Cheap Digital Thermometer

[markyboy22]

Hi Guys
Just got back from a visit to IKEA, and while perusing the usual Kitchen bits and bobs and all the other ramdom crap you find up there, I came across something that I thought might be pretty useful. Its a digital meat/cooking thermometer and timer. Its a small digital unit only a couple of inches square with a metal probe. Stick it in the water and Hey presto, an accurate read out (to 1degree), it also comes with a timer/alarm, so if you are ddoing water chages and you want to measure how long it takes to heat you tank back up or just know then the temp is right this little thing will tell you. All this for only a fiver. Just thought its certainly cheaper than most and a few of you might be interested.
Cheers Marc
PS its called FANTAST

[Jools]

Interesting, especially the alarm. Does it do C & F?

Jools

[markyboy22]

Hi Jools
Yep does both, it looks and feels relatively sturdy and its pretty straight forward to use.
Cheers Marc

[Richard B]

good spot Marc!

[racoll]

Sweet.

I've had so many problems with thermometers its unreal.

Had a spirit one smash in the tank, so I moved over to digital, but these were £19 from the LFS and they lasted about two months before they packed up

These look great. I'll try to get someone to send some over for me.

[Richard B]

Got some last night - seems to work fine. The unit has a magnet on the back, which handily sticks to the angle-iron stand. It is reading 6 degrees less than the stick on lcd thermometer which is clearly affected by the room temp

Not a bad bit of kit. if i was picky i'd perhaps want something a little smaller than the 3.5 x 2.75 inch unit & something completely submersible, but you can't fault it for £4.88

[PlecoCrazy]

I use the coralife digital thermometers and the sensor is completely submersible on a 3 foot cord with the digital display staying out of water. You can choose c or f. No alarms however. The batteries seem to last about 2-3 years and are replaceable. I have yet to have one quick working other than running out of batteries. You can pick them up at big als for $6.50 or I'm sure other places sell them.

http://www.bigalsonline.com/StoreCatalo ... 0&offset=0

[Jools]

I use the coralife digital thermometers and the sensor is completely submersible on a 3 foot cord with the digital display staying out of water. You can choose c or f. No alarms however. The batteries seem to last about 2-3 years and are replaceable. I have yet to have one quick working other than running out of batteries. You can pick them up at big als for $6.50 or I'm sure other places sell them.

http://www.bigalsonline.com/StoreCatalo ... 0&offset=0

They're pretty good, Shane brought me a bunch of them over from the US. Given the then exchange rate, they were only around £3 each which made them very good value. Maybe you can get a bunch of them on eBay.

Jools

[Mike_Noren]

I use something much like this, though not that exact one, bought at a local hardware store.

The metal probe is allegedly rust-proof, but I've covered it with a thin layer of aquarium silicone to be on the safe side. It was cheap, works well, and has max/min function.

[Richard B]

Yesterday i tested the alarm function (much to the annoyance of my girlfriend )

The tank temp read 25c (18" tank - small bodies of water are less stable) & i set the alarm temp to 27c, whacked up the room heating & hey presto, after a while the water temp had increased & an annoying alarm was going off!

I think this could be really useful - think about those heater jams.....