Optimal Temp for Reef?

[jpc763]

I was wondering what you all keep your reef at.

I just got a Ranco Controller and found that my reef has been running HOT. My digital thermometer reported 78 and Ranco reported 81! :mad2:

So I have set the Ranco for 78 (with a 2 degree cushion) and today it is reporting 77 while the digital is showing 74! I checked with a glass thermometer and the glass one matches the Ranco.

So given that my reef seemed pretty happy at 81, what temp should I put it at?

Thanks.

[sus]

mine fluctuates between 79-82

[spleify]

Mine goes from 79-81.

[whyamisofly]

79-80.1

[runningstix]

Mine goes from 78.9 to 83.0 and ice bottles get dropped in I need to address heat issues.

[deklin]

I keep mine around 78. Generally 75-80 is an acceptable range to target. Keep it closer to 75 if your tank is focused on optimal temp for fish, closer to 80 if focused on optimal temp for corals.

[Sisterlimonpot]

79-83 only in the summer does it get up to 83. Then I set up a box fan blowing across the surface of the water.

[zombiereef]

my neptune controller varies it from 75 in the winter to 82 in the summer.

[jonthefb]

When I had my 65 running I kept it between 82 and 84. Now with the frag tank I have it set 78-80. "optimal" is something that is relative. The average temps of reefs around the world is around 82 degrees. The thing that you want to minimize is fluctuation, for all of your livestocks sake!
Cheers~!
Jon

[murfman]

I keep mine set for 79. Lights get turned off by the controller if it hits 82

[stugray]

One lesson I learned:

Once the temp gets above 83, then expect to have whole colony Die-Offs.

If you have a controller & chiller, then you can dance around death, but it is not advised.

Stay below 80 and you are good.

Stu

[Sisterlimonpot]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15241387#post15241387 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by stugray
One lesson I learned:

Once the temp gets above 83, then expect to have whole colony Die-Offs.
Stu,
Colony's of bacteria?

[spstimie]

75-77

[sus]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15241387#post15241387 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by stugray
One lesson I learned:

Once the temp gets above 83, then expect to have whole colony Die-Offs.

If you have a controller & chiller, then you can dance around death, but it is not advised.

Stay below 80 and you are good.

Stu

I'm a little confused by this, as my tank hits 83 often on hotter days. I think its like jon said, mimimizing swings. since my tank is usually around 81-82 during the day, its no big deal to hit 83, but if your usually at 77 and jump rapidly to 83, then you'll probably have some issues.

[jonthefb]

Id have to agree with sus. Like I said these results are all relative and asking a question like this is going to get a ton of mixed results. Stu, who maintains his temp below 80 degrees, is probably going to loose some things if his tank gets up to 83.

Same is to be said if you get a coral from a fellow reefer, or lfs and they keep their tanks warmer/cooler than yours. Acclimation is key, as is minimizing temp swings.

To blatantly say that:

"Once the temp gets above 83, then expect to have whole colony Die-Offs."

is not good advice, and should be taken with a huge cup of salt

Ultimately like I said before, it is up to you. I personally found, in my aquarium, after running the temp at 78-80 consistantly, when I raised the temp up to 82-84 I had better polyp extension out of all of my corals, sps, lps, and softies alike. Temp was the only variable that was adjusted and so the change in health was attributed to the change in temp.

Be aware of your system. Hopefully this thread will make you a little more conscious of other systems when you are purchasing livestock, and will result in healthier, hardier livestock!
Cheers~!
Jon

[runningstix]

One day before I was too good for a themometer I kept my tank at whatever in my bow front. I then found out my tank was about 87 to 92 my sps was fine. Maybe even better than in my new tank kept at proper temps. I read an article on temp swings, and the general idea was coral will adapt but if you always keep your tank stable with no variation when something strays you will have huge die offs

[jpc763]

Thanks all for the input.

I have 9 fish and 40 or 50 colonies of corals. I adjusted my Ranco to a temp of 80 with a heat threshold of 78.

