Temperature Swing, what is too much?

Lousybreed · May 16, 2019

My 600 gallon system is going from 76.5 in the night to 80.2 during the day. Does anyone have evidence that Acros or other corals cannot take this temp swing long term?

My tank is looking good. With warm weather just getting here in WI this has only happened for the last couple days.

Aco5000 · May 16, 2019

As we've all read countless times stability is the key to a successful reef tank, so personally id try to limit that swing to 2 degrees in a 24hr period, I'm curious why such a swing, you'd think such a large tank would keep a fairy stable temp, but really your corals will tell you, esp corals as sensitive as acros, maybe you're in need of an additional heater, it seems without the heat from the lights the heater can't quite keep up

Acrofiend · May 16, 2019

My temp swings from 78-85 and corals do fine.

TX_Punisher · May 16, 2019

nanoreefer562 said:
My temp swings from 78-85 and corals do fine.

Daily?

AllSignsPointToFish · May 16, 2019

Dude, things will be fine. I've had tanks swing from 76-82°F daily with no issues. Most wild corals and fish see these swings probably on a daily basis.

While I try to control temperature swings in my tank, I'm not sure that results in the most resilient reef system in the event of a power outage in Florida.

Aco5000 · May 16, 2019

To each there own, corals are pretty adaptable but definitely monitor those acros, if they start showing distress I'd certainly try to limit the swing

tehmadreefer · May 16, 2019

Yea temo swings are not a huge deal as thought years ago. I certainly wouldn't have a swing over 10 degrees daily however. I've done 5 degrees and things were always just fine

tehmadreefer · May 16, 2019

I am however quite surprised with that water volume you have that much of a swing.

Aco5000 · May 16, 2019

Agreed, I would think such a large tank would stay within a degree throughout the day

AllSignsPointToFish · May 16, 2019

In my opinion, you should expose your reef to the largest temperature swings it will reasonably endure. Not only does this mimic nature, it also ensures the maximum probability that your reef will cope favorably with unplanned power outages!

Oxygenation is a different issue...

Acrofiend · May 16, 2019

TX_Punisher said:
Daily?

I’d say about once a week.

Lousybreed · May 16, 2019

I set my tank to 76.5 for heating purposes but yeah lots of halides heat things up. I have never seen the tank temps get higher than 81.

Lousybreed · May 16, 2019

I have 1,200w of heating power. Once the AC turns on in the summer my tank only gets to about 79.5

SeaDweller · May 16, 2019

Mine system could handle 76-79 during the winter no problems... I think you’re ok.

Ike · May 17, 2019

I don't care about swings as long as it doesn't get lower than 75 and higher than upper 80's. I used to go out of my way to encourage it (usually daily swings from 78-82), but now I just set it at 80 and don't really care what it does. Just keep doing what you're doing IMO.

roberthu526 · May 17, 2019

Think about the wild. It ain’t always sunny and when it rains it rains hard at sea. The temp and salinity swing can be quite large from hour to hour and the corals do just fine.

Aframereef · May 17, 2019

Sounds like you need a heat exchange of some sort. On my old 800G tank I converted a 18000 BTU window ac into a chiller. Another time I used the same heat exchange to cool a smaller tank by geothermal. Where about in WI are you? I just move over near La crosse. I built a custom temp controller for my tank that most of the time keeps it to about +- .4 degrees. I run my tank hot at 81.5 and get good growth on clams at that temp but I feel I am at the upper limit so I very tightly co control the temp. My controller also feeds power to my lights so if the tank hits 82.5 it will kill the lights. Cooling kicks on at 81.9. I picked up a titanium heat exchange off Ebay and it has worked great in the past. I have yet to get it installed since I moved my smaller tank and just have to keep my ac lower. I have a friend that built an enclosed vent system that brings in outside air and blows it across the sealed sump and then blows the hot air out and it works well for his large tank.

Pete Horwath · May 17, 2019

I use a phase change blanket under my frag tanks. It passively absorbs heat when the tanks to hot and releases heat when its to cold. (Full disclaimer: my company makes this stuff but we sell millions of square feet per year for conditioning buildings so a few sq feet for a reef tank isn’t really a sales plug) i use the Insolcorp 25C mat which is set at about 78.5 degrees for my tanks. My frag tanks temperature swings are cut in half or more over the my display tanks without them. I lay a sheet down and place the tank on top. I didn’t think about trying it until my second frag tank and haven’t drained the first tank to install it so i got a pretty good comparison. I see a lot more growth on the one with the phase change blanket under the tank. Not really a scientific test but pretty noticeable. One of these days i’ll Do a serious study and write an article for here about it.

Pete Horwath · May 17, 2019

I use a phase change blanket under my frag tanks. It passively absorbs heat when the tanks to hot and releases heat when its to cold. (Full disclaimer: my company makes this stuff but we sell millions of square feet per year for conditioning buildings so a few sq feet for a reef tank isn’t really a sales plug) i use the Insolcorp 25C mat which is set at about 78.5 degrees for my tanks. My frag tanks temperature swings are cut in half or more over the my display tanks without them. I lay a sheet down and place the tank on top. I didn’t think about trying it until my second frag tank and haven’t drained the first tank to install it so i got a pretty good comparison. I see a lot more growth on the one with the phase change blanket under the tank. Not really a scientific test but pretty noticeable. One of these days i’ll Do a serious study and write an article for here about it.

Pete Horwath · May 17, 2019

I use a phase change blanket under my frag tanks. It passively absorbs heat when the tanks to hot and releases heat when its to cold. (Full disclaimer: my company makes this stuff but we sell millions of square feet per year for conditioning buildings so a few sq feet for a reef tank isn’t really a sales plug) i use the Insolcorp 25C mat which is set at about 78.5 degrees for my tanks. My frag tanks temperature swings are cut in half or more over the my display tanks without them. I lay a sheet down and place the tank on top. I didn’t think about trying it until my second frag tank and haven’t drained the first tank to install it so i got a pretty good comparison. I see a lot more growth on the one with the phase change blanket under the tank. Not really a scientific test but pretty noticeable. One of these days i’ll Do a serious study and write an article for here about it.