EMERGANCY Help needed!

SALTY WATERS

SALTY WATERS

Large Fish
#1
Feb 6, 2005
893
2
0
47
Waterloo, ON Canada
#1
Hey I was just performing a routine cleaning of my tank and I accidently smashed my thermometer in my tank and all the little beeds(I believe they are mercury) fell into my tank. F*#$ and Holy S#%# sorry! I scooped as many of them out with the substrate as I possibly could. And my carbon was just changed and so was 20% water(but this was before I smashed it). Think I'm Ok, or am I F$&%? anything else I should be doing. PLEASE HEEEEEEEEEELLLLLPP!
 

seastaar88

seastaar88

Superstar Fish
#3
Feb 1, 2004
1,705
1
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middletown, CT
#3
yowzahz... sorry to hear of your accident! at least the thermometer didn't smash and cut your hand ;) be careful with mercury.. it's very toxic. if you're worried about your tank and can't replace the thermometer until tomorrow, i'd suggest jacking the heat up in the room to 72 or so (tanks always run about 5 degrees above room temp naturally).
 

B

Bull M

Small Fish
#4
Feb 22, 2005
32
0
0
#4
I do not know what thermometer brand name you are using, so I can't tell you wether or not that it is mercury. However, I suggest that you remove your fish, and place them into a quarantine/hospital tank IMMEDIATELY!!! If this is not possible, then even buckets, or other suitable containers so that you can do a complete drain, and cleaning of your entire tank. If using a sand, or other type of substrate, I suggest getting rid of it. Maybe gravel could be boiled, but personally, I wouldn't take the risk of doing it, and just get new stuff.
 

seastaar88

seastaar88

Superstar Fish
#5
Feb 1, 2004
1,705
1
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42
middletown, CT
#5
ah i misread your post... then i agree with bull m fully... i wouldn't risk your fish in teh tank with traces of mercury considering it's toxicity.... on the other hand, i thoguht that mercury was banned from thermometers too, camero....
 

B

Bull M

Small Fish
#6
Feb 22, 2005
32
0
0
#6
If you have the brand/manufacturer of your thermometer, it would be very helpful. As for mercury thermometers, no they are not banned in ALL areas yet. They should be, but...
 

B

Bull M

Small Fish
#7
Feb 22, 2005
32
0
0
#7
Pardon me for the multiple posts, but I keep thinking of things! If you had a red line in your thermometer, then it's probably alcohol based.
 

ladymaiden

ladymaiden

Large Fish
#11
Sep 21, 2004
153
1
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51
Baton Rouge, LA
Visit site
#11
I am not too sure about the fact of it not being mercury if it formed into beads. I remember once, when I broke a mercury thermometer, that is what it did, it formed many, many beads. What color were the beads? Like mentioned before if it was red liquid it more than likely was alcohol, and I dont believe that alcohol would form into beads. If they were silver, I am afraid they might be mercury, but I am only going on past experiences.
 

seastaar88

seastaar88

Superstar Fish
#12
Feb 1, 2004
1,705
1
0
42
middletown, CT
#12
i used to have a blast as a kid when a thermometer broke and i got to play with the little beads on teh floor.... pushing 'em aroudn so they make a super bead and smashing them apart... lol it's funny how something like that is later deemed toxic / hazardous... wait a minute..maybe that's why i have these funny growths on my fingers.... lol :)
 

SALTY WATERS

SALTY WATERS

Large Fish
#14
Feb 6, 2005
893
2
0
47
Waterloo, ON Canada
#14
thank for all the quick advise

Hey all this is a pic of the thermometer on this link, mine was the first one on the left. Anyone know if this is mercury in this? I think the little black beeds may not be mercury, oh and the red center did not break.

http://www.wrraquatech.com/images/thermometers.jpg

I've been watching my tank very closely for the night and all seem okay. I just put in new carbon about 20 min befor the accident, so I think it should filter out the polutants if any really got released into the tank; as a percaution I think I will change the carbon again tomorrow what do you think?

And since I was watching my tank all night I thought I would get some digital pics to show everyone my tank so keep your eyes open for my new thread.
 

B

Bull M

Small Fish
#15
Feb 22, 2005
32
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0
#15
For everyone saying Mercury is banned: It is currently banned in eleven states, but Canada has yet to ban it. http://www.pollutionprobe.org/Happening/letrock.htm
However, I haven't been able to find a single website that offers mercury containing thermometers for sale.

Did some more looking, but was unable to find anything about the component make up of aquarium thermometers. I would make absolutely sure that there is no glass at all left inside the aquarium <as if you haven't already, right? ;)>, and do several water changes over the next couple days. After all, Alcohol is a recommended way to euthanize your fish for incurable disease, albeit in much higher concentrations, but I doubt that you'd want to take the chance of any contamination. I'm no scientist, but I imagine that alcohol would have the same effect on bio-filtration as it does on ordinary bacteria. Again, though, you're dealing with small amounts... Best of luck to you. Let us know how it all turns out.
 

B

Bull M

Small Fish
#18
Feb 22, 2005
32
0
0
#18
No problem, man. LoL. I created a user ID for this site when I saw your post just to answer it.

Can't be sure (due to lack of finding anything about them), but I think those little beads you were talking about Are to help the alcohol react more efficiently/accurately according to the tank temp.
 

SALTY WATERS

SALTY WATERS

Large Fish
#19
Feb 6, 2005
893
2
0
47
Waterloo, ON Canada
#19
Thanks again! Man I was freakin out at first, I didn't know what to expect so I quickly scooped all the little beeds out as fast as I could then ran up to the computer to post this thread. I couldn't find much on the net about it, so thanks all for the quick responses.
 

B

Bull M

Small Fish
#20
Feb 22, 2005
32
0
0
#20
Sweet pics you posted, btw. Really sharp indeed! Anyway, off to bed with me. Been up late preparing another tank. (Ah. The joys of the aquarist... Get big, want even bigger, damn it!!! ;))
 

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