So far my fan system (and the basement location) seems to keep the temp below 80 consistently so hopefully I will not have overheating issues.

[pherbert]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15240516#post15240516 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by jpc763
I just got a Ranco Controller and found that my reef has been running HOT. My digital thermometer reported 78 and Ranco reported 81! :mad2: I checked with a glass thermometer and the glass one matches the Ranco.


Reading this is like deja vu (all over again!) for me too. These are exactly the temps I was getting from the digital and glass thermometers, and it wasn't until I got the Ranco that I felt comfortable in the accuracy of the higher number.

I'm setting up the Ranco to start a couple of 80mm computer case fans to blow across the water if it exceeds 80, but I'll walk down one degree a week from the average 83 I've got now to avoid any shock.

Question for the group: Of those using fans for cooling, do you think it's better to have them on the tank or the sump? With my setup it would be just as easy and inconspicuous either way, but my instinct is that it would be more efficient on the tank. The airflow can reach a bigger surface area. Comments?

[zombiereef]

i like my fan in the canopy blowing on the MH and water surface. seems to cool faster.

[jonthefb]

I would recommend doing both. Your sump (especially if in a stand) can generate a significant amount of heat from all of the devices that are down there. A lot of times when I had customers who were having issues with temp, even after putting fans in canopies, having them blow across the water surface, etc, by placing a fan in the stand/sump area, and getting some air circulation there would also help to drop overall tank temp.
Cheers~!
Jon

[pherbert]

You know, I never thought of doing both, but it sounds like a good idea. I've got an in-wall tank (in-bar most accurately,) so I have both plenty of room for access and plenty of airflow behind the tank. You are correct though, there are three pumps in the sump and a light, so I can see those generating a lot of heat.

(Jon, I hope things are working out for you up there in the aftermath.)

Thanks!

[Sisterlimonpot]

Thanks Jon that is some sound advice. Today my 72g got up to 85 because of how hot it was. but we usually keep that one at 82. So I was stressing until I read your post.
Thanks again!!!

[jonthefb]

No problem! glad I can help. I have always been one of those people who thinks that chillers are an unnecessary and expensive piece of equpment, and so I am always trying to think of ways to help keep temps down without investing in one of those things!
Cheers~!
Jon

[murfman]

http://web.archive.org/web/20030218193420/www.animalnetwork.com/fish2/aqfm/1997/nov/features/1/default.asp

[runningstix]

very neat article murfman. Thanks for the link

[jpc763]

Good article! I guess I will be increasing the temp!

J

[evergreenreeftank]

That is a very interesting article. I had been concerned that my daily temperature range is 80 to 83, but it would seem thats not a bad place to be.

[murfman]

I think where the issues are is when you have spikes in temps. Acceptable to high and then back down to acceptable. A lot depends on the corals we are keeping. If it is a deepwater species and the temp gets to 83 it is going to smoke.

[silent saab]

got a question, i keep my tank temp around 74-76... all my sps look fine, but was wondering if these low temps would stop the coral from growing faster? Also if it is bad to have the tank temps down that low?

[Sisterlimonpot]

SS,
What are you using as a thermometer?

[silent saab]

i have a hand held temp sensor and its the same as the glass temp...

my tank is also in the basement, so that helps keep it cool..

Thanks,
Josh

[jonthefb]

Josh, the temp that you are keeping your tank at is perfect. The question about it inhibiting coral growth is a tricky one to answer. At higher temeperatures, cellular respiration (the process in which corals produce simple sugars) occurs faster, which generally results in a lower concentration of oxygen in the surrounding environment. So yes your corals may be growing slightly slower than those kept in other tanks with higher temps, but the difference would be so miniscule that it really wouldnt have any noteable effect. Variables such as light, water chemistry, dissolved organic levels, etc, have a much more influential role in the success of the corals and their growth rate than temperature ever will.

As long as you keep temp stable, you shouldnt run into any problems.

Cheers~!
Jon

[silent saab]

double post sorry

[silent saab]

wow thank you that answered every question that i had about the temp and growth of my corals...

Thanks again,
Josh