Best Temp for SPS Coral????

[Jasonf08]

Ok i just setup my new chiller & keep a SPS tank. I know this is a dumb question, but i would like to hear from others with experience. What is the best tempature to keep sps coral to optimize Color & Growth?

My temps were stable before but just high. I woudl like to take advantage of the equipment investment to benefit my tank

 

[sohal1025]

I always heard that it should be about 78.

What kind of chiller did you get?
I was thinking of getting one myself but there is alot to choose from.

 

[Bcollins111900]

Jason what tempatures does the tank typicaly run at? I have always heard much past 80 degrees is getting into the danger area.

 

[GSMguy]

the temperatures on the reef can vary 10 degrees in one day since you have the chiller id try for 80-81

 

[Aqua Keepers]

There's a pretty decent sized thread on this over in the SPS forum.

 

[Jasonf08]

I searched for it over there in the sps section, i must have missed it. I was getting temps of like 88 max but on average 84 min.

 

[mike660r]

That is a bit warm in the mid and upper 80. I had heat issues on my tank for years. I started running a chiller while using 3 400 watt bulbs. You will find out fast how much it sucks to run a chiller, FYI. I dropped down to 250 watt bulbs the next year and set the chiller to kick on at 81 degrees. I tried to maintain a 1-2 degree swing from 79-81. It would reach 82 on occasion. 85-86 wiped out my SPS colonies overnight when I moved. I am sure there are a lot of people can vouch for my corals from the past 3 years as being full of color and vigorus growth at the 79-81 settings. In my new setup I am maintaining 78.5 to 79.5 without a chiller in the hottest days in Ohio.

I hope this info helps you out.


Mike C.

 

[Jasonf08]

wow, thanks for the great info, but if im getting this right i would be setting the swing a little bigger so i dont loose them in a move
I can adjust the chiller from 2, 3, & 4 degree swings, gsmguy recommended a 3 degree swing to prevent what your saying.

I will be moving in a year from now & would like to maximize color without risking the whole lot when moving

 

[Burgman]

Hi Mike,

Ok I will bite, how are you maintaining 78.5 to 79.5 without a chiller?

Dave

 

[sohal1025]

I was wondering that myself. My temp swings from 80-83.8 at its highest. Thats with only T-5s and VHOs and a small fan to cool them.

 

[Csxno1]

New research is showing that consistently keeping temps 78 degrees or below helps to prevent RTN and STN situations. The research shows that above 78 degrees there is an exponential growth of vibrio bacteria levels the higher the temps get. Once they get to critical levels the sps react and it causes most RTN situations. Check out the article in Aquarium fish magazine. We raise sps commercially for the wholesale trade. We have found that we have a more stable system with the lower temps, and get just a good color and growth as we had when we were running in the 80-82 degree temp range.

 

[Aqua Keepers]

Csxno1, That's very interesting. Know of any online info to back this up?

 

[Jasonf08]

Wow, that is very interesting. Currently i have my chiller set to 77 with a two degree swing. I picked 77 because temps stay at 78 the longest because its between the turn on and turn off point. It sounds like thats a real good temp with trying to prevent any possible rtn & stn.

 

[GSMguy]

CSXNO1

many people maintain their reefs at 81 and are ok but one time at 86 will cause them(happened to me) to lose colonys that is why i maintain 76.7-78.7 year round. and hope i do not overheat them. What do you think about conditioning your colonys to withstand temp differences by changing the temps according to season or some other variable?

 

[Aqua Keepers]

http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=1187030