Tank Temp????
- Thread starter RRafael
- Start date
I have a 125 and I am running 2 400 MH's in the middle and 2 175 MH's on the outside and don't really have the means to buy a chiller.............................
acropora nut
Member
freez some 2 liter bottles and throw them in your sump.
acropora nut
Member
if you can get the temp around 80-82 you will be fine .But 84 is pushing it.
hansnfrans
New member
I agree w/ acropora nut. How high off of the water do you have the MH lights? Also, how many hours per day do you run the MH lights. They say that anything over 6 hours is excessive and only adding heat to the tank.
acropora nut
Member
you need to run your lights more than 6 hrs .The lowest amount i would run them would be 9 hrs.You could also run them at night not during the day because your house should be cooler.small computer fans is another option.
85 degrees is coral bleaching territory. I got a 'pillar' fan from my local Wallyworld and it's potent, besides short enough to fit in the stand with a small footprint. Do anything you can to encourage evaporation---get lids off anything that is lidded. Also draw house curtains during the day to keep heat down.
PSam
Active member
Think of where most reefs are: average temp of reefs worldwide: about 82/83 F.
All reefs I've ever kept always run about 82 or 83. The hot days in the city (forgetting to turn on a/c), occasionaly 87/88, maybe higher, with little stress visible. I don't worry about it as long as it isn't consistent.
85 F is only "coral bleaching territory", if your normal tank temperature is 78 degrees or so (too low IMO, low calcification rates). I frequently see an hour or so of 85 in late afternoon, no sweat. I get much better growth at higher temperature, and coral seem more resistant to the occasional 88 degree swings.
Similar to acropora nut, I personally would try and get down to 81-83 consistently. Kind of a happy medium. Good Ca growth, more resistant to bleaching, not high enough temp to worry about.
All reefs I've ever kept always run about 82 or 83. The hot days in the city (forgetting to turn on a/c), occasionaly 87/88, maybe higher, with little stress visible. I don't worry about it as long as it isn't consistent.
85 F is only "coral bleaching territory", if your normal tank temperature is 78 degrees or so (too low IMO, low calcification rates). I frequently see an hour or so of 85 in late afternoon, no sweat. I get much better growth at higher temperature, and coral seem more resistant to the occasional 88 degree swings.
Similar to acropora nut, I personally would try and get down to 81-83 consistently. Kind of a happy medium. Good Ca growth, more resistant to bleaching, not high enough temp to worry about.
hansnfrans
New member
Sounds like a fair amount of differing opinions regarding temperature as you would also see when it comes to lighting requirements 
hansnfrans
New member
Acropora nut- I am very interested to hear where you learned about this "9 hours of MH lighting" rule. I am always looking to learn and I believe that you have a much better idea about reefing than I do. Please inform me so that I can make my corals grow better!
Rod Buehler
New member
I try to keep my tanks at 83-84. Its is an average temp of most of the reefs where most of our corals are collected from. I dont run chillers and I dont even have airconditioning. As PSam stated, a swing from 78 to 84-86 can be nasty, but if the tanks are normally at 83-83 and jump to 86, its no sweat.
You dont want the fan pointing at the water, but barely skimming the surface.
I run my halides any where4 from 10 to 14 hours..
You dont want the fan pointing at the water, but barely skimming the surface.
I run my halides any where4 from 10 to 14 hours..
RRafael
New member
Wow yes a lot of different opinions here and from what I understand the "Reefs of the World" are warmer then what I have been told to keep my tank at so 83- 84 is good as long as it is consistant. I read this shortly after posting this thread and it has some good links about sea surface temps in the article.
http://saltaquarium.about.com/library/blank/bl_reeftanktemp.htm
Thanks all for the information!!!!
http://saltaquarium.about.com/library/blank/bl_reeftanktemp.htm
Thanks all for the information!!!!
hansnfrans
New member
Psam is right about that, that's exactly what I've read about older bulbs. "K" value decreases over time.
acropora nut
Member
brand new bulbs will cause the same thing as an old bulb.You have a problem some where else.You need to run your lights at least 9hrs i run mine for 11hrs in the summer and 12hrs in the winter.
