Glass Thermometer Broke

[Ziggy25]

I broke the glass thermometer in my tank yesterday.
The thermometer had some black particles at the bottom of it.. which im not sure what it was. This stuff fell into the tank.

Presumabely this stuff is not dangerous? Dont thermometers have mercury in them?

 

[Mikaila31]

I would do a water change and remove all the peices that fell into the tank. Thermometers use to have mercury in them, but now most have something similiar to alcohol in them. The black little circles in the bottom of the thermometer are weights.

 

[bobf]

I would do a water change and remove all the peices that fell into the tank. Thermometers use to have mercury in them, but now most have something similiar to alcohol in them. The black little circles in the bottom of the thermometer are weights.

Same happened to me.

If it's a thermometer with a red liquid it will be alcohol - unless you have a 1 pint tank or smaller it will be harmless - fish migh swim a bit wobbly for a while though!

The black stuff will be steel ballast used to keep it upright - a weight as Mikaila says. Mine all stuck to a magnet - that was how I broke it - bit too enthusiastic glass cleaning. You can use a magnet to collect all the weights if it's steel/iron based as mine seemed to be.

 

[Ziggy25]

The thermometer has both the red stuff and the black particles on them.
The thermometer broke two days ago, i did do a small water change. I havent noticed anything weird since then.
I have removed the tiny glass particles but im still looking for a magnet to pick up the other metal stuff.

Thanks

 

[bobf]

The thermometer has both the red stuff and the black particles on them.
The thermometer broke two days ago, i did do a small water change. I havent noticed anything weird since then.
I have removed the tiny glass particles but im still looking for a magnet to pick up the other metal stuff.

Thanks

Bit of lateral thinking...

Do you have a fridge?

Any fridge magnets stuck on it?

Or you have a glass cleaner/algae scraper thing they have magnets (the ones you clean inside the glass from outside, if you get my drift?) - if you don't have then its probably time to buy one anyway!