stick-on tank temp readers

[Matthi]

Anyone know the temperature differential to expect with those temperature stickers? Right now, I have mine stuck on the outside of the glass on my tanks (is this correct?) .. Just wondering if I should assume that the temperature inside the tanks is 2 degrees higher or anything.
Is there a better way to monitor the temperature?
Thanks

 

[webmoose]

The stick on ones are good for a quick view and a back up to your 'real' thermometer. There are few that go in the tank that work pretty good they have the kind that stick on the inside of the glass and some that just stand up on your substrate. I personally wouldn't trust the stick on kind on its own. The others should onlybe few bucks and well worth it...

Mooose

 

[PhilMar]

It's worth it to get a better thermometer, I tried the stick on, and had bad luck with it. I had a case of ich, and used the temperature method to rid it. I couldn't do it with the stick on, the temp is not acurate enough. Just pay the small extra amount of money and get a thermometer that goes inside the tank, you and your fish will be much happier.

 

[revhtree]

Ya all good points! I use a stick on for the quick walk by glance, and the other for a precise measurment. I would get both.

 

[Talon242]

I have a stick on my qt tank haven't had any problems with it yet.

 

[krap101]

i have a stick on my 5/10 and they work fine. i havent checked the real temps but when i touch the water it feels right.

 

[vega]

Not reliable at all as the color changes when u view from dif angle.

 

[krap101]

true its always a blue, brown or a green. but always distinguishable to me (unless the room light is off)

 

[Aquafriend]

That's what annoys me about stick on. I could never read them unless natural light was in the room. I would get home from work at midnight, and the whole strip would be black when trying to read it from the light of a lamp. Bright lamp, too, not a dim one. And the one I had said it was removable and re-usable if you wanted to move it. I tried to move it after two months, and the whole thing disinigrated and peeled off into two peices. Now I have ones that stick inside with a suction cup.

 

[Bearfan]

I'm pretty sure my weather man uses a stick on world thermometer...it's about how accurate he is. I tried, and discarded, them.

 

[bobtrop]

I've used stick ons for years and have had pretty good luck with them. In my experience, they're about as accurate as the ones that hang inside the tank or rest on the gravel. With either type you're likely to see some variation, but I've never seen anything more than 2 to 3 degrees. For general fishkeeping either will probably work fine. For breeding or keeping certain species, you may want to invest in something that costs a bit more.

 

[AquaBear]

I use a stick-on outside and a suction-cup-to-the-glass one on the inside, in the same corner of the tank. That way I can use them to double-check each other. I don't trust the stick-on kind too much.

--AquaBear

 

[ferret]

These are usually affected by air temperature as well. For example, when my AC broke, it was 90 in the room. So of course all the stickon's read about 88.. In tank read around 84.

Needless to say I had placed a maintenance call with the complex ;p

 

[chasgood]

Is any brand or model more accurate than others? I looked at the floating kind in the store. They had 4 of them hanging on the shelf. No two had the same temp. Saw the same thing with regular room thermometers. they seem to be good to + or - 2 degrees.
I am guessing that if you want accurate then look to a place that sells science or lab equipment.

 

[vega]

Actually +-2 D its still ok but personally i have 3 (1 float,1 digital, 1 stick on) in my 20gal just to cure my paranoid.

I think its quit common to seens most aquarist have several thermometer in their main tank.

A reputable brand would be ok (eg. Hagen, Sera, Ehiem).

HTH

 

[jratuszn]

I think their accuracy is better in smaller tanks- up to maybe 20g. After that, the thickness of the glass makes them alot less accurate.

-J

 

[smilla4]

I have the ATI movable stick on. It stays at 77 degrees - the temp my heater is set to *shrug*. It's an acrylic tank - don't know if that makes a diff.

I always break those dang mercury thermometers. I had one originally, and of course broke it in two days. They're a health hazard too. Not supposed to breath the vapor (some of it will turn to vapor when broken), and you're supposed to dispose of it properly (not in the trash but at one of those special collection places).