what thermometers do people use and like for accurancy?

[Jack L]

hi, i see some old threads on this, back in 2005. wondering about current thoughts.

in the last year I've tried several thermometers, from digital, to kitchen probes, to the stick on glass, to those glass floating ones, the glass hang in tank, even IR gun. they are all a couple or few degrees from each other. i'm surprised by the variance.

[Altum Nut]

Personally Jack I like the Hanna hand held TDS / Temp combo meter which seems to offer a pretty accurate reading.

...Ralph

[Jason.M]

I like my TDS / TEMP one as well. I have always found for general aquarium thermo's that the hang in tank glass ones to be the most accurate. The stick on ones on the outside always seem to read a degree or 2 lower. I like to use a combo of different ones to see if I'm within the right range then I know which temp to calibrate my digital controller to. I use the TDS, the glass, the kitchen meat thermometer and I have one of the digital children's thermo's too, which i find the most accurate, as one would hope it would be, since a degree can mean a quick trip to the hospital or not with little ones. Once I know my tank is at the correct temp I can then just glance at my stick on and know that when it says 79 it is really 81 etc etc.. Having the digital controller with lighted temp display is great too. But as I said, with my digital controller you need to calibrate from new and I re calibrate every so often as well, so having different sources to check with is important.
I wouldnt rely on one source. I would use a few then you will know that the one you constantly use as a quick reference like a stick on, may say one thing but the tank temp is actually right where you want it.
Also use touch. After almost 30 years I can walk by my tank and a quick touch will tell me if it is a few degrees warmer or colder.

[Fishquake]

I use the STC-1000, but only as a temp monitor, not as a controller. I use the Jehmco ETCI-1R temp controller as a reference to calibrate the STC-1000's.89487

[rickztahone]

I was going to suggest the same thing as fishquake, but as a controller as an added bonus ;).

Here is a thread by Rick that I followed to the T and I couldn't be happier. It is super cheap and super accurate. It is always on the dot with my HM TDS pen temp. Very low profile as well.
Here is the thread:
$20 Controller how to wiring (easy) (http://forum.simplydiscus.com/showthread.php?117110-20-00-Controller-how-to-wiring-(easy))

[Woodduck]

I don't know if anyone else does this, but I always take the new probe and put it under my tongue for a few minutes. If it's not 98.6 or what ever your normal temp is, just figure in the difference.
I've had really good luck with AquaTop Dual Digital Heaters. Tells ya what the temp is now and what you've set it for. Real peace of mind for me. One of our Sponsors, Ken's Fish, has them cheaper
than every place I've looked. And ships free with orders over $49!

[Keith Perkins]

...they are all a couple or few degrees from each other. i'm surprised by the variance.

Reminds me of an old saying, a man with one watch always knows the time, a man with two is never sure. I have an IR a good discus friend of mine gave me I use when I just want a quick check of something. I use an HM digital combo thermometer TDS meter when I'm more seriously taking temps.

[Jack L]

Good quote.
Well the ich issue I had got me thinking more about the accuracy. I have a suspicion that heat resistance ich posts could also be partly because of inaccurate thermometers

[Jack L]

I use the STC-1000, but only as a temp monitor, not as a controller. I use the Jehmco ETCI-1R temp controller as a reference to calibrate the STC-1000's.89487

Is this showing that you have 10 thermometers in your tank?

[Jack L]

I use the STC-1000, but only as a temp monitor, not as a controller. I use the Jehmco ETCI-1R temp controller as a reference to calibrate the STC-1000's.89487


I like my TDS / TEMP one as well. I have always found for general aquarium thermo's that the hang in tank glass ones to be the most accurate. The stick on ones on the outside always seem to read a degree or 2 lower. I like to use a combo of different ones to see if I'm within the right range then I know which temp to calibrate my digital controller to. I use the TDS, the glass, the kitchen meat thermometer and I have one of the digital children's thermo's too, which i find the most accurate, as one would hope it would be, since a degree can mean a quick trip to the hospital or not with little ones. Once I know my tank is at the correct temp I can then just glance at my stick on and know that when it says 79 it is really 81 etc etc.. Having the digital controller with lighted temp display is great too. But as I said, with my digital controller you need to calibrate from new and I re calibrate every so often as well, so having different sources to check with is important.
I wouldnt rely on one source. I would use a few then you will know that the one you constantly use as a quick reference like a stick on, may say one thing but the tank temp is actually right where you want it.
Also use touch. After almost 30 years I can walk by my tank and a quick touch will tell me if it is a few degrees warmer or colder.

Well I am not that good yet but I am surprised how much different the water does feel between say 84 and 87 or between 82 and 84 ...at 90 it felt like a sauna

[rickztahone]

Fishquake is showing a tower of STC-1000's which seem to be in multiple tanks. You can see the number "1" for tank one and I assume it goes up to 10 tanks :)

[Jack L]

That makes sense lol 10 thermometers in one tank is taking the temperature readings to a whole new unhealthy level of OCD