Floating thermometer (broken... metal ball-ballast in tank...)
Mr. Fenner:
A floating thermometer broke in my salt water reef aquarium and I think some of the metal beads may still be in my aquarium. Should I be especially worried? If this could lead to a disastrous consequences, what should I do to remedy this problem?
Thanks, Vince
<Yes to being worried... perhaps lead, maybe ferrous... at any length, bad news... if it were my tank, I'd siphon out all the possible gravel areas and CAREFULLY sort through (sort of like rice, beans, what have you, ahead of cooking for rocks, sticks...) and then rinse it before replacing (freshwater is fine here). Bob Fenner>

Thermometers & Substrate
I have 2 questions for you all today
1. which is better as far as thermometers go the glass ones that go inside the tank or the sticky ones that go on the outside?
<IMO, the glass ones are better, but should not be allowed to float around in the tank waiting to get broken.>
2. When I bought my substrate (crushed coral) the guy at Elmer's LFS said NOT to rinse it, but the bags say to do a light rinse.
<Crushed coral needs rinsed like crazy.>
Which is right?
<Are you sure you have crushed coral though. Being from Pittsburgh and knowing Elmer's, I am not sure they carry crushed coral anymore. They do have various grades of sand, some larger than others.>
It is not live sand.
Thanks, Colleen Pittsburgh, PA
<By the way, did you make Bob's pitch at Elmer's on Saturday morning? -Steven Pro>

Thermometers
I have read that it is not a good idea to put anything metal in a saltwater tank.  I have a 110 gallon reef tank.  I am shopping for new thermometers and have come across stainless steel and titanium types that look interesting as I am looking for more precise accuracy.  I was wondering what your thoughts were on these items and if they would release metal ions that would harm the tank inhabitants.  Thanks for your time.   Abby Kengersky
<Titanium? Wow... I would select for a good glass encased thermometer and not be too concerned with absolute accuracy. More important to be precise (get about the same reading each time), that is, to do your best to measure and maintain stability. Bob Fenner>

DOH! I Broke the Thermometer, Now What? 
>Hi Bob and team. 
>>Hello, Marina tonight. 
>I'm afraid I've had a disaster in my 200 gallon reef aquarium. While recently double checking my chiller reading, I stupidly left a thermometer in my sump. I found it this morning, broken at the pump intake. 
>>Oh my, thusly the term "disaster". It's not as disastrous as you think, though. 
>The lead balls have been sucked into the pump and the mercury is gone. 
>>Not mercury anymore, my friend, usually alcohol (with a dye) is used in modern thermometers. 
>Everything in the tank looks OK so far (corals and fish), but I can't imagine that'll last. What should I do? I'm sure water changes, carbon and PolyFilters will help but I can't imagine I'm ever going to find the lead balls? 
>>No, I don't imagine you will, either. But I wouldn't expect such a small amount to be a very big problem in the short or long run anyway. If you're very concerned about the contents, contact the manufacturer, but to the best of my knowledge the potential for mercury would be the biggest issue and as far as I know it hasn't been used for quite a few years. You're correct, water changes, carbon, and PolyFilters will help, though I don't know at all how readily lead actually dissolves in water (thinking of wrecks of Spanish galleons and all the lead shot/balls they find, all encrusted with stuff). 
>Any advice you can give would be great. I hate the thought of tearing down my tank and starting again. Dave. 
>>No, no, no, I really don't think you'll need to go so far. Between the water changes and the chemical filtration you should be able to deal with the small amount of dye released. For "next time", get a bit of clear plastic tubing, the kind used for undergravel filter lift tubes, along with caps. The caps can be the same clear plastic, or PVC that fits. Glue one end (I'd use Superglue-cyanoacrylate) on permanently, leave the other so you can slip it on and off. Drill some holes in the tube, and it will protect the future thermometer from such terrible mishaps. Marina 

External heat from pump
Crew: <Hi Rich how are you tonight? MacL here with you> In order to give my wife back the living room, I am relocating my 55 gallon FOWLR in the basement. <Nice of you but I bet she misses the tank when it's gone.> Currently, I have four fish in a Rubbermaid container with some of their LR and a powerhead, the 55 is filled with water, sand and the rest of the LR, and my Iwaki 40RLT is running on a closed loop.  The problem is the heat. The ambient temperature is 74F, and the tank is running around 82F! <I have to say when I got this email I was very surprised. I have not heard of an Iwaki running that hot. I checked with another WetWebMedia person and they said the same thing. They also felt it was pretty much impossible with the set up that you have, to have that large a jump in temperature.> I have not even turned my lights back on yet.  My pump has been is use for about a year. I have it installed on a small homemade stand in back of the tank, about 3 feet high, to lessen the head pressure. <The thought was perhaps you had the pump inside a cabinet or other enclosed place where there wasn't proper ventilation. In that case, it might have caused a larger that usual jump in temperature but as I understand this you have your pump in an outside area. The next thought is that perhaps your you need to check the calibration of your temperature gauges. I can speak personally to this one. I usually run three or four temperature gages at a time on my tanks.> The intake is installed over the top on the right side, using two 90 degree elbows.  The output goes up about one foot, splits with a "T", and runs to both sides of the tank, and up and over with elbows again.  I have read that Iwaki's, and external pumps in general impart less  heat, so I was surprised to find this much of an increase. I do not have any previous temperature readings with only the pump running, so I am not sure if this has always been the case. <I really would check your thermometers, a rise of perhaps three or four degrees is more normal and Iwaki is pretty much known NOT to have that kind of rise.> The pump is not making any loud noises or anything. Any ideas?  I was looking forward to more stable temperatures in the basement. I am trying to hold onto that dream! <Check the calibration of your temp gauges, both inside the tank and outside of it. If when you check it you find it really is that large a jump please let us know again.> If I read wrong, and Iwaki's DO impart heat like this, can you recommend a brand that does not? <I think you have the best Rich, Please let me know how this turns out. Take Care, MacL>  Thanks, Rich

Can the sand bed be a different temp. from the rest of the tank?
Hi Adam,
< Hello Narayan. > 
Hope all is well at your end. My reef tank has been running pretty well so far... Unfortunately I can't say the same for the newly set up refugium. What a pain to work on an under tank refugium. So, last week I tore it down and re-set it up on the floor next to the display -doesn't look as neat, but way easier to work on, plus all my aquarium maintenance stuff can go back under the display. 
< If you don't mind the look of it on the floor, good idea. > 
I have two thermometer strips glued on to the glass sides of the refugium, one near the bottom of the 6" DSB and the other in the middle of the water column. The water temp is 79F, but the bottom of the DSB is at 71F. 
< I don't believe it. I don't believe they can be that far off. I'd get a regular thermometer. > <<I do believe it... a simple experiment/demonstration will convince you. RMF>>
Should I be concerned about the refugium's DSB's temperature? The DSB in the display is 4.5" and is at the same temp as the rest of the tank. 
< Just thinking of how well water transfers heat, I can't believe it has the kind variance in a tank. Here is what I would do. I'd go to Radio Shack and buy a digital thermometer. They are under $10 and fun to play with. Then I'd move that probe up and down in the water and see what it is says. >
Thank You, Narayan
< Blundell >