coralife digital thermometers?

[rickztahone]

so i have a coralife digital thermometer that ive had for quite some time. recently i bought another one but it has never told me the same temp as my original one. what can i do to know which is displaying the accurate temp? once i figure which is correct can the other be recalibrated?

[Roxanne]

hi Rick

if you have other kinds of thermometers, put them in the tank with the digitals and see what they read, that should tell you which one needs calib...

hth

[rickztahone]

hi Rick

if you have other kinds of thermometers, put them in the tank with the digitals and see what they read, that should tell you which one needs calib...

hth

how do you calibrate?

[Roxanne]

how do you calibrate?

ha ha, I'm good, but not THAT good:D...clueless about that I just thought I could help you eliminate the bad guy....try the manufacturers web site maybe cos I think they have to be done by a calibration service...

hth rick

Rox

[KDodds]

IME, these thermometers aren't really worth it. While handy, they're off too much sometimes, and not by a consistent amount. They're not always (but sometimes are) off by, say +/-2º, which would be fine as long as you KNOW it and it stays off by that amount. Rather, many of them seem to be off in grades that get better or worse as the tank gets cooler or warmer. I had one that was over by half a degree at 78ºF, by a degree at 80ºF, and by 3º at 82ºF. Moisture is also a killer and may cause weird readings, or worse, complete failure. For this reason, having tested this (and other) brands, I go with a simple floating thermometer, like $1-2, and almost always right on the money. But, even if not EXACT, at least consistently inexact.

[rickztahone]

IME, these thermometers aren't really worth it. While handy, they're off too much sometimes, and not by a consistent amount. They're not always (but sometimes are) off by, say +/-2º, which would be fine as long as you KNOW it and it stays off by that amount. Rather, many of them seem to be off in grades that get better or worse as the tank gets cooler or warmer. I had one that was over by half a degree at 78ºF, by a degree at 80ºF, and by 3º at 82ºF. Moisture is also a killer and may cause weird readings, or worse, complete failure. For this reason, having tested this (and other) brands, I go with a simple floating thermometer, like $1-2, and almost always right on the money. But, even if not EXACT, at least consistently inexact.

do the floating thermometers float all around the tank or do they have suction cups? i do not remember my LFS having those or i would've opted to get it since i don't like digital stuff. i shall try to find one and see which is right and which is wrong.

[mmorris]

I must have had 6 or 8 of those Coralifes at one point and they varied by up to 5 degrees. I have the Hanna HI98128 probe. The ph has never been accurate (calibrated), but the temperature is consistant.

[Darrell Ward]

I bought a half dozen of those when I found them online cheap. none of them read the same. They can get you in the ballpark, but I wouldn't rely on them to be totally accurate. In fact, I've never had any aquarium thermometer that I'd consider really accurate. Fortunately, ballpark readings are generally good enough for aquarium use. I guess you would have to spend good bucks for a lab grade thermometer to get really accurate readings.

[Roxanne]

do the floating thermometers float all around the tank or do they have suction cups? .

some do, some don't...check inside the box...;)...one of mine found it's way to a spot in the tank where it just hovers by itself in a corner next to the eheim...

[poconogal]

I threw my Coralife digital thermometer in the garbage.

[rickztahone]

I threw my Coralife digital thermometer in the garbage.

which i might be doing as well but i need to buy the replacement first

[KDodds]

Even if they have suction cups, they sometimes (or actually, IME, eventually) fail. I just tuck one behind a filter spray bar or something like that to prevent it floating around the tank. The alternative, of course, would be to buy a new one with a new suction cup, or find a suction cup replacement. Even so, at $1-2, hey, if I need to replace it every year or two, no biggie.

[alpine]

I have not found up to now any thermometer that for the price and it ease of use has been better than the Coralife . They are not spot on but that does not bother me . I keep two of them in all my 75 tanks and I make a point of glancing at them often . It is a good idea to keep check on the variations of temperature in your tanks. they are very easy to read . so what if they vary two or three degrees .
It is not eay to read a floating thermometer or glass thermometer inside of a tank .
Connie , if you have not empty the garbage can , I will pay shipping for them and Rick if you decide to throw them away contact me and I will take them from you.

Roberto.

[poconogal]

I found another digital thermometer on Ebay (about 2 years ago) from a company that actually makes all types of thermometers for different applications. This digital that I got has high and low temp alarms and a back light that you press a buttom for to illuminate the display. The display has nice large numbers too. It is also in complete agreement with 3 other thermometers I have tested it against, so I assume it is accurate, at least more accurate than the Coralife. The Coralife was at least 3 degrees off from the thermometer I use to measure tap water temp for WCs. The thermometer I use to measure tap temp for WCs reads the same as the new digital.

While some might not think its a big deal if the thermometer is not accurate, it really is. It could be reading 83 or 84 degrees but your water could actually be 81 degrees or 80 degrees, or even lower, since I know some who've had Coralifes that were about 5 degrees off. 78 to 81 degrees would would be cold for Discus. Or, it could be reading 86 and your water could actually be 89 or 90. Yes, Discus can take that temp, but I don't think it advisable to subject them to 90 day in day out for no reason.

[poconogal]

I have not found up to now any thermometer that for the price and it ease of use has been better than the Coralife . They are not spot on but that does not bother me . I keep two of them in all my 75 tanks and I make a point of glancing at them often . It is a good idea to keep check on the variations of temperature in your tanks. they are very easy to read . so what if they vary two or three degrees .
It is not eay to read a floating thermometer or glass thermometer inside of a tank .
Connie , if you have not empty the garbage can , I will pay shipping for them and Rick if you decide to throw them away contact me and I will take them from you.

Roberto.
Sorry Roberto. Its in my trash compactor and has been crushed.

[Darrell Ward]

I have found that the Ranco temp. controllers give a more accurate reading than most of the thermometers I have used, so I tend to go by that reading. I checked them once against my wife's expensive, fancy medical thermometer (she's a nurse for group homes). I hope she doesn't read this, she might file for divorce! :p

[alpine]

" 78 to 81 degrees would would be cold for Discus. "

I guess my Breeders are Freezing to death ! :)

Roberto.

[mmorris]

I threw my Coralife digital thermometer in the garbage.
LOL I took out the battery in mine first.

[hope]

I have the same ongoing problems with my coralife. I'm ready to throw it out, too, but I'll order something to replace it first.

[poconogal]

" 78 to 81 degrees would would be cold for Discus. "

I guess my Breeders are Freezing to death ! :)

Roberto.
If that's what you're keeping them at, then yes. That's a bit too cool.

[mmorris]

I'm with Connie. Temperatures that cool can create stress and then illness. Perhaps your thermometers are reading a bit low. :)

[leo1234]

i have two in the tank one digital and the other 1 to 2 dolllar ones they seem to read the same i put one in the middle of the tank and one in the corner i wanted to see if they read different but seem to bee the same try putting them side by side

[Emilio]

the worst thermometer i ever had. it gives a reading of 4-5 degrees off. when it reads 84, the water felt really warm that when i wipe the front of my aquarium with a damp cloth, it dried up quickly. returned it and replaced it with the glass thermometer.

[Ibanez540r]

For the fishroom, I bought a bulk of these for $1.19. I figured if I found one to be inaccurate I could toss it and grab another from the stock. Nice to have all the tanks with the same thermometers.

http://www.jehmco.com/html/thermometers.html