Temperture fluctuation - how much is acceptable for reef aquariums?
- Thread starter Gooli
- Start date
I don't really know how much a specific daily temperature swing stresses animals in the aquarium. The only info that I have to go on is the results in aquaria and those results seem to sugggest that a few degress may not be a big problem as long as the high and low temps do not go outside of normal ranges.
I aim for 80 deg F or so, and my temp changes less than a degree F.
These articles have more on temperature:
Reef Aquarium Water Parameters
http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2004-05/rhf/index.htm
What are Natural Reef Salinities and Temperaturesââ"šÂ¬Ã‚¦Reallyââ"šÂ¬Ã‚¦
and Does It Matter?
http://web.archive.org/web/20030218...om/fish2/aqfm/1997/nov/features/1/default.asp
From the first one:
"Temperature
Temperature impacts reef aquarium inhabitants in a variety of ways. First and foremost, the animals' metabolic rates rise as temperature rises. They may consequently use more oxygen, carbon dioxide, nutrients, calcium and alkalinity at higher temperatures. This higher metabolic rate can also increase both their growth rate and waste production at higher temperatures.
Another important impact of temperature is on the chemical aspects of the aquarium. The solubility of dissolved gases such as oxygen and carbon dioxide, for example, changes with temperature. Oxygen, in particular, can be a concern because it is less soluble at higher temperature.
So what does this imply for aquarists?
In most instances, trying to match the natural environment in a reef aquarium is a worthy goal. Temperature may, however, be a parameter that requires accounting for the practical considerations of a small closed system. Looking to the ocean as a guide for setting temperatures in reef aquaria may present complications, because corals grow in such a wide range of temperatures. Nevertheless, Ron Shimek has shown in a previous article that the greatest variety of corals are found in water whose average temperature is about 83-86Ã"šÃ‚° F.
Reef aquaria do, however, have limitations that may make their optimal temperature somewhat lower. During normal functioning of a reef aquarium, the oxygen level and the metabolic rate of the aquarium inhabitants are not often important issues. During a crisis such as a power failure, however, the dissolved oxygen can be rapidly used up. Lower temperatures not only allow a higher oxygen level before an emergency, but will also slow the consumption of that oxygen by slowing the metabolism of the aquarium's inhabitants. The production of ammonia as organisms begin to die may also be slower at lower temperatures. For reasons such as this, one may choose to strike a practical balance between temperatures that are too high (even if corals normally thrive in the ocean at those temperatures), and those that are too low. Although average reef temperatures in maximal diversity areas (i.e. coral triangle centered Indonesia,) these areas are also often subject to significant mixing. In fact, the cooler reefs, ( i..e. open Pacific reefs) are often more stable at lower temperatures due to oceanic exchange but are less tolerant to bleaching and other temperature related perturbations.
All things considered, those natural guidelines leave a fairly wide range of acceptable temperatures. I keep my aquarium at about 80-81Ã"šÃ‚° F year-round. I am actually more inclined to keep the aquarium cooler in the summer, when a power failure would most likely warm the aquarium, and higher in winter, when a power failure would most likely cool it.
All things considered, I recommend temperatures in the range of 76-83Ã"šÃ‚° F unless there is a very clear reason to keep it outside that range."
I aim for 80 deg F or so, and my temp changes less than a degree F.
These articles have more on temperature:
Reef Aquarium Water Parameters
http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2004-05/rhf/index.htm
What are Natural Reef Salinities and Temperaturesââ"šÂ¬Ã‚¦Reallyââ"šÂ¬Ã‚¦
and Does It Matter?
http://web.archive.org/web/20030218...om/fish2/aqfm/1997/nov/features/1/default.asp
From the first one:
"Temperature
Temperature impacts reef aquarium inhabitants in a variety of ways. First and foremost, the animals' metabolic rates rise as temperature rises. They may consequently use more oxygen, carbon dioxide, nutrients, calcium and alkalinity at higher temperatures. This higher metabolic rate can also increase both their growth rate and waste production at higher temperatures.
Another important impact of temperature is on the chemical aspects of the aquarium. The solubility of dissolved gases such as oxygen and carbon dioxide, for example, changes with temperature. Oxygen, in particular, can be a concern because it is less soluble at higher temperature.
So what does this imply for aquarists?
In most instances, trying to match the natural environment in a reef aquarium is a worthy goal. Temperature may, however, be a parameter that requires accounting for the practical considerations of a small closed system. Looking to the ocean as a guide for setting temperatures in reef aquaria may present complications, because corals grow in such a wide range of temperatures. Nevertheless, Ron Shimek has shown in a previous article that the greatest variety of corals are found in water whose average temperature is about 83-86Ã"šÃ‚° F.
Reef aquaria do, however, have limitations that may make their optimal temperature somewhat lower. During normal functioning of a reef aquarium, the oxygen level and the metabolic rate of the aquarium inhabitants are not often important issues. During a crisis such as a power failure, however, the dissolved oxygen can be rapidly used up. Lower temperatures not only allow a higher oxygen level before an emergency, but will also slow the consumption of that oxygen by slowing the metabolism of the aquarium's inhabitants. The production of ammonia as organisms begin to die may also be slower at lower temperatures. For reasons such as this, one may choose to strike a practical balance between temperatures that are too high (even if corals normally thrive in the ocean at those temperatures), and those that are too low. Although average reef temperatures in maximal diversity areas (i.e. coral triangle centered Indonesia,) these areas are also often subject to significant mixing. In fact, the cooler reefs, ( i..e. open Pacific reefs) are often more stable at lower temperatures due to oceanic exchange but are less tolerant to bleaching and other temperature related perturbations.
All things considered, those natural guidelines leave a fairly wide range of acceptable temperatures. I keep my aquarium at about 80-81Ã"šÃ‚° F year-round. I am actually more inclined to keep the aquarium cooler in the summer, when a power failure would most likely warm the aquarium, and higher in winter, when a power failure would most likely cool it.
All things considered, I recommend temperatures in the range of 76-83Ã"šÃ‚° F unless there is a very clear reason to keep it outside that range."
steve the plumb
In Memoriam
You can get some problems with corals bleaching or fading if temp drops to 76 or lower.This happened to me last week.It only affected 2 acros.I had my heater break on me and because I wasn't around(working) I didn't notice it broke.Temp was 79 to 80 in daytime due to mh bulbs kept the water warm,droped to 76 at night.I have had a new staghorn die on me when water dropped to 76 because I didn't plug in the heater(this was in summer got cold one night)since then I have always left heater on.I wouldn't let the temp go lower than 78 certain corals have a higher tolerance than others.
steve the plumb
In Memoriam
Yes sps are much more sensitive.I had one die when the tank went to 84 -86.I was lucky that only one died.Water quality is a must when having sps.
DaveBrader
Registered Member
Without a chiller, I found I had the best luck by not trying to keep the temperature down during the day, but by keeping it up at night with heating...
The tank stayed withing a degree of 81 that way. High of 82 during the day, low of 80 at night..
Before investing in a chiller, I found that keeping it stable at the higher temperture worked better for me than trying to keep it cooler with more flucuation..
Dave
The tank stayed withing a degree of 81 that way. High of 82 during the day, low of 80 at night..
Before investing in a chiller, I found that keeping it stable at the higher temperture worked better for me than trying to keep it cooler with more flucuation..
Dave
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