Metal ball bearings from thermometer....dangerous?

Rippin · #1 08-21-2008, 08:58 PM

Hi all,

Wondering if any of you have experienced this....
My thermometer broke and a small amount of the metal ball bearings that weighs down the unit was scattered in the nano tank before I had a chance to take out the thermometer.

Do you think these metal ball bearings will cause water quality problems further down the road?

Trying to find all of them to take them out would be a bit of a pain...

slakker · #2 08-21-2008, 09:08 PM

Not sure if they're a problem, but you can try a magnet to pick them all up...

Rippin · #3 08-21-2008, 09:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by slakker

Not sure if they're a problem, but you can try a magnet to pick them all up...

Brilliant!....wow, I must be really tired not to see that solution.

spreerider · #4 08-21-2008, 09:13 PM

they are usually made of steel or stainless steel, but some cheaper ones use led, if a magnet picks them up then they are steel or iron, but a magnet will not work on stainless steel or led.

#5 08-21-2008, 09:32 PM

I thought we might be in trouble (led polution) if those led balls are in the salt tank

slakker · #6 08-22-2008, 12:45 AM

Lead would be bad... but magnets should work on stainless... hope it's not lead...

Rippin · #7 08-22-2008, 01:22 AM

I quickly tried a cleaner magnet on them and it picked them up, so they must be steel. Thanks for the suggestion.

spreerider · #8 08-22-2008, 01:34 AM

stainless steel is not magnetic, thats how we can tell the difference at work after it has been powdercoated, we just stick a magnet to it and if it sticks its mild steel and if it doesnt its stainless, some of the lower grades have slight magnetic pull but not enough to pickup even a tiny piece.

banditpowdercoat · #9 08-22-2008, 04:41 AM

Someone say Powdercoating.......LMAO.