9/7/2022 at 11:03 AM, Guppysnail said:

The little ones are never accurate for tanks or reptiles for me. I use inkbird so I also have a failsafe for when heaters fail on. 

I need to get a bunch of these for my tanks. I have a number of aqueon pro heaters that have been running for 6 years without issue but I should probably be careful about it. Do these ever go on sale for less than $30 so a college student can better afford them? haha.