TeeJay Posted October 23, 2022 Share Posted October 23, 2022 Hey all. Just looking fire some opinions on what you think the best or most accurate thermometer out there. I have some of the aquaneat digital ones. But I'm finding the can have some pretty big temp differences. What do you use? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kurt Brutting Posted October 23, 2022 Share Posted October 23, 2022 I like the aquarium digital thermometer, I use them on all my aquariums and they have never failed me. I also use the Ink Bird Temperature controller for consistency and reassurance. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nabokovfan87 Posted October 23, 2022 Share Posted October 23, 2022 The Fluval digital dual readout is pretty awesome. It sticks to the side of the tank and reads without a probe or anything. I also use the floating marina ones. The suction cups just stop working after a while. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TeeJay Posted October 23, 2022 Author Share Posted October 23, 2022 Yes I forgot to mention that in my hygger heaters I do have the controllers running them. I'm just mainly looking for a secondary temp source more or less. The digital ones like that I have never show the same temps. I can have 3 of them of the same brand in the same location of the tank and get 3 different readings. I like the idea of this one since it's held on with magnets and seems to get the best accuracy rating I can find 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AllFishNoBrakes Posted October 23, 2022 Share Posted October 23, 2022 I too use the digital thermometers that @Kurt Brutting showed. The only difference is mine are stamped FreeSea and came with my heaters. I like them, but they have small differences between them. The downside is they can run through batteries, but those are cheap to replace. I used to obsess over my temps, and now I just give them a glance every once in a while. Some of the thermometers are still in the tank, but need the batteries replaced. That’s always the “I’ll do that tomorrow” and then it doesn’t get done tomorrow… I also have a handheld infrared thermometer, and that’s super efficient to just go around to the tanks and pull the trigger. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PerceptivePesce Posted October 23, 2022 Share Posted October 23, 2022 I got a Thermapen for Christmas like a decade ago. I never used it and I ended up getting a Thermowork's Dot. I use the Dot all the time for roasted meats and candy making. The thermapen is perfect for aquarium use. It's an instant read, and super accurate. However, I'd probably be using the Dot to measure water temp if I didn't have the thermapen. The Dot is cheaper too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tanked Posted October 23, 2022 Share Posted October 23, 2022 My thermometers must do double duty in the kitchen and aquarium. If you have more than one aquarium, the Thermopen is worth the money because it is fast. It also has a back lit, auto rotating display in addition to being fast and accurate. My backup is an OXO digital meat thermometer. It is fast has a large easy to read display and cost half as much. 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xXInkedPhoenixX Posted October 23, 2022 Share Posted October 23, 2022 I use an instant digital kitchen thermometer I know to be extremely accurate. All the aquarium thermos I "invested" in early in my aquarium venture were far too off the mark to be useful. @PerceptivePesce Thermoworks is an excellent company, while I don't use my 2 Thermoworks (I have a dot too) for the aquariums I've measured the one I do use up against them for accuracy. 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MattyM Posted October 23, 2022 Share Posted October 23, 2022 I think themaworks is having a 30% off sale. I keep one next to my tanks and also use it for water changes. For eyeballing temps I just use the floating suction cup ones but barely use them anymore. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tolstoy21 Posted October 23, 2022 Share Posted October 23, 2022 (edited) This is super accurate and reasonably priced, but it's not an in-tank thermometer -- https://www.thermoworks.com/ir-pocket-20/ It's what I use. I use Thermoworks Thermapens for food, and they are hands down, the fastest most accurate out there, but they are on the expensive end of things. Edited October 23, 2022 by tolstoy21 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xXInkedPhoenixX Posted October 23, 2022 Share Posted October 23, 2022 On 10/23/2022 at 7:13 AM, MattyM said: having a 30% off sale. They have pretty frequent sales, sometimes on one line of thermos other times on specific colors. If there's one you want you can usually wait until it goes on sale, plus we're heading into holiday season... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TeeJay Posted October 23, 2022 Author Share Posted October 23, 2022 Thanks all I have a thermometer like those that I use to check water temp when I do my water changes. I mean I know what I'm working with does a fairly good job. Was just looking for a back up in tank to couple with the controller style hooked to my heater. I figure for 9 bucks I'll check out the one I found and see how it does. I'll report back any findings. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Posted October 23, 2022 Share Posted October 23, 2022 (edited) I'm old school, I guess - I use two of the simple floating thermometers. I don't keep one in each tank, but I move them around to tanks as I maintenance them once every week or so. It takes 2-3 minutes of floating for it to get an accurate reading, at which point I glance at it, make sure it's within a few degrees of whatever I'm shooting for, and move on. These two thermometers were $5 a piece at Petsmart and are accurate to each other - I'm not sure if they read true, but who the heck cares? As far as I'm concerned, no fish needs a certain temperature within a degree to be happy or even to breed. Just gotta get it close enough. I've found the digital ones to be extremely innacurate, at least the cheap ones. I'm also the kind of person to just dip a finger in a tank while I'm walking by. I worked in a pet store for a couple years with hands in tanks every day, so I have a pretty good idea of what a tropical fish tank should feel like - 78-ish feels distinct from 72 and 84 by quite a bit to me, enough that I can verify that a tank isn't way off by finger alone. Not necessarily what I'd recommend, but hey, it works for me. Edited October 23, 2022 by Chris 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TeeJay Posted October 23, 2022 Author Share Posted October 23, 2022 On 10/23/2022 at 11:11 AM, Chris said: I'm old school, I guess - I use two of the simple floating thermometers. I don't keep one in each tank, but I move them around to tanks as I maintenance them once every week or so. It takes 2-3 minutes of floating for it to get an accurate reading, at which point I glance at it, make sure it's within a few degrees of whatever I'm shooting for, and move on. These two thermometers were $5 a piece at Petsmart and are accurate to each other - I'm not sure if they read true, but who the heck cares? As far as I'm concerned, no fish needs a certain temperature within a degree to be happy or even to breed. Just gotta get it close enough. I've found the digital ones to be extremely innacurate, at least the cheap ones. I'm also the kind of person to just dip a finger in a tank while I'm walking by. I worked in a pet store for a couple years with hands in tanks every day, so I have a pretty good idea of what a tropical fish tank should feel like - 78-ish feels distinct from 72 and 84 by quite a bit to me, enough that I can verify that a tank isn't way off by finger alone. Not necessarily what I'd recommend, but hey, it works for me. No that's true. It's not like if your 1 degree off there going to start going belly up. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tanked Posted October 24, 2022 Share Posted October 24, 2022 On 10/23/2022 at 11:11 AM, Chris said: I'm old school, I guess - I use two of the simple floating thermometers. I don't keep one in each tank, but I move them around to tanks as I maintenance them once every week or so. It takes 2-3 minutes of floating for it to get an accurate reading, at which point I glance at it, make sure it's within a few degrees of whatever I'm shooting for, and move on. Old school works. In winter I feel the radiant heat as I walk past or on my face when I open the lid at feeding time . If something feels off, I get out the Thermopen. I gave up on the floaters mainly because I was tired of chasing them in the aquarium. For me the digital thermometers pay for themselves in the kitchen, and time saved when doing water changes. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colu Posted October 24, 2022 Share Posted October 24, 2022 I use a cooper Atkins' temperature probe been using it for two years not had any problem very accurate Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mynameisnobody Posted October 24, 2022 Share Posted October 24, 2022 Luckily I live in Florida so I don’t run any heaters at all. I use a laser point and shoot temp gun and it suffices. I never struggle to change water chemistry or temps (but I also don’t keep discus). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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