What Kind Of Temp Swing Do You Suggest?is

[windyridge]

Now that I have my Apex Jr up and running and on my phone, I am trying to figure out what the best temp swing should be. I am a believer of not keeping too tight a temp as occasionally due to circumstances sometimes beyond our control there can be a drop or increase of a few degrees. Last summer, someone closed the door in my son's room where the old tank was. It was a very hot weekend. I came home to find the tank temp was 84 degrees. Everything was fine thank goodness. The average temp would fluctuate from 79 to 83 or thereabouts. Now I have hardly any fluctuations because I have a better heater and the temps have been constant in the house. I have read that if you keep a really tight temp with hardly any swing at all, the organisms in the tank will not be able to handle a significant temp flucutation whereas those in constantly fluctuating tanks can tolerate swings. So my question is, what is a safe temperature swing to program into my outlet that won't stress the tank inhabitants?

 

[Gary Majchrzak]

I have read that if you keep a really tight temp with hardly any swing at all, the organisms in the tank will not be able to handle a significant temp flucutation whereas those in constantly fluctuating tanks can tolerate swings.

don't believe everything you read :lmao:

Tell that one to the pros that prop Acans on a commercial scale.

One of the huge environmental factors influencing where corals naturally occur is temperature. In an average hobbyist "mixed" coral reef aquarium you should should aim for stability and definitely not allow the aquarium to fluctuate over 84F for any extended period of time. Let the aquarium fluctuate on it's own. Five degrees F between winter and summer is no big deal but I wouldn't recommend attempting to "train" your corals to survive 5 degree swings avery day and night. Of course, it all depends on what critters your keeping. The more stable you can keep it, the more species you can keep successfully. Kenya Tree will LOVE it if you let temp swing. Kill sensitive competition off and it can take over.

 

[windyridge]

Ok makes sense. My fluctuation is 1.3 degrees right now. Should I change that to half a degree. Or no fluctuation at all?

 

[Gary Majchrzak]

1.3 degree is insignificant

1.3 degree is insignificant

over any time period. I wouldn't worry about that at all. I would suggest shooting for NO fluctuation but is THAT possible? Probably not (in small home aquariums).

I shoot for zero fluctation over the course of a year. In the summertime my aquarium typically runs between 80-83F. During the winter months 76-79F.
If I can tighten those numbers up, GREAT. That's my objective. But I don't sweat those kind of swings.

A swing from 75-84F every day would have me seriously concerned about sensitive corals that weren't "learning" (tongue in cheek folks!) to handle temp swings fast enough :lol2:

 

[Eastamherstbias]

I have a basement sump and vary between 77.0-77.8 during the winter and 77.0-78.1 during the summer using my apex.

 

[Gary Majchrzak]

I have a basement sump and vary between 77.0-77.8 during the winter and 77.0-78.1 during the summer using my apex.

is this on your Latz tanks?

 

[Eastamherstbias]

I have an apex on the basement and an apex jr on the main tank.

Right now
SUMP is 77.7
Latz tank is 77.6
40BR Tank 77.6
MAIN TANK 76.6

The tanks have been super stable for years. All corals are happy and colorful.

Actually my male latz died today. I was on vacation for 10 days and that one was acting strange before I left. I found him dead on the sand bed. He was not eating pellets/flakes/frozen like how the female was. I will need to get another CB male from Pacific Island at some point soon. It was sad, the Female kept trying to wake him up.

 

[NirvanaFan]

I used to shoot for 80. Now, I don't even bother taking a temperature. I set the thermometers for 82 and let them do their thing. I have seen the temperature fluctuate 5 or 6 degrees in one day and haven't noticed any problems. Temperatures on the reef fluctuate, so trying to keep them totally constant and not going more than a degree apart isn't needed IMO.

 

[Gary Majchrzak]

Actually my male latz died today

aw, man.. I'm sorry :sad1:

 

[tmz]

Mine run 78 to 81 daily swing. Constant seasonally. FWIW.

 

[iamwrasseman]

a temp swing in nature is normal so in your home it shouldnt make a difference . if its more than 4 or 5 degrees than i would try to calm it down . my house is air conditioned and there is no difference from seasons or throughout the day .

 

[GMaquarium]

Some of the tide habitats have huge temp swings daily. I have noted some crazy stuff with temperature and corals. Although a rock steady temp keeps a tank stable and corals growing better, I personally don't stress it so much. As long as its not extreme