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| General Reef Discussion In this forum we discuss issues related to keeping marine and reef aquariums in a friendly flame-free environment. |
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10-25-2009, 04:02 PM
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#1
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Little Fishy
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: NY
Posts: 139
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What is the optimum water temperature for a reef system?
Is there an optimum temperature for a reef tank? Everything I've read says that 77 degrees is good for FO tank, but I want to have corals someday. Right now, I've got just LR, LS bed and a variety of snails and an couple of crabs. Tank is steady between 78-80 degrees.
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10-25-2009, 04:12 PM
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#2
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Big Fishy
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: Indiana
Posts: 992
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78-80 is a good temp-drew
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10-25-2009, 04:13 PM
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#3
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Son of Jor El
 
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: Springfield MO
Posts: 4,615
Reviews: 52
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people have different opinions. I think anywhere between 72 and probably 83... maybe 84 can work as long as it stays pretty consistent. The higher the temp the faster metabolisms work. A tank that stays 82 will show faster coral growth than one at 72. But infections, pests, etc will also develop more quickly and can overwhlem defenses and give you less time to respond. Some critters have a temp they are adapted to. A coldwater snail will not live that long in a 82 degree tank. Most of the corals and fish we keep are fine in the ranges I mentioned above. Soem have success a bit outside those ranges as well. I try to aim for about 76-78 personally... but I don't run a heater so I rely on pumps and lights to keep it above the 72 degree air temp.
__________________
Jeremy http://www.thereeftank.com/forums/f7...ef-119089.html
Did I ever tell you about the time Brasky went hunting? Well anyway, Brasky decides he's gonna hunt down all four members of the Banana Splits. He stalks and kills every one of them with a machete. They all beg for their lives, except Fleagul.
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10-25-2009, 04:18 PM
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#4
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Little Fishy
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: NY
Posts: 139
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I'm not using a heater or chiller either. Just dual fans that keep the temp pretty constant at 78-80 over 24 hrs.
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10-25-2009, 04:26 PM
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#5
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Little Fishy
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Jersey City
Posts: 453
Reviews: 1
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I just came back from the cayman islands. The reef there is so amazing! I have yet to see a tank on here with such beauty! I'm not knocking anyone, but just letting you know mother nature has some swings. So here you go.
Right now, the water there in the shallow reef (1-15ft) is 85. The deeper reef at 35-50ft is 84. The deepest reef, but not much coral, at 100ft is 83.
From top to bottom the water is near identical in temp and is very warm. This is about as warm as it gets, but the shallow reef there can reach 87. In the winter the coldest it gets is 78.
So marine life has a pretty wide range of conditions it can tolerate.
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10-25-2009, 04:39 PM
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#6
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Little Fishy
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: NY
Posts: 139
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Wow! That's really warm. I'm afraid to go that hot in a 28 gallon NanoCube because of dissolved oxygen and potential for disease. (I'm gonna need a bigger tank)
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10-25-2009, 04:42 PM
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#7
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Kid Reefer
Join Date: May 2009
Location: New York
Posts: 2,125
Reviews: 20
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Yea i wouldnt keep it at 85 for all 24 hours but i think that would be fine if it happens. Id only start to worry if my tank got into the 90's.
Last edited by Reeftanker3295; 10-25-2009 at 04:47 PM.
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10-25-2009, 04:48 PM
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#8
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I've got the REEF rash!
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: New Jersey
Posts: 34,178
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77-80.
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10-25-2009, 05:00 PM
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#9
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Little Fishy
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Jersey City
Posts: 453
Reviews: 1
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ktellerman
Wow! That's really warm. I'm afraid to go that hot in a 28 gallon NanoCube because of dissolved oxygen and potential for disease. (I'm gonna need a bigger tank)
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Bingo! It is kind of a bad comparison of a huge ocean with a small tank. The ocean has such a huge volume it makes up for a lot of factors whereas a small tank can't make up for even small errors.
I keep mine at 80-82. Thats just what it stays at naturally with the equipment.
I just posted my "real world" experience to show there is a significant level of tolerance and to not freak out if for a short period things go a little wacky
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10-25-2009, 05:04 PM
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#10
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Great Hammerhead Shark
Join Date: May 2006
Location: Southern United States
Posts: 1,478
Reviews: 31
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the chiller is set between 76-78 I have had problems with softies any hotter than that for any period of time.
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10-25-2009, 05:58 PM
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#11
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Little Fishy
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Bartlett, Il
Posts: 121
Reviews: 1
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my tank is at 85 most of the time because of the lights and the heater. everything is doing fine in my tank.
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14 year old reefer. freshy in high school. im buying everything myself.
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10-25-2009, 06:06 PM
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#12
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Big Fishy
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Largo, Florida
Posts: 987
Reviews: 12
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My tank stays anywhere from 80-85.
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-Zack
30g Reef Tank. 
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10-26-2009, 06:13 PM
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#13
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Little Fishy
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: NY
Posts: 139
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So, 83 is better for a reef biotope?
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Feeding Sergeant Majors in Bermuda
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10-26-2009, 08:06 PM
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#14
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photomod
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: Montana
Posts: 5,901
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It really is kind of a personal preference as long as it's in a decent range. As Jeremy said, higher temps increase coral metabolism, along with the metabolisms of other not so welcome inhabitants (disease causing microbes/parasites).
I run mine at 82, because I can easily maintain that temp and the heater never comes on. If the heater came on, I would drop my temp until the fans are the controlling factor. Much better for energy consumption.  |
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10-27-2009, 12:40 PM
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#15
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The Watcher
Join Date: May 2007
Location: La Crosse WI
Posts: 1,518
Reviews: 22
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I run at about 77 degrees, in the summer it might spike up to around 82 on the really hot days if I don't have the AC running.
Jeremy is correct on the metabolism/heat correlation. I have read accounts of lowering your temps to increase livestock lifespans due to slower metabolism. i.e the critters do not grow as fast and thus do not die as early. I have only read this, I am not a scientist only play one at home. |
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