murcury poison from a broken thermometer?

In was cleaning the glass and the thermometer broke. All the little balls fell out. I scooped up as much as I can and the rest just mixed in with the sand Can the tank get murcury poison from the balls like people from a broken thermometer?

 

The little balls are lead I believe and gray in color. Certainly not mercury, which is a liquid and red in color. I don't know the effects of having the lead in the water but I would certainly just scoop out as much as you possibly can.

Did you break the mercury tube inside the outer glass casing too?

 

NO, but small water changes everyday should keep the lead level down. The biggest challenge would be the long term affect from low levels of lead in the water.

 

Mercury is silver, not red. A thermometer with a red or blue indicator is colored alcohol. But yes, the little balls that fell out of the bottom are lead to keep the thermometer from floating.

Mike

 

Wow, hopefully everything will be ok. If the tank is very matured, it will do ok. Just follow up on water changes.

I would completely avoid using those old aquarium therms. I would go with probed thermometers over those crappy ones.

 

DUH! thx for the correction

 

The red or blue indicator didn't leak, the little balls came out. I did a 2g water change today, and will continue to do 2g water change everyday do keep the lead level down. I'm going to home depot to pickup a lead water test kit to see if any lead is in the water.

 

Actually, most thermometers nowadays dont use mercury.

 

Sounds like yor thermometer was one of these.



And most therometers dont use mercury (bad for the enviroment and great for bomb switches)

"Chemical Treatment of the Water Source/New Water Source: Changing the
water chemistry may reduce the amount of lead absorbed by the water. This
may be done by adding a chemical to the water as it enters the building.
Methods of chemical treatment include addition of a phosphate inhibitor or an
adjustment to the water’s hardness. Another way to change water chemistry is
to connect to a new water source that is less corrosive, which will cause less
lead to be absorbed by the water."

Felt like a good time to make a post!

 

Broken glass thermometer???

Hey i need some help?? my thermometer broke and i did not notice till the next day.. i then took out the balls with a magnet.. but now im concerned about my tanks health in the future. I dont want my corals to die on me please help!?:-[