Reef Temperature
- Thread starter FishNerd
- Start date
LuckyReefer123
Member
The reccomended is 72-78. I personally like mine on the warmer side because i notice more active life when i do. There are many arguements on this topic but its more what you feel comfrotable with. Try going wtih 75-76 at first and see what happens. And try not to fluctuate your temp to much, i do believe it can be harmful.
jedi82knight
Member
I run at approx 79 degrees, with aggressive surface agitation to keep oxygen levels up.
Skyreefer
Member
Temperature info is interesting for reef keeping. I saw a survey about bubble tip anemones on about.com that showed people who kept their tanks at 86 degrees had a better survival rate for the anemones. I thought that was a little too high though. I keep mine at 79.
Here's the link:
http://saltaquarium.about.com/od/seaanemoneprofiles/ss/sbsanemonesurvey_9.htm
Here's the link:
http://saltaquarium.about.com/od/seaanemoneprofiles/ss/sbsanemonesurvey_9.htm
Keep in mind that our "Reef Systems" are comprised of coral from oceans and other "salty areas" all over the world.Some of the coral we keep are from deeper water where it's a good deal cooler on average and some (anemone) are found very often in shallow (Much warmer) waters. What we're trying to do is find a happy medium in which most any coral we want might not only survive but thrive.
I personally have had better results in the 75-77 range with my tanks.
I personally have had better results in the 75-77 range with my tanks.
Skyreefer
Member
I agree. It makes sense as to why most experts recommend a species only tank if you choose to keep anemones. That way temperature and water quality will be dedicated to their thriving.
I have always maintained a temperature between 76-78f
Here is a good read on the topic:
Temperature impacts reef aquarium inhabitants in a variety of ways. First and foremost, the animals' metabolic rates rise as temperature rises. They may consequently use more oxygen, carbon dioxide, nutrients, calcium and alkalinity at higher temperatures. This higher metabolic rate can also increase both their growth rate and waste production at higher temperatures.
Another important impact of temperature is on the chemical aspects of the aquarium. The solubility of dissolved gases such as oxygen and carbon dioxide, for example, changes with temperature. Oxygen, in particular, can be a concern because it is less soluble at higher temperature.
So what does this imply for aquarists?
In most instances, trying to match the natural environment in a reef aquarium is a worthy goal. Temperature may, however, be a parameter that requires accounting for the practical considerations of a small closed system. Looking to the ocean as a guide for setting temperatures in reef aquaria may present complications, because corals grow in such a wide range of temperatures. Nevertheless, Ron Shimek has shown in a previous article that the greatest variety of corals are found in water whose average temperature is about 83-86° F.
Reef aquaria do, however, have limitations that may make their optimal temperature somewhat lower. During normal functioning of a reef aquarium, the oxygen level and the metabolic rate of the aquarium inhabitants are not often important issues. During a crisis such as a power failure, however, the dissolved oxygen can be rapidly used up. Lower temperatures not only allow a higher oxygen level before an emergency, but will also slow the consumption of that oxygen by slowing the metabolism of the aquarium's inhabitants. The production of ammonia as organisms begin to die may also be slower at lower temperatures. For reasons such as this, one may choose to strike a practical balance between temperatures that are too high (even if corals normally thrive in the ocean at those temperatures), and those that are too low. Although average reef temperatures in maximal diversity areas (i.e. coral triangle centered Indonesia,) these areas are also often subject to significant mixing. In fact, the cooler reefs, ( i..e. open Pacific reefs) are often more stable at lower temperatures due to oceanic exchange but are less tolerant to bleaching and other temperature related perturbations.
All things considered, those natural guidelines leave a fairly wide range of acceptable temperatures. I keep my aquarium at about 80-81° F year-round. I am actually more inclined to keep the aquarium cooler in the summer, when a power failure would most likely warm the aquarium, and higher in winter, when a power failure would most likely cool it.
