Temperature questions?

[KrazyKuch]

Originally Posted by Kronk

I think its consistency is more than actual temperature, anything between 76 - 82 should be fine as long as it doesnt fluctuate by more than a degree.

I don't know about that....I keep my tank at 80 on the button, and at night it usually drops to 79 degrees...

Last summer I had my tank go for 80 in the morning to near 87 degrees by the time night came around and had no ill effects at all, fish were fine coral growth slowed down alot but other then that it was fine.....(Stupid +30 weather)

[justinl]

Im going to have to agree with Konk. Think about the natural ocean. Temperature can vary a bit over depth and area but temperature always is constant and fluctuates virtually not at all throughout 24hrs.

Krazykuch, where do you keep your tank if you don't mind me asking? Is it by a large window or a heating vent? I think 7 degrees is quite a fluctuation in a single day.

[Reefer Rob]

81 is my target, but it it fluctuates +/- 1 degree.

Natural reef temperatures fluctuate 5 or 6 degrees seasonally, but probably only change 2 or 3 decreases during the course of a day in the top 5' of water.

When you snorkel in the shallows over the reef mid-day it is quite a bit warmer than in the valleys between.

[Doug]

I also run at 77. My corals are just fine, plus its the desired range for my angel. There are as many advanced aquarists who agree with the lower range of temps, as those that say we need to stay at 80 to 82 range.

Many stay higher because thats the temp. it stays closest to with halides in a hood, etc. I have an open top, so no problem keeping my cooler and my heaters work less.

[BCOrchidGuy]

I aim for the mid to high 70s, I've got my ebo set at 76ish and so far it's holding fine. With the warm weather I expect the tank to go well above 80 but I hope to buy an airconditioner to help keep the living room in the area of 80F.

Doug

[canadawest]

My temp is 80 at night, with a peak of 83-84 by late evening at the end of the MH photoperiod.

I do intend to get some fans installed in my canopy before the summer temps begin in order to avoid ugly temperature swings, and to hopefully maintain the overall swing from 80 low to 82 high.

I also tend to agree with Borneman and other's articles about average reef temps being in the low-mid 80s, and with overall global warming increasing that trend I think we're going to see future generations of species having to adapt to the higher avg temps.

[Bartman]

I have my temp controller set at 80F. When the temp drops to 79F the heaters come on. The tank has never been over 80F. It's a balancing act because some of the critters (mainly clean up crew) we keep don't like it too warm.