Group buy now open! lab grade thermometers $29.57 shipped

[filefish949]

one thing that sort of bothers me is that my new chiller, ACIII, ACJR, old chiller and heater thermostat all seem to read slightly different temperatures. this is fine except if you are running your tank at 80 degrees and your thermometer is reading 1.5 degrees off and you are at 81.5

 

I am in the beginning stages of organizing a group buy of lab grade thermometers that can be used to calibrate electronic offset on controllers and thermostats. I am considering 2 different ones. the first one is 12" long and reads 74.5 to 79.5 degrees and is graduated to the 1/10 degree. it will be expensive, probably over $100, the other one I am looking at is bit shorter only 11 inches, reads from 66 to 80 degrees and is graduated to 1/5 degree but it is a lot cheaper, in the range of $35-$45 depending on what I can negotiate.

 

personally, I like the better one but I think that we will all find that 1/5 degree is far better than we need.

it seems to me that it would be great for a club to have

[adinsxq]

this is a great idea. i don't trust the factory settings on my ACJr..

[singmealullaby]

i think you can find NIST grade thermometers for alot less than that. i'm curious why you need such an accurate measurement though? i would think a standard $7.50 glass mercury lab thermometer is more than accurate enough.

[filefish949]

i think you can find NIST grade thermometers for alot less than that. i'm curious why you need such an accurate measurement though? i would think a standard $7.50 glass mercury lab thermometer is more than accurate enough.

 

yes, these are NISTcerted however if you have an electronic device with resalution to 0.1 degrees to controll lights, heater fans and chiller then it would be good to calibrate it with a more precise device. if you have a link to a standard $7.50 glass mercury lab thermometer that can be 1/10th degree accurate, please share with us

 

here is a protion of the program I use to run my display tank:

 

If Temp > 78.8 Then LT1 OFF ///shuts off halides if tank gets too hot

Max Change 015 M Then LT1 OFF ///keeps them off for 15 minutes

If Temp > 78.5 Then COL ON ///chiller

If Temp < 78.5 Then COL OFF

If Temp > 78.3 Then FAN ON ////fan

If Temp < 78.1 Then FAN OFF

If Temp < 76.1 Then HET ON ///heater

If Temp > 76.3 Then HET OFF

 

when growing SPS, it is helpfull to have very stable temp

 

[singmealullaby]

yes, these are NISTcerted however if you have an electronic device with resalution to 0.1 degrees to controll lights, heater fans and chiller then it would be good to calibrate it with a more precise device. if you have a link to a standard $7.50 glass mercury lab thermometer that can be 1/10th degree accurate, please share with us

 

here is a protion of the program I use to run my display tank:

 

If Temp > 78.8 Then LT1 OFF ///shuts off halides if tank gets too hot

Max Change 015 M Then LT1 OFF ///keeps them off for 15 minutes

If Temp > 78.5 Then COL ON ///chiller

If Temp < 78.5 Then COL OFF

If Temp > 78.3 Then FAN ON ////fan

If Temp < 78.1 Then FAN OFF

If Temp < 76.1 Then HET ON ///heater

If Temp > 76.3 Then HET OFF

 

when growing SPS, it is helpfull to have very stable temp

 

 

wow, i was unaware of how accurate a temperature control setup could be. that's amazing you can control water temperature to within 1/10 of a degree. i was just thinking that in ocean reefs there are significant natural temperature fluctuations, but i'm sure your right that stable temperatures are good for coral growth. about the 7.50 thermometer, i was referring to a standard single grade type with measurements in whole units, but that's surely not what your looking for. just a thought, but i wonder to what degree is coral metabolism hindered by such small temperature changes. i wonder because cellular enzyme activity isn't dramatically changed by even a 1 degree celcius change. what do you think?

[filefish949]

i was just thinking that in ocean reefs there are significant natural temperature fluctuations, but i'm sure your right that stable temperatures are good for coral growth.

 

 

you are correct, the natural temp fluctuations are a natural and many controllers have seasonal temp variations. there is actually a table in the controller with 365 days, it has the regional average temperature, sunrise sunset moon rise/set and intensity.

