Ideal Temperature For A Reef Tank

[1entra]

Hi there all,

Just wondering what is the 'ideal' temperature for a reef tank that won't cause any stress to corals but instead help them grow and stay healthy?

What temperatures do other reefers keep their tanks at?

Cheerz

 

[idlefingers]

There is no real "ideal" temperature.. Corals come from different locations on the reef and those can be subject to different temps (for example shallows can heat up considerably during the day) and then the temperature is also different at different reefs so although there is a range, there's no exact answer.

According to my bible, Corals by Eric Borneman, the average temperature of reefs tested was 28 degrees c. The problem at home is that [most] corals are more susceptible to bleaching with a change to higher temperatures than lower temperatures. So, keeping the temp at the high end of the scale (28-29) will generally result in good growth but with the risk of a raise in temp killing corals whereas keeping the temp slightly lower (26-27) will give you a little more lee-way.

 

[1entra]

Cheerz Idlefingers. Your reply/advice is appreciated.

Does anybody else have any comments...?

 

[sophos9]

Yup, simply I keep soft and just got a hard coral. My temperature is controlled at 26dC, everything is doing fine!

 

[Matthew5664]

25.6 - 26.4 winter temp

26.1 - 27.1 summer temp

 

[1entra]

Thanks everyone.

So keeping my temperature about 26-26 degrees C is the way forward then?

 

[sophos9]

26 C is fine

 

[AK77]

Yes 26-28 is fine. Mine sits at about that, although in hotter weather it can hit 30, at which point the lights go off lol.

 

[Wraith001]

Hmmm again its good for u and not for others sorta question this, i used to keep mine at between 27-28. Then i read an article in the Ultra Marine mag and this chap kept his at 30 constant and his tank was thriving so i put mine upto 29-30 and to be honest i havent looked back since. Coral growth has increased and the fish seem happier and more colorful. As with all things marine, experiment to see what works for you and your little ecosystem. One more point, and this is of my own opinion, with increased temp i think u shld have a strong flow rate in your tank.

 

[1entra]

Woh, reef keeping aint half complicated is it. don't seem to be no definate answers for anything!

I think once I have got some corals etc in my tank I will jus have to keep adjusting till I find a temperature that suits both me and the livestock.

Does anybody know what temperature(s) not to go above as they would start to stress corals?

Thanks everyone for your inputs.

 

[idlefingers]

I think once I have got some corals etc in my tank I will jus have to keep adjusting till I find a temperature that suits both me and the livestock.

While you can change the temp once it's stocked, whatever temp you end up going for, stability is key. If you keep changing the temp, even if it's within the recommended range, it's more likely to stress corals than the temperature itself if that makes sense?

Does anybody know what temperature(s) not to go above as they would start to stress corals?

That's a hard one also.. but I think above 30 is starting to get risky. I don't know though. I guess it depends on what species and their natural location on the reef.

 

[AK77]

That's because there is no set temperature in the wild either. Different corals come from different areas of the oceans. Throughout the course of the day, the temperature changes due to the sun. Also, you will have things like rock pools and lagoons that may become isolated at certain times of the day due to the tidal movement and so will be significantly warmer than the temperature of the ocean a few hundred feet away. This will alter the water chemistry too and when the tides return the water temperature will be returned to "normal" in a very short space of time.

There is no right temperature per se. Just a temperature range that will favour some corals over others. Anything over 85f is where it can get into the realms of stressing the corals.

 

[1entra]

Thanks for the replies.

Il try to get a stable temperature sorted before I add any corals of lifestock to my tank so hopefully will help not stress any of them!

Currently my temperature keeps rising and falling so trying to get it to stay still at a set one at the minute! Hopefuly once its settled down, I wont have no more fluctuations!

 

[AK77]

Thanks for the replies.

Il try to get a stable temperature sorted before I add any corals of lifestock to my tank so hopefully will help not stress any of them!

Currently my temperature keeps rising and falling so trying to get it to stay still at a set one at the minute! Hopefuly once its settled down, I wont have no more fluctuations!

Your tanks temperature will fluctate throughout the day too. Its perfectly normal for it to do this. The heat generated from my 300w metal halide lights, as well as the pumps and the heater itself, all cause the temperature to rise. At night time, the tank is generally cooler (as cool as the heater thermostat is set), due to the lights being off and the ambient air temperature being lower too.

I wouldn't make too big of a deal out of it. So long as your water stays within certain temperature parameters, you shouldn't have a problem. The only time to worry is if we have a heatwave (yeah I remember those) or if your heater breaks and the temperature drops too low. For this reason, its always best to have two heaters running. IE rather than have a 200w heater, get 2 x 100w so that you have a backup until you can get a replacement

 

[1entra]

I wouldn't make too big of a deal out of it. So long as your water stays within certain temperature parameters, you shouldn't have a problem. The only time to worry is if we have a heatwave (yeah I remember those) or if your heater breaks and the temperature drops too low. For this reason, its always best to have two heaters running. IE rather than have a 200w heater, get 2 x 100w so that you have a backup until you can get a replacement

Cheers AK77 but im already ahead of ya, iv got 2 100w heaters, one in my main tank and 1 in my refugium so dont need to worry about 1 failing (hopefully!). More worried about the tank overheatig if anything!!