quick help

[danieljames]

I just broke a glass thermometer with the little black beads in the bottom....the cheap glass ones. Some of the beads fell in the tank....what are they and what to do?

i think i sucked them all out.....*** are they???

[rhino]

Well i dont want to be a messenger of doom but dont thermometres use mercury in the bottom ? very very toxic, if so i hope that u got it out

[oceanarus]

I don't want to be contrary, rhino but.... the beads are not mercury (Hg) they are Lead (Pb). Hg is a liquid at room temperature and were previously used in thermometers. Most thermometers used today have an alcohol used for the indicator (red colored liquid) whose density changes greatly for a change in temperature. I'm sure Pb is not the best thing to have in your tank but, the solubility is pretty low so I wouldn't worry that much about it. Have you seen the plant weights they use in fresh water tanks? They are just strips of Pb that they wrap around the bottom of the plant.

[lllosingit]

If you have a magnet handy give it a try.
I just checked mine and they are steel or close to it, my magnet stuck to it.