Reef Temperature @ Major Coral Collection Sites

[Maxima]

So what's the real factor beside the bullsihit the LFS told you ?

Infact if you have sufficient flow in a close system reef system, keeping temp. around 27 degree to 29 degree is fine. The problem is that most of our system do not have sufficient water flow, so a lower temp. will be safer.

A thumb of rule: Hot windless(wind=water)flow days are bad, hot but windy days are not bad. So if you have lots of flow, especially with more reefers using 3+/4+ Tunze in a 4ft to 5+ tunze in a 6ft. So keeping yr reef at 28 degree to 29 degree should be fine -base on Chiller 1 degree delta setting. U can saving some $$$$$$$ at the coming "HOT SPELL"

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Average Water Temps for Key West, US

Jan Feb March April May June July Aug Sept Oct Nov Dec

º F 69 70 75 79 83 86 87 87 86 82 76 72

º C 21 21 24 26 28 30 31 31 30 28 24 22

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WEATHER & SEASONS @ FIJI

Winter: June - October. Trade winds constant and ocean visibility best. Water temperatures 25 - 27C (77-80F). Average air temps 20-26C (68-79F)

Summer: November - May. Hotter and more Humid. Water temperature 27 - 29C (80-84F). Average air temps 23 - 30C (73-86F)

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Southeastern Sulawesi, Indonesia

Range of Conditions:

Topside Temperature......26-30 centigrade average 28.....(76-86 Fahrenheit)

Water Temperature.........24-29 centigrade average 27....(78-82 Fahrenheit)

Visibility Range...............20-50 meters............................(60-150 feet)

Max

[AlfaRomeo]

Max, from the above data, I think set temp of 27 degrees would be ideal with a delta or +- 1 degree.

[Maxima]

Max, from the above data, I think set temp of 27 degrees would be ideal with a delta or +- 1 degree.

I believe with enough water flow(Tunze or Close loop circulation pumps + water return from sump). A 29 degree is the max. Some corals will not survive beyond 29 longterm. I think anything 29 degree below is safe. you judge yr water turn-over. I think your tank is medium turn over. I think 27.5 to 28.5 still ok if u want to save some $$$$. Yr current 27 to 28 is way safe, especially yr tank is not packed to the rim and most of yr corals are expose to good flow due to the large amound of free space for curents to bounce around and back-forth pass the corals.

BTW, I just switch to 28~29 degree setting, so far so good.

My super high turn over is as follows

tunze 12000L x2

tunze 7000L x2

MD40 x 1

MD55 Close loop - decommissioned due to friend's emergency case -T-Loan to him - Thinking of Aquaconnect or Deltec 9000L/hr Close Loop

Max

[pacificbetta]

Max, there are a lot more to the temp at the colletion sites than that. You are merely taking 2 absolute points and simplistically joining them with one straight line. Doesn't work out that way.

[Maxima]

Max, there are a lot more to the temp at the colletion sites than that. You are merely taking 2 absolute points and simplistically joining them with one straight line. Doesn't work out that way.

True......very well said. The depth and different locations within a area, which can be subject to more warm or cold currents. If you look at the min to max. It ranges from 24 degree to 31 degree. So far I'm keeping by with less than 29 degree to 28degree. In the past, I set it to 26.5 to 27.5 degree. So far so good....of course it depends on how mature yr reef are. I do find FIJI SPS need lower temperature, unless the corals are "break_in"....the first few months is the trying period. U see better polyps expansion at 25 degree as well. So far all my Fiji is coping well. Of course, I'm not adding new corals as new less healthly coral prone to bacteria infactions will be done in hrs at higher temp.

Max

[Tanzy]

What about solar heating? Sunlight can raise the coral surface temperature higher than that of the water.

[Maxima]

What about solar heating? Sunlight can raise the coral surface temperature higher than that of the water.

Great point....I think since sunlight move across and during the earth's movement around the sun. Movement assuming from left to right or front to back, the coral are getting different intensity of "burns".-> not too sure that contribute to lighter fluoscent coloring of the tips-most exposed area to the light source. It will be different compare to our fix position MH.......

Max

[ryz]

actually they thrive at 28 to 30 degrees celcius as their metabolism increases.. as do fishes and invertebrates... that is why ppl keep their temp low... If you have many fishes and inverts, raising their metabolism will cause them to create more bioload... thus potentially threatening the corals... The proteins and enzymes in corals' and fish's bodies actually work at optimum at around 30 degrees celcius..

just like how our body works at its optimum at 36.9 degrees celcius.

[ryan]

i think thats cuz they are cold blooded and we are warm blooded?

can't compare fish to us...

[ryz]

cold or warm blooded, enzymes and any protein based substance work most efficiently at their optimum temperature... fish's corals and inverts actually flourish at 30+- degrees celcius...

[Achilles Tang]

IMO, there is a simple reason why keeping my SPS corals at 29C long-term is too risky for me.

If for some reason my internal water circulation stops... what happens? The corals will choke on their slime, which their metabolism and other inhabitants already at high gear... causing oxygen redox to quickly fall, there will be an increase in ammonia toxicity... enough to tip the tank over into a crash.

If there is a temperature spike from 26 - 27 to beyond 30 for a day or two at least my corals will probably bleach first before dying.

If they already exposed at the threshold of 29 consistently and it goes beyond 30 for some reason... I'm not too sure if they won't melt quickly.

Besides, most of my SPS are from Fiji... where the water is usually colder... 25C would be ideal. But I keep mine from that to 27C... nothing more than that.

Colder water (below 27C) holds a larger amount of dissolved oxygen, reduces metabolic rates, makes it less stressful for all reef inhabitants.

A higher temp also affects the efficiency of skimming.

My 2 cents,

AT

[ryan]

cold or warm blooded, enzymes and any protein based substance work most efficiently at their optimum temperature... fish's corals and inverts actually flourish at 30+- degrees celcius...

then how do you account for the death of many corals once temp rises to 29C?

[ryz]

as the metabolism of the fishes increases as well... the bioload increases... the coral's waste also increases... ALl contributing to the biological waste in the water.