 

even thought the fluctuation is from 80.5 Aug 1 & 2 to 75.1 Jan 29 through Feb 1, the changes are about 0.1 every 2-3 days, the temp in the ocean hour to hour tends to be fairly consistent, unlike in a small several hundred gallon aquarium

 

I am sure that enzyme activity is affected to some extent by temperature, however what I have been lead to focus on is dissolved gas saturation, specifically O2 and Co2. one thing for certain is that daily temperature swings over 3 degrees become detrimental to marine life.. up past 5 degrees very stressful and potently cumulatively lethal.

 

if you are going to run your tank at 80.5, you want to be darn sure that it is not off by 1.2 degrees, that would put you at 81.7

 

the other thing that precision in temperature measurement allows it the ability efficiently manage temperature, employing fans and turning off lights if need be, as well as running expensive chillers as little as possible. you can see how over the course of 0.7 degree, i escalate my temperature management actions. also, by heater and chiller are never running at the same time fighting each other

 

 

even though I do not currently use it for temp, here is a snapshot of a seasonal table

 

[singmealullaby]

you are correct, the natural temp fluctuations are a natural and many controllers have seasonal temp variations. there is actually a table in the controller with 365 days, it has the regional average temperature, sunrise sunset moon rise/set and intensity.

 

even thought the fluctuation is from 80.5 Aug 1 & 2 to 75.1 Jan 29 through Feb 1, the changes are about 0.1 every 2-3 days, the temp in the ocean hour to hour tends to be fairly consistent, unlike in a small several hundred gallon aquarium

 

I am sure that enzyme activity is affected to some extent by temperature, however what I have been lead to focus on is dissolved gas saturation, specifically O2 and Co2. one thing for certain is that daily temperature swings over 3 degrees become detrimental to marine life.. up past 5 degrees very stressful and potently cumulatively lethal.

 

if you are going to run your tank at 80.5, you want to be darn sure that it is not off by 1.2 degrees, that would put you at 81.7

 

the other thing that precision in temperature measurement allows it the ability efficiently manage temperature, employing fans and turning off lights if need be, as well as running expensive chillers as little as possible. you can see how over the course of 0.7 degree, i escalate my temperature management actions. also, by heater and chiller are never running at the same time fighting each other

 

 

even though I do not currently use it for temp, here is a snapshot of a seasonal table

 

 

very interesting filefish, thanks for your insight. i'm sure your corals thank you for your dedication.

[The Propagator]

Major overkill.

[BKtomodachi]

Major overkill.

Why?

Many of us enjoy this hobby in the sense that precise science can help us recreate the ocean as closely as possible.

[The Propagator]

Its not an insult its an opinion. Back off sassy !

 

What I mean by it though is that I think its a big ole' waste of money give natural temp flux in a natural ocean environment. A glass thermometer from wall mart will do you just as well that reads in 1/5ths (?)

 

BUT if you don't trust factory settings then if its worth it to you then.... go for it I guess ?

[filefish949]

very interesting filefish, thanks for your insight. i'm sure your corals thank you for your dedication.

 

thank you, as a mater of fact, they thank me every day by looking beautiful and growing like crazy

[HecticDialectics]

Its not an insult its an opinion. Back off sassy !

 

What I mean by it though is that I think its a big ole' waste of money give natural temp flux in a natural ocean environment. A glass thermometer from wall mart will do you just as well that reads in 1/5ths (?)

 

BUT if you don't trust factory settings then if its worth it to you then.... go for it I guess ?

 

 

Hey... tanks are crashing left and right every day because the temperatures were actually 80.5 instead of 79.5

 

 

and +1 to the last part, I mean, if you want a $100+ glass thermometer, go for it...

[PodRod]

Interesting. This is the same situation I had when I set up my last tank. I'm currently using the temp probe with my acjr. I get different readings between the temp probe, the glass thermometer, and the coralife digital thermometer. There is approximately a 3 degree difference between the glass thermometer and the temp probe, with the probe being the higher temp so that is the one I chose to use. I have my acjr set to kick the heater on at <79.7 and the fan is set to kick on at >80.3. I'm not sure which one is correct, but the tank is doing well with my current settings so I'm sticking with it.

