Temperature Fluctuation

[marie]

[ Temperature : Actually quite variable, but only variable within a set range. Which for this reef can be a low of 80 to a high of 90. The factors that determine any given temperature involves :
Seasonal Fluctuations, Which for the tropics involves only two. A wet cloudy, thus cooler season, and a dry cloudless, much warmer season. On a seasonal average, I would say that during the wet season, the daily average is 80 F. While during the dry season, the daily average is 84 F. With an overall yearly average right at 82 F. Water depth and proximity to deeper water currents also greatly effect the day to day temperature swings.
In the shallow grass beds, during a lull in the tides and on a sunny day, the temperature can easily reach 90 F. On that same day, the deeper, coral reef can reach 84 F. Yet when a low tide flushes the much warmer water out into the deeper reefs, the temperature climbs quickly to 86 F. The reverse happens when a high tide brings in cooler water from the much deeper open ocean. Going from 84 F. to 80 F. in a matter of hours. Night time temperature drops usually deducts about 4 degrees from the daytime average.

This was taken from Charles Raabe website, he has been studying the coral reefs in his area in the phillipines
http://www.chucksaddiction.com/reeftour.html

I try to keep the temp of my tank at 82F but in reality the temp goes from 79 in the morning up to 84 at night

[sphelps]

Try keeping your tank at 26.5C instead of 25.5C. You should notice a smaller fluctuation. Probably will still only reach 27.5C max.

[Aquattro]

Originally Posted by sphelps

Try keeping your tank at 26.5C instead of 25.5C. You should notice a smaller fluctuation. Probably will still only reach 27.5C max.

I found this also on my current tank, it would only hit 82 ,regardless whether my initial temp was 78 or 80

[sitandwatch]

Thanks for the help, I have raised my base temp to about 26 and will monitor it for a while.