Tank Temps
- Thread starter jc5205
- Start date
onehundred20
In Memoriam
i personally like to use fans instead, i would like a chiller but they are so pricey, plus the fans work just as good.
onehundred20
In Memoriam
id say it depends on what lighting your using and what your air conditioning runs at in the house, i keep mine at 75 all the time so my 2 big fans keep my tank temp down enough around 79-80, im actually probaly going to add 2 more.
rdmpe
New member
I have a 180 with 3x250W mh and 4x39W t5 maristar fixture. The bottom of the fixture is 6.5" off the water surface right now (temporarily sitting on 2x4's). I don't have any fans on the surface of the display right now, only on the sump and fuge.
My tank runs anywhere from 79 to 84 typically. I am not planning to add a chiller.
Here are some good articles to read regarding reef temperatures:
http://web.archive.org/web/20020610...om/fish2/aqfm/1997/nov/features/1/default.asp
http://www.reefland.com/rho/1105/reefc7.php
http://www.reefs.org/library/article/reef_temperature.html
And a dissenting view, be sure to read Shimek's response at the end http://web.archive.org/web/20001120...om/fish2/aqfm/1998/mar/features/1/default.asp
My tank runs anywhere from 79 to 84 typically. I am not planning to add a chiller.
Here are some good articles to read regarding reef temperatures:
http://web.archive.org/web/20020610...om/fish2/aqfm/1997/nov/features/1/default.asp
http://www.reefland.com/rho/1105/reefc7.php
http://www.reefs.org/library/article/reef_temperature.html
And a dissenting view, be sure to read Shimek's response at the end http://web.archive.org/web/20001120...om/fish2/aqfm/1998/mar/features/1/default.asp
cschweitzer
New member
Canopy or open top makes a big difference. With canopy the heat gets trapped and could increase the tank temp to undesirable levels. I have an ope top and it keep the temp down. I like mine a little warmer than average, close to solar's temps, but I don't have any coldwater animals, so it works fine. It all depends on the type of coral inverts fish etc., the average running temp desired, the type of lighting enclosure, and quite a few other things. If you do, I recommend running that and the heater off of a controller. If you read through posts, you will see that their have been accidents that have not been pleasant on the tank with chillers. My recommendation: if you don't need it, don't use it. Just one more thing to watch every day to make sure nothing bad has happened.
uscgbeachbum
New member
Fans work great. I have a few on my setup. One thing to make sure of is to put them on a temperature controller because they can drop your temperature very fast. I just got an AC Jr and LOVE it. I used to battle temperature problems. That is until I got the controller. 
rdmpe
New member
Everyone can do what they want and everyone's results will vary, but an interesting quote from the second article I linked to above by Dr. Ron Shimek:
Based on these and other articles and my experience diving in warm reefs, I have decided to not worry too much about my tank temperatures running in the low to mid eighties...
cschweitzer
New member
Good point. Also, with the way corals are being aquacultured and fish are catching up, temp swings, salinity swings, and such are becoming less and less invasive to the animals health. Many have learned to cope and thrive in environments not regularly suited for them. Am I saying that it's right to keep an animal at an unnatural environment? No. But look what we have done for dogs, cat, and ourselves for that matter? Humans are not in their natural environment, but we adapt. Same with fish and corals. If a fish or coral is born or replicated and raised in termoil where a salinity swing of.003 can occur in the matter of a few hours, they will never realize the difference between that and the natural ocean. This is just another reason why aquacultured livestock are usually hardier than wild caught.
waterfaller1
New member
I am of the opinion that wherever your tank tops out at, you should keep a heater set to 1 degree below to avoid swings like this. It's what I do anyway.
MORAY
Premium Member
Keep in mind that the corals in Belize have adapted to that enenvironmentnd they obviously could adapt to it. My outside tank was in the mid 80's last year with a few 86 and 87 peaks. Almost everything out there did fine but a couple frags didn't. This winter due to a heater failure it got down to 66 and everything survived that. But, the corals out there are pretty hardy.
Meanwhile, in the last 10 years there have been many reefs with huge loses to bleaching from higher temperatures. I think 1998 had the largest amount of coral bleaching.
Now, I kept my 135 at 82 constantly with a couple of oops that got it to 84 with no loss. But, after the hurricanes and some instability issues I had RTN spread through my tank and devastate it very quickly. A big colony can go in a day or two. A spot when you go to bed is the size of a softball when you get up.
So, I still think a Chiller is a great investment, but my house is old and not energy efficient. Every situation is different and in some cases it may not be needed. One thing is you want that chiller outside if possible. Definitely not sitting on the side of the tank because it's just putting the heat back in the room. Plus the noise.
Meanwhile, in the last 10 years there have been many reefs with huge loses to bleaching from higher temperatures. I think 1998 had the largest amount of coral bleaching.
Now, I kept my 135 at 82 constantly with a couple of oops that got it to 84 with no loss. But, after the hurricanes and some instability issues I had RTN spread through my tank and devastate it very quickly. A big colony can go in a day or two. A spot when you go to bed is the size of a softball when you get up.
So, I still think a Chiller is a great investment, but my house is old and not energy efficient. Every situation is different and in some cases it may not be needed. One thing is you want that chiller outside if possible. Definitely not sitting on the side of the tank because it's just putting the heat back in the room. Plus the noise.
rdmpe
New member
I don't typically see swings from 79 to 84 - those are just generally my highs and lows over a longer period of time. My daily variance does hit 4 degrees though sometimes. I found that if I start the temps out higher, then they top out higher. My current fan setup can't keep up with the heat from the lights.
After I hang my lights up, I'll set up fans blowing across the tank surface under the light. I think that will make a big difference in reducing the daily variance. If I ever did a chiller I would plumb it through the wall to outside. But I am not planning on adding a chiller to my system...
After I hang my lights up, I'll set up fans blowing across the tank surface under the light. I think that will make a big difference in reducing the daily variance. If I ever did a chiller I would plumb it through the wall to outside. But I am not planning on adding a chiller to my system...
cschweitzer
New member
I have 520 over 55 and am completely fine at 79-82. I don't have canopy, though, and Ikeep it about 4-5" above the tank and the mh bulbs are another 3-4" inside the case. Works okay for me.
