miogpsrocks
New member
Does a reef tank require a heater or chiller or both?
What temperature do you need for the beginner soft corals?
Thanks.
What temperature do you need for the beginner soft corals?
Thanks.
Do I need a heater or a chiller?
- Thread starter miogpsrocks
- Start date
Almost always a heater, the need for a chiller depends upon your lighting and how warm you let your house get in the summer before the AC turns on. I haven't had a chiller for the past 6 years but I use LED lighting, have fans that turn on when the water starts to get warm and we rarely let the house go over 80 degrees.
bundybear1981
New member
I don't use any heaters, have a chiller thou. House isn't air conditioned and summer here hits about 95F with a lot of humidity. All depends on where you live
Sapelo
New member
As stated above, almost certainly a heater. We don't run a chiller and summers here can top 100 which means that even with LED lights I'm sometimes using ice water bottles to cool the tank.
Some of this answer will also depend on what you want to keep in your tank. SPS coral, for example, will take lots less temp flux than some other things you might keep.
Certain fish need cooler temps. It really is going to depend on your end goal.
Some of this answer will also depend on what you want to keep in your tank. SPS coral, for example, will take lots less temp flux than some other things you might keep.
Certain fish need cooler temps. It really is going to depend on your end goal.
You live in Florida? You have AC? You need a heater (get a Jager: good, accurate, and safer than some) which most of the time won't run. If you have adequate AC and keep the house in the mid 70's, no need for a chiller. If AC goes out, use a fan on the water surface. You can drop the temperature as much as 10 degrees by that alone. CHiller is usually useful in areas where there is minimal AC.
shifty51008
12-5 Chiefs record
As stated a heater is usually always needed but a chiller depends. I run mh's and never needed a chiller. As for temps for soft corals you want to try to keep temps around 78 degrees
Reef Frog
New member
Under normal circumstances, my room temp runs between 70F-72F. Since the tank's pumps & lights add about 7-8F degrees, the heater is almost never needed.
The exceptions would be if the heating system broke down. Since I have a heat pump with electric back up, failure is a small possibility. But during total failure where the house reached say 40F in winter, I doubt 150 watts of heater would help much in such a scenario, but I have another 150w on the shelf.
I can correct any environmental issue if I'm not traveling or on vacation. Undetected failure of heating or cooling at the wrong time is my primary vulnerability.
The exceptions would be if the heating system broke down. Since I have a heat pump with electric back up, failure is a small possibility. But during total failure where the house reached say 40F in winter, I doubt 150 watts of heater would help much in such a scenario, but I have another 150w on the shelf.
I can correct any environmental issue if I'm not traveling or on vacation. Undetected failure of heating or cooling at the wrong time is my primary vulnerability.
