Tropic Marin ATM50002 Precision Thermometer

good price for good item.f a s t s h i p p i n g . . .

The thermometer arrived with a gap in the liquid indicator as often happens. Unfortunately, the glass column has a bend in it between the bulb and the main body of the thermometer. This makes reuniting the liquid impossible as the gap becomes hung up there.The suggested ice water method does not work as it is not cold enough to draw all the liquid dye into the bulb. If you shake the thermometer as advised, the beads in the bulb will break the glass. I have repaired thermometer problems many times when I worked in a laboratory, but this was a lost cause. The thermometer also lacks an expansion bulb at the top, so heating to eliminate the gap will burst the glass.I now suspect the temperature inaccuracies described in the other reviews were due to gaps in the column that were not noticed.

This Tropic Marin themometer reads 2 degrees (Farenheit) low when compared to four other thermometers (two of the others are digital).I bought this thermometer new last week. It is in good condition (not broken, cracked, dropped, abused, etc.). The red alcohol column is intact (no bubbles). Two other aquarium thermometers (one digital) located in my aquarium read near 77 degrees F, while the new Tropic Marin thermometer reads near 75 degrees. In another comparison, two (human) body temperature thermometers (one digital), placed in my mouth, both registered 98.4 degrees while the Tropic Marin reads about 96.5 degrees.

After six consecutive days of trying to obtain an accurate temperature reading with this "precision instrument" I junked it for a medium to high end digital. $25.00 lesson learned.