nanobeef Posted November 17, 2010 Share Posted November 17, 2010 So I found a couple cerith snails stuck behind the suction cup bracket that holds my maxijet and decided I needed to free willy. As I'm trying to get the MJ off the bracket, my floating glass hydrometer decided to float up to see what was the commotion. As the MJ popped off the bracket, my hand slipped resulting in the hydrometer getting thwacked against the glass. Boom headshot, well technically buttshot... a friend told me I need to get the balls out before they start to rust. They aren't easily accessible. Summary: The bottom of my hydrometer broke off and most of the little grey balls fell out and I left them there. Do I need to get these out? Link to comment
1fishmonger Posted November 17, 2010 Share Posted November 17, 2010 You mean...Thermometer? Link to comment
nanobeef Posted November 17, 2010 Author Share Posted November 17, 2010 Its a combo hydrometer / thermometer Like this: http://cse.f3images.com/IMD/feeds/HG19202_50.jpg Link to comment
d9hp Posted November 17, 2010 Share Posted November 17, 2010 You mean...Thermometer? He means hydrometer. I don't think I've ever seen anyone use one of these for aquaria but they're more common in chem labs and the like but this is an image from fosters and smith so who knows! I obviously don't! I'd get them out. They're probably lead weights and lead isn't good for much of anything. Link to comment
1fishmonger Posted November 17, 2010 Share Posted November 17, 2010 I'd get them out as well...whatever they were in Link to comment
dling Posted November 17, 2010 Share Posted November 17, 2010 Quote: I'd get them out. They're probably lead weights and lead isn't good for much of anything. Except floating hydrometers Link to comment
d9hp Posted November 17, 2010 Share Posted November 17, 2010 Quote: I'd get them out. They're probably lead weights and lead isn't good for much of anything. Except floating hydrometers Touché Link to comment
joy13 Posted November 17, 2010 Share Posted November 17, 2010 Use a floating magnet to get the little metal balls out. Pass it over the area several times to make sure you get them all. Link to comment
imchee Posted November 17, 2010 Share Posted November 17, 2010 Use a floating magnet to get the little metal balls out. Pass it over the area several times to make sure you get them all. The metal is most likely lead or mercury. Link to comment
nanobeef Posted November 17, 2010 Author Share Posted November 17, 2010 The metal is most likely lead or mercury. Mercury doesn't seem likely. If it is lead, lead doesn't rust does it? Link to comment
ColorMeBlue Posted November 17, 2010 Share Posted November 17, 2010 Mercury doesn't seem likely. If it is lead, lead doesn't rust does it? No, lead doesn't rust, but it's not really good for living things ( aka lead poisoning ) in general, so better out of the water than it it, would be my suggestion. Link to comment
cptbjorn Posted November 17, 2010 Share Posted November 17, 2010 dude siphon them out, they are probably ok but why even mess with having lead in your tank with a bunch of living organisms? Link to comment
imchee Posted November 17, 2010 Share Posted November 17, 2010 Mercury doesn't seem likely. If it is lead, lead doesn't rust does it? I meant to reply that using a magnet to "pick up" the lead or mercury was not possible. Link to comment
nanobeef Posted November 17, 2010 Author Share Posted November 17, 2010 I meant to reply that using a magnet to "pick up" the lead or mercury was not possible. ah, gotcha I'll try the magnet first to see if they are magnetic or not. If not I'll siphon it out. Thanks guys. Link to comment
sean151 Posted November 18, 2010 Share Posted November 18, 2010 It is most likely not lead and instead iron based. I have an alcohol based thermometer on the glass of my tank and every time I clean the glass with the magnet it gets moved around. I'm pretty sure that all instruments of this type are made with the same material to weigh it down and also is most likely iron based so that it can be cleaned up easily if broken. Link to comment
jeff@zina.com Posted November 18, 2010 Share Posted November 18, 2010 The metal is most likely lead or mercury. If it's mercury, the fish are dead. Mercury isn't a solid until forty below zero... It's also not likely lead, unless it's an old one, zinc is more common in weighting things for aquariums now (kids eat lead and their brains turn to mush, and we have too many lawyers and politicians now so they grow up to be unemployed and homeless...). At any rate, get them out. And don't leave floating hydrometers floating in the tank when you're not using them. Jeff Link to comment
Drez Posted November 18, 2010 Share Posted November 18, 2010 The metal is most likely lead or mercury. Won't be mercury. No reason to put it in the bottom like that, only used mercury as an expander and these days not too often. Even if it was it wouldn't be uniform balls like that. a friend told me I need to get the balls out before they start to rust. Rust isn't a big deal. I mean reefs grown on rusty boats. Might seem counter intuitive as other metals (i.e. copper) are bad but rust (like anything with in reason) is not that harmful. The question of the day, is what metal was it? The magnet is a good idea if you haven't yet. It will get A) get anything magnetic out and B ) help give a diagnosis on what metal it was. If its magnetic, you know its not lead if nothing else and you can rest at least that much easier If you can get even one out you'll be able to crush lead and thne know to get it out. My guess is that its steel, poss zinc as mentioned. HTH Link to comment
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