All things considered, I recommend temperatures in the range of 76-83° F unless there is a very clear reason to keep it outside that range.
Reef Aquarium Water Parameters by Randy Holmes-Farley - Reefkeeping.com
Here is a good read on the topic:
Temperature impacts reef aquarium inhabitants in a variety of ways. First and foremost, the animals' metabolic rates rise as temperature rises. They may consequently use more oxygen, carbon dioxide, nutrients, calcium and alkalinity at higher temperatures. This higher metabolic rate can also increase both their growth rate and waste production at higher temperatures.
Another important impact of temperature is on the chemical aspects of the aquarium. The solubility of dissolved gases such as oxygen and carbon dioxide, for example, changes with temperature. Oxygen, in particular, can be a concern because it is less soluble at higher temperature.
So what does this imply for aquarists?
In most instances, trying to match the natural environment in a reef aquarium is a worthy goal. Temperature may, however, be a parameter that requires accounting for the practical considerations of a small closed system. Looking to the ocean as a guide for setting temperatures in reef aquaria may present complications, because corals grow in such a wide range of temperatures. Nevertheless, Ron Shimek has shown in a previous article that the greatest variety of corals are found in water whose average temperature is about 83-86° F.
Reef aquaria do, however, have limitations that may make their optimal temperature somewhat lower. During normal functioning of a reef aquarium, the oxygen level and the metabolic rate of the aquarium inhabitants are not often important issues. During a crisis such as a power failure, however, the dissolved oxygen can be rapidly used up. Lower temperatures not only allow a higher oxygen level before an emergency, but will also slow the consumption of that oxygen by slowing the metabolism of the aquarium's inhabitants. The production of ammonia as organisms begin to die may also be slower at lower temperatures. For reasons such as this, one may choose to strike a practical balance between temperatures that are too high (even if corals normally thrive in the ocean at those temperatures), and those that are too low. Although average reef temperatures in maximal diversity areas (i.e. coral triangle centered Indonesia,) these areas are also often subject to significant mixing. In fact, the cooler reefs, ( i..e. open Pacific reefs) are often more stable at lower temperatures due to oceanic exchange but are less tolerant to bleaching and other temperature related perturbations.
All things considered, those natural guidelines leave a fairly wide range of acceptable temperatures. I keep my aquarium at about 80-81° F year-round. I am actually more inclined to keep the aquarium cooler in the summer, when a power failure would most likely warm the aquarium, and higher in winter, when a power failure would most likely cool it.
All things considered, I recommend temperatures in the range of 76-83° F unless there is a very clear reason to keep it outside that range.
Reef Aquarium Water Parameters by Randy Holmes-Farley - Reefkeeping.com
Great post frankie !
mbdave
Active Member
Mr. Frankie laid it out well, the only thing I could add is for the sake of the fish is to avoid large or even small and swift swings in temperature. I remember a little totally not scientific survey is we while diving would hang out at a thermocline and see how long the fish would hang out. Surprisingly we did not notice any fish hanging around in fact they seemed to avoid it? Again this was totally elementary just a couple sailors diving saying, "wow the fish dislike the thermo cline as much as us" I think the barbeque is hot and the beer is cold lets ascend
ChrisOaty
Member
I live in a location that gets pretty hot in the summer time and i think its more important to limit the temperature swing in a given day. In the spring, winter, and fall, I'm able to keep my 14 gallon BioCube at 78-79 degrees. In the summer, ve never seen the water temperature rise above 82 during the day, so I set the thermostat on my heater to 80 because it can drop below that at night. This limits the temperature swing to 2 degrees.
wonderloss
Member
Mine is kept between ~79 - 82. I live in Florida, so it is hard to keep it cooler without a chiller. I use a controller that turns on a fan when it gets warm and turns on the heater when it gets to cool.
dalbertson
Member
Mine stays between 79-81. Summers can sometimes push it higher in California w/ no chiller, but my six cooling fans usually do the trick. Just have to top off with fresh RO a little more often.