Summertime tank woes

[Len]

I'm exaggerating a bit, but every summer my tank looks worse then during the other seasons. Corals aren't growing as well, colors aren't as vibrant, diatom blooms run amuk, etc. Anyone else experience this?

I'm under the impression it simply has to do with my Aquacontroller's variable seasonal temperatures. In the winter, the tank temp hovers in the high 70's, but right now the controller has my tank set at 85 degrees.

 

[Anonymous]

Holy shet! That is (IMHO) waaay too warm. Sweet Christ on a crutch, Len! 8O <insert suitably shocked lookin' face here>

 

[Anonymous]

Does natural reef water temp goes between 70 -> 85 like the parameter in the controller?

 

[iomegas_reef]

I left the cover all the way on my tank without the fan on lastnight and my tank shot up to 88.5 degrees!Today my corals look a little, not so good. But they will shape back up in a few days.

 

[Anonymous]

Reefs temps hover around 84 degrees in many areas in the wild Seamaiden, so 85 is hardly something to worry about. Certainly, not something to be so shocked with! :wink: I keep my tanks at 84 ALL THE TIME. That way, when the temps spike to 88, no big deal. Now, a spike from 73 to 88 would definitley stress things!

Cheers
Jim

 

[Len]

Note, the variation I am talking about is on a monthly basis, ranging from 78-84. It's very gradual and the tank is at a constant temp (+/- 1 degree) during any given month. But the tank always looks worse during the summer, so maybe its the temperature (?). I know mid 80's is normal for wild reefs, but then again we don't keep wild reefs I've always had a problem with Shimek's insistance on running my tank at 85-86.

 

[Anonymous]

Maybe your DSB is finally blowing up on you! :twisted:

Louey

 

[Anonymous]

Good point Len.

Cheers
Jim

 

[MLVA123]

Well, I'm fresh from reading Sprung and Delbeek for like the 4th time :lol:

from vol 1, page 225:

The temerature in reef aquariums should be between 70-80 for the best resuts, and as stable as possible. In our experience, a temperature of 74-76 is ideal.

 

[JeremyR]

Be pretty easy to test the theory len.. set the tank at 78 or 79 for awhile and see what happens

 

[danmhippo]

Actually 85 ain't too bad in some part of ocean. Last week I went to beach with a friend, and the water temp is very very warm. I am guessing it must be in the high 80's range.

I am pretty sure water deeper down is a bit cooler, but I don't think 85 is too bad. I could still remember a couple of years ago I went snorkling in Guam, the water is a warm as jacuzzi, and SPS is just a few inches under my feet.

 

[Anonymous]

Interesting that Sprung and Delbeek would mirror my own advice. It's been my experience that a range of 75F-78F is best (this is a generalization, of course), and I've always worked hard to avoid swings greater than 2 or 3 degrees. One of the things that I consider important is the ability of cooler water to hold more O2, I used to be practically fanatic about it. There are so many variables that go into the issue, not the least of which may be where the parent colony grew, depth, average temperature range, overall effect of wave action, for instance, that we are often left scratching our heads.

Therein lies the art to the science, yeah?

 

[Micah00]

Len, I noticed you stated a varible seasons setting on your controller. So does the controller keep the tank warmer on purpose, or is it because it's warmer in your house and it keeps it from cooling down so much at night? I just ask because you have posted pics of alot of things spawning. I even think you had mentioned you took out your moonlight because of the mess the all the spawnings made. Now I have had my tank set up for 2 years( which granted is no where near 9), I have yet to have a fish spawn(have percs in 1 tank and GSM in another) let along corals. Unless you want to count all of the mushrooms I have found everywhere.

So to make a short story long, how long have you kept your tank warmer in the summer? :wink:

 

[Anonymous]

You bring up a valid point about the levels of O2 in the water Seamaiden. Although the natural reef temperature in many areas may be in the mid 80's, the reef also has an unlimited supply of new water! So, oxygen levels falling below a safe level is not a concern. In a closed system, perhaps it's best to er in favor of lower temps for certain animals? Would my corals grow faster at lower temps? I don't know. It should be noted that the level of oxygen present on the reef at 84 degrees is obviously sufficient! If these same levels can be maintained in a closed system, then it will also be sufficient. I've never found that getting all the dither about O2 levels amounts to much. The combination of the overflows, skimmer, surface exchange is SEEMINGLY enough to reach the saturation level at any reasonable temp. I same it seems so because I've never measured it.
What I DO know is that I've never kept a reef tank at such a low temp - ever. I also know that it doesn't hurt my tanks in the least to be up in the 86-88 range for a few days at a time. Again, the temp swing is only a few degrees (my tank is at 84) vs someone who keeps their tank at 78, then has a spike. I might experiment with lower temps one day when I can afford to run a chiller - or have space for it for that matter! My sumps take up the entire area under their respective tanks, and the adjacent rooms would not be appropriate to place a chiller.


Jim

 

[Reef Guy11]

JimM hey Question for you. You keep your tank at 84 in the Summer, But what about the Winter do you just have your heater on a higher degree so it stay at 84. I use to live in Union City and if i remember the temp would get pretty cold in the Winter time and Rain too. I now live in Palm Springs where i have to battle with the Heat i was force to get a Chiller. I don't use a Heater and my tank still got to 90 degree and mind you the tank would be about 84 with out a heater on a averge day. Now i have the Chiller is stay between 77 and 78 degree.

 

[Len]

Micah,

The controller has it's all predetermined temperatures for any given month. During the summer months, it's about 4 degress hotter then during the dead of winter (by the controllers design). It's suppose to mimic seasonal changes in the wild. This variation, along with the now-removed moon light, may be responsible for my annual spawns (which should be coming up shortly I might add). But every summer, the tank doesn't look as good as the months before or after. I am going to adjust my temperature a bit lower and see if that nets any positive results.

 

[Anonymous]

Reef Guy,

Usually at some point I turn the temp down just a tad when it starts cooling off in the fall.

Jim

 

[Emperator]

why not keep your tank at a temperature that most closely matches the waters where the coral was collected (assuming it is wild).

a year or 2 back, walt smith gave a talk at our local reef club and mentioned that the majority of the corals he collects are from 75-77 degree water.. one summer the temp got up to 80 and he experienced widescale bleaching of sps's in his collectiong areas. he literally had to send his divers out to move his aquaculture racks deeper to cooler water.

that said, my temps are 78-80.

 

[Len]

Depending on who you read, the natural surface temps of coral reef waters is in the mid 80's. Shimek actually recommended people keep their tanks at 85 degrees because it mimics nature according to the values he reported.

That said, I don't think our tanks mimic nature and although mother nature is a darn good example to model after, what works in nature doesn't always work in captivity.

 

[mountainbiker619]

I say use all these resources as a guide but let your corals tell you what they like.