[The Propagator]

Thats all any of us can do when it comes down to it.

Look at our tanks and then make a best guess. If they are happy its working

[filefish949]

Interesting. This is the same situation I had when I set up my last tank. I'm currently using the temp probe with my acjr. I get different readings between the temp probe, the glass thermometer, and the coralife digital thermometer. There is approximately a 3 degree difference between the glass thermometer and the temp probe, with the probe being the higher temp so that is the one I chose to use. I have my acjr set to kick the heater on at <79.7 and the fan is set to kick on at >80.3. I'm not sure which one is correct, but the tank is doing well with my current settings so I'm sticking with it.

 

well it just make sense for the kind of person that takes the time to get the best tests and equipment they can afford to take care of they're corrals. for the guy that just will use any old test and add purple up it the tank is not looking good, well then precision test equipment is not for them.

 

I have seen SPS tanks just "pop" with color after nothing more than a minor temp adjustment. it sure would be nice to know just what temp some of those guys tanks are running at.

[The Propagator]

76-78

[bdare]

Whatever you do... don't try the Tropic Marin thermometer. I tried 2 different ones and they were off by about 6 degrees.

[filefish949]

Whatever you do... don't try the Tropic Marin thermometer. I tried 2 different ones and they were off by about 6 degrees.

 

I agree, there are a lot of sub par products in the industry that can be harmful to inhabitants. I should have prices this week. I think that this purchase would be most suitable for clubs to loan out as a benefit to members or the serious SPS keeper, the kind of person that has the chemistry basics under they're belt already

[phil121]

Very cool and useful. I have noticed a big difference in temps between my digital and floating thermometers. I also have a digital thermomter built in to my TDS meter and all three will give me different temps. Usually within a range of 3 degrees, but that is very high when my tank is at 79-80.

 

I agree, there are a lot of sub par products in the industry that can be harmful to inhabitants. I should have prices this week. I think that this purchase would be most suitable for clubs to loan out as a benefit to members or the serious SPS keeper, the kind of person that has the chemistry basics under they're belt already

[filefish949]

I would suspect that your TDS meter is the most accurate, but who the hell knows.. you can check it with a NISTcerted thermometer, or send it off to a lab to have it calibrated, but that runs over $200, and who knows how long it will hold cal, these glass thermometers should hold calibration indefinitely

[phil121]

I would suspect that your TDS meter is the most accurate, but who the hell knows.. you can check it with a NISTcerted thermometer, or send it off to a lab to have it calibrated, but that runs over $200, and who knows how long it will hold cal, these glass thermometers should hold calibration indefinitely

 

 

When do you plan on ordering these? Or are you still going to? I would be interested.

[filefish949]

I am working on prices and runninginto brick walls. if I can not get a substantial discount on a order of 20-30, then I will just post links to buy them onsey twosey. I have found a a good deal on them but let's see if I can't get us a better deal.

[phil121]

I am working on prices and runninginto brick walls. if I can not get a substantial discount on a order of 20-30, then I will just post links to buy them onsey twosey. I have found a a good deal on them but let's see if I can't get us a better deal.

 

Sounds good to me!

[Urchinhead]

Perhaps an obvious question here but...

 

You seem to be getting a 1.5+ temp swing, are you placing the various probes/thermometers in the same place in the tank and at the same time?

 

I ask because depending on location and the like you can see that much swing even in a 100 gallon tank...

 

I like your avatar btw.

[filefish949]

naw, this is fairly common and has been discussed for a long time. with the amount of flow we have in out tanks, over 10,000 gph in my tank, you are not going to see much difference in various portions of the tank. for instance, the sensor for the ACIII may be placed right at the pickup for the chiller, and I will see 8/10 of a degree variation, with the chiller not running. which one is correct? is either correct? who knows?

 

the other solution for calibrating is a thermocouple, but you are looking at over $500 for one that will almost meet these specifications