[jczernia]

What is the most accurate thermometer I could buy for my shrimp tank?? I have 3 digital thermometers in the tank now and they all read different temperature ?? I have a way of keeping constant temperature now I need to know what it is.
Thank you

 

[xmas_one]

I like those cheap glass floaty ones... the trick is to set all of them next to each other in the store and pick out the three in the middle that are reading the same..

 

[2in10]

I like those cheap glass floaty ones... the trick is to set all of them next to each other in the store and pick out the three in the middle that are reading the same..

+1, the digital ones are useless, not only do they vary wildly they are inconsistant throughout the battery's life. You are very lucky to get one that is accurate and stays accurate.

 

[Jeffww]

+1, the digital ones are useless, not only do they vary wildly they are inconsistant throughout the battery's life. You are very lucky to get one that is accurate and stays accurate.

Not so fast there.

There's a difference between accuracy and precision:
Electric thermometers are not accurate but they are precise: one degree is one degree.

Glass thermometers are however precise and accurate. If you have a glass thermometer, check the electric against it and just add or subtract however many degrees to keep it in check.

 

[jreich]

what r the temp difrences between the 3 digital ones you have in there now?

 

[Hoppy]

Thermometers, like all measuring devices, need to be calibrated if you have need for accuracy. You need to check the thermometer against known temperatures, which isn't easy, except for 0 and 100C, but those are out of range for aquarium thermometers. Almost any thermometer will show you the changes in temperature with some accuracy - whether the temperature increased by 2C or 4C, for example.

Unlike many measuring devices, a glass thermometer, with the scale etched on the glass, can be manufactured to be very accurate, and since nothing can change that affects the reading, they should always be as accurate as they started out. But, glass thermometers with scales attached to the glass tube can't be trusted to ever be accurate.

Is it really necessary to know our tank water temperature accurately?

 

[zdnet]

Unlike many measuring devices, a glass thermometer, with the scale etched on the glass, can be manufactured to be very accurate, and since nothing can change that affects the reading, they should always be as accurate as they started out.

That makes sense. I guess that means the Fluval Nano Thermometer can be very accurate.

 

[Hoppy]

That makes sense. I guess that means the Fluval Nano Thermometer can be very accurate.

Yes, if it was manufactured with accuracy, which is doubtful.

 

[zdnet]

Yes, if it was manufactured with accuracy, which is doubtful.

Yes. While I do not know how accurate they are, here is a side-by-side view of two Hagen thermometers in the same tank:

They gave the exact same reading. Marina Plastic Thermometer with Suction Cup is on the left. Fluval Nano Thermometer is on the right.