disaster help please

sarahbab · 02/01/2006, 10:17 PM

while cleaning my tank I accidently smashed a thermometer into the tank. No mercury leaked out, however all of the black pellets that are in the bottem of a thermometer are now in my sand. Does anyone know what these pellets are and if the are poisoness to my seahorses. My husband is trying to help me get them all out now as we speak. I just would like to get any advice that I can. thanks

sarahbab · 02/02/2006, 03:07 AM

ok after doing numerous searches, I have found that these pellets are either iron, steel or lead. All that I could find are now out of the tank, but if I missed one or two, what would happen? would one or two of these poison a tank. I also read that maybe carbon would absorb it. would that be true. Any advice would be appreciated! thanks

luvabunny · 02/02/2006, 07:55 AM

Not to worry. If you have found all you can see, the rest won't be enough to poison a tank. Lead won't hurt it anyway.
Carbon is great for absorbing all types of "ickies" in the tank. If it's already in your filter, you don't need to add any more, but if you don't have any, it might be a good idea to add some. Most of the time, the disasters that happen in our tanks have nothing to do with the stuff we can "see" happen.
For further use, it may be a good idea to get one of those stick on thermometers that go outside the tank.

Samala · 02/02/2006, 11:01 AM

You had a mercury thermometer?! Silver liquid? I'm amazed, among laboratory safety personnel we treat those as if we had found Ebola in our freezer!

Or, wait, was it a typical red liquid thermometer? Those are usually alcohol based I believe, and far more safe to work with.

The small ball bearings are usually iron/steel and wont do too much harm if they rust, though its unsightly. I think you're in the clear so long as you're pulling them out.

Why not invest in a little Coralife digital thermometer for the future? I think they are $6 in my LFSs.

>Sarah

sarahbab · 02/02/2006, 01:14 PM

I definatley will go digital now. Thanks so much everyone, I feel much better now. I couldn't sleep last night I was so worried.

02/01/2006, 10:17 PM	#1
sarahbab Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: north carolina Posts: 99	disaster help please while cleaning my tank I accidently smashed a thermometer into the tank. No mercury leaked out, however all of the black pellets that are in the bottem of a thermometer are now in my sand. Does anyone know what these pellets are and if the are poisoness to my seahorses. My husband is trying to help me get them all out now as we speak. I just would like to get any advice that I can. thanks

02/02/2006, 07:55 AM	#3
luvabunny Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: Central Oklahoma Posts: 1,372	Not to worry. If you have found all you can see, the rest won't be enough to poison a tank. Lead won't hurt it anyway. Carbon is great for absorbing all types of "ickies" in the tank. If it's already in your filter, you don't need to add any more, but if you don't have any, it might be a good idea to add some. Most of the time, the disasters that happen in our tanks have nothing to do with the stuff we can "see" happen. For further use, it may be a good idea to get one of those stick on thermometers that go outside the tank. __________________ April Current Tank Info: Current Tank Info: 75g bowfront

02/02/2006, 11:01 AM	#4
Samala Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Orlando, FL Posts: 2,930	You had a mercury thermometer?! Silver liquid? I'm amazed, among laboratory safety personnel we treat those as if we had found Ebola in our freezer! Or, wait, was it a typical red liquid thermometer? Those are usually alcohol based I believe, and far more safe to work with. The small ball bearings are usually iron/steel and wont do too much harm if they rust, though its unsightly. I think you're in the clear so long as you're pulling them out. Why not invest in a little Coralife digital thermometer for the future? I think they are $6 in my LFSs. >Sarah __________________ "Seaweed is cool, seaweed is fun, it makes its food from the rays of the sun!"

02/02/2006, 03:07 AM	#2
sarahbab Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: north carolina Posts: 99	ok after doing numerous searches, I have found that these pellets are either iron, steel or lead. All that I could find are now out of the tank, but if I missed one or two, what would happen? would one or two of these poison a tank. I also read that maybe carbon would absorb it. would that be true. Any advice would be appreciated! thanks

02/02/2006, 01:14 PM	#5
sarahbab Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: north carolina Posts: 99	I definatley will go digital now. Thanks so much everyone, I feel much better now. I couldn't sleep last night I was so worried.