Lecture from LFS

[albert_dao]

So this is what you were asking about yesterday Stace, LOL!

[bassman]

Originally Posted by albert_dao

So this is what you were asking about yesterday Stace, LOL!

You got me, LOL

[Matt]

Originally Posted by fishoholic

We keep our tank at 79-81 usually it pretty much stays at 80, everything in our tank seems fine and has been (temp wise) for the past 2 years. Not feeding fish at all seems cruel to me.

Likely not possible to have a healthy closed ecosystem without feeding. To maintain the perfect balance (just enough nutrients to feed the algae, in turn feeding the pods and fish, in turn producing enough nutrients to feed the algae)... just about impossible to imagine. Theoretically possible, as long as none of the fish grew, but much more likely that he's been drawing down stored nutrients from some in-system bank. Also likely that he's spouting BS. In any case, if the fish are thriving after 8 years, there's not much case for cruelty.

[digital-audiophile]

I've actually cut back on my feeding a lot. I used to feed daily but now I usually feed every third day. In turn I see my tangs picking at algae more and my sixline pod hunting

[bassman]

Originally Posted by Matt

In any case, if the fish are thriving after 8 years, there's not much case for cruelty.

I would agree except for what he said after telling me that he didn't feed. It went something like this....."Well I like to see how far I can push things, so if one day I see my tangs spine I might feed it for a couple of weeks."

[fishoholic]

BTW I was refering to the not feeding at all, I realize it's fine to cut back on feeding, but not to feed at all ever????!!!!! not so sure about that.

Originally Posted by bassman

I would agree except for what he said after telling me that he didn't feed. It went something like this....."Well I like to see how far I can push things, so if one day I see my tangs spine I might feed it for a couple of weeks."

[StirCrazy]

hmmm , there is some validity in the temp thing, most surface reefs are in the high 70's to low 80's but... so many of the corals we have in our tanks are actually from deeper reefs where the temps very well could be 75 or lower. the major effect temp has between 75 and 82 is on the metabolism of the corals. most simple life forms will have a metabolism that speeds up as the temp goes up so things will happen faster, growth, death, bleaching ect.. also there was some argument years back I read about them burning them selves out faster but no one could prove this. now I know when you have certain problems with pathogens you treat then raise the temp so they live faster which means they will take in the treatment faster and hence die faster. so there is some validity there.

me, I liked 78 as a temp, but never got concerned if I went up to 84.

Steve

[marie]

Temperature : Actually quite variable, but only variable within a set range. Which for this reef can be a low of 76 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 quote was taken from Chucks website who lives in the phillipines and takes daily measurements of temp, salinity ect

http://home2.pacific.net.ph/~sweetyummy42/reeftour.html

[Tom R]

I have always set my heaters to a high of 78.0 F and my chiller to a low of 82.0 F.

It is not that you cannot keep your reef at 75.0 F, I just believe that you put undo stress on the occupants when you keep your temp on the low side. For example if you have Tangs I believe you will experience more symptoms of ICK at the lower temp. I also believe that your corals will grow much slower at lower temp.

However one thing have noticed in this hobby is that no two people are following the exact same practises and yet we all have certain success with what we do.

Tom R

[bv_reefer]

I've never really let mine drop under 76, but it's almost always between 77-80, and everything seems to love it at that temp, even a full day of lights won't go above 80