What is your reef temperature?

[jmaneyapanda]

This is such a loaded question. Pulling up charts of the oceans temps is totally besides the point. The question is: what is the temperature of your aquarium? If I set my temperature at 82, I guarantee that on July 15th, at 4 PM, the temp will be 84 to 86. Yeah, the ocean my be 82, but it wont fluctuatre like our relatively small volumes of water. So, the real question is: How much do you have invested in livestock on your tank, and how much do you want to gamble? I set my tank to 80 degrees, so I have a better margin of error.

 

[washowi]

Who really wants a 84 degree reef tank here anyway? Man the algae on the glass that crates is overwhelming...

 

[cameron]

Ok... my number (84 give or take some) are from reading and a couple of studies which are the best I could find on the subject. I am not an expert and certainly don't have the first hand experience some do here. Anyway, this is probably one of the better articles I have read with actual numbers on the subject:

http://web.archive.org/web/20020610144845/www.animalnetwork.com/fish2/aqfm/1997/nov/features/1/default.asp">http://web.archive.org/web/20020610144845/www.animalnetwork.com/fish2/aqfm/1997/nov/features/1/default.asp</a>

same deal with some additional info:

[IMG]http://www.reefland.com/rho/1105/reefc7.php">http://www.reefland.com/rho/1105/reefc7.php</a>

I personally run my tank on a seasonal variation which runs my tank from around 78 to 82 across the year. I used to keep my tank warm in winter and cooler in summer for some extra buffering in case of a power failure (cooler in summer would allow the tank to run longer without active cooling) however I found the risk was worth the additional cost savings.

 

[calireefer]

77 in the winter to save on heating costs and 82 in the summer to save on cooling. I have fans, and a chiller that comes on at 83.

You might be interested to know that the temperature on the reefs usually fluctuates at least four degrees between day and night and upwelling of deeper waters can cause even greater fluctuations over the course of a few hours. On most of my dives in Thailand the water was around 82-84 in the daytime and at night it would drop to 78-80.

Check out this cool virtual dive site I found. Lots of good info.

 

[drnecropolis]

Since I got my chiller.. 77 before.. A terrible 85

 

[calireefer]

Double post.

 

[sstraub5150]

I try for 80 but with the halide creeps up to 82 or so.

 

[tebriel]

27 C, my chiller's new logic board was in Celsius so that's how I roll. It's on maybe 1/4-1/2 of the day, it's hot in my apartment even with the window units!

 

[hdfisher]

Mine has been running a bit too hot lately. I may be looking to install a chiller soon...

 

[chefbeier]

I currently run my tank at 79 degrees, I have a few fish but mostly coral sps, lps, and softies. I found I got a good amount of algea blooming when I kept it at 80-81. The corals are doing amazing in the tank so very happy with the temp right now!

 

[steve]

74-75? I cant really vote... Coral and fish and inverts. Corals like colder water from what I've heard... So why not give them what they like. The fish and inverts don't mind it...

 

[ralph atl]

Coral reefs rarely get below 82, so wherever u heard that hey are wrong. 78 would be on the low end for a tank. That would be fine, but still lower than they actually live on the reef.

Steve;195987 wrote: 74-75? I cant really vote... Coral and fish and inverts. Corals like colder water from what I've heard... So why not give them what they like. The fish and inverts don't mind it...

 

[steve]

Whatever you say. My corals are doing awesome and growing well with long polyp extension.

 

[ouling]

I've keet mine dead on at 84 for years.

 

[jmaneyapanda]

Steve;196010 wrote: Whatever you say. My corals are doing awesome and growing well with long polyp extension.

At 75 degrees, you see some very very limited growth. And FWIW, (pet peeve #751 for jeremy) polyp extension doesnt necessarily always equal healthy corals. In fact, excessive polyp extension can be a cry for help for some situations.

 

[jmaneyapanda]

ouling;196042 wrote: I've keet mine dead on at 84 for years.

If I could maintain the temp absolutely, with no worry from added heat from lighting, etc., I would run at 83 or 84, like you. I cant control my temp like that though.

 

[ouling]

The thing about keeping temperature high is that you must never allow it to cool too much too soon. For example, dropping from 84 - 82 in a day is too fast IMO. And also, if things starts to swing towards the upper 85's then there will be problem also.

I use a heater and a chiller, controlled by a Aquacontroller to keep it .4 degrees between 83.6-84.

Once my chiller went out on a very hot day, no one was home so there was no ac, and the tank got to 86 before and a few corals did die. That was before I installed the fans and a new 1/3 horsepower chiller.

 

[washowi]

The devil here.......Maybe you guys keep your tanks at 84 degrees because you can't keep your tanks in the 70's?

Really, 76 to 79 is way better.....

 

[skriz]

When the power went out the other day, my tank's temp rose to 88 degrees. It's amazing how quickly the temp went up, considering it wasn't 88 in the house, and the lights and pumps were all off!

 

[ralph atl]

I've now run my tank 2 times at 78 and 2 different times at 82. Since my tank is on the smaller side, I've seen more benefits at the 78 range. Slightly less growth, less metabalism in the tank's inhabitants, and less algae. I've been at 78 for 5 months now.