Mercury-based thermometers

[OUsnakebyte]

Most are alcohol-based these days, right?

 

Well, the reason I ask is b/c I just broke my thermometer, which shattered into my sump and released several silver beads.  It was a standard aquarium thermometer that I bought at Petsmart, Petco, wherever...?  If I remember chemistry class correctly (a BIG if...), mercury is liquid at room temperature, right?

 

Anyway, the red liquid inside did NOT release into the sump, just the tiny silver beads that insulate (maybe?) the red liquid casing.  I cleaned out most of the glass (less concerned) and most of the silver beads (more concerned), but I probably did not get them all.

 

If it is indeed not mercury, is it something to be concerned about?  Maybe rusting in the sump?  Should I try to syphon anything out...?  I fear I may never find them ALL...?

 

It is similar to the one found in the link below:

 

Petsmart heater

 

Thoughts?

[Grav]

Mercury is a liquid at room temp, I don't think that is what you have.

 

FWIW, rusting wouldn't be the issue, it would disolve into the water and then end up in the fish and other critters... in the long run causing cancer and other growth oddities.

 

I dunno what the heck those beads are, but if they are solid, they can't be mercury.

[Lee Stearns]

If I were betting I would say they were lead to weight the bottom of the thermometer down. Who knows what lead will do in the tank?

[OUsnakebyte]

Thanks fellas.

 

I also posted the question to RC in the chemistry forum.  There they said they were indeed either lead or steel shot to weight the therm down.  One guy even said he had done the same and just used his algae magnet to get them out (I guess that would make them steel - lead doesn't attract, right?).  They also said to run some carbon (the popular cure-all for everything...  :p )

 

So, panic attack over - I think I'll be fine.  I did get most all of them out I believe - now just gotta sweep up the residual.

 

Cheers

Mike

[xeon]

If the magnet picks them up, that would make them either iron, nickel, cobalt, or steel... my vote is steel.  Wish I had thought about the magnet pickup procedure when I broke mine on the floor.