What is your ideal reef temperature?

[Graffiti Spot]

I used to give frags to a friend who kept a tank with halides and no fans or chiller. He kept the windows open during the day and it was 90 degrees outside. When I broke the tank down with him the water was so hot it was almost uncomfortable to pull rocks out. The fish and corals were fine. The acropora was tan but when I put them under blue light at my house the tan areas were swirled with fluorescent pigments and they looked amazing. The corals were growing too and this makes me wonder if keeping higher temps can make corals color differently.
I don’t even want to think what the low point of temp was on that tank. I would guess the temp would go from 76 to some days 90 degrees or more. That’s a huge temp fluctuation but the corals were “ok”. Most wouldn’t believe acros can live through this. Honestly I didn’t until I went there to break the tank down with him and now I am intrigued on how to develop those swirly fluorescent pigments without raising temps that high.

 

[ScottR]

I have a SPS dominated tank. I prefer 80.

 

[ReefHomieJon]

A chiller is about $900 and an A/C is $149

900? Lol what’s size tank do you have ?

 

[Daddy-o]

900? Lol what’s size tank do you have ?

200ish

 

[vanpire]

I like the AC idea. I don’t know for sure but I think that the window AC might be more efficient and the waste heat goes out of the house. The chiller puts heat from the tank as well as heat the chiller generates into the room that an AC has to remove.

200ish

 

[vanpire]

I used to give frags to a friend who kept a tank with halides and no fans or chiller. He kept the windows open during the day and it was 90 degrees outside. When I broke the tank down with him the water was so hot it was almost uncomfortable to pull rocks out. The fish and corals were fine. The acropora was tan but when I put them under blue light at my house the tan areas were swirled with fluorescent pigments and they looked amazing. The corals were growing too and this makes me wonder if keeping higher temps can make corals color differently.
I don’t even want to think what the low point of temp was on that tank. I would guess the temp would go from 76 to some days 90 degrees or more. That’s a huge temp fluctuation but the corals were “ok”. Most wouldn’t believe acros can live through this. Honestly I didn’t until I went there to break the tank down with him and now I am intrigued on how to develop those swirly fluorescent pigments without raising temps that high.

Have you thought that maybe the pigments comes from high intensity metal halide? I think some of my corals under halides look fantastic when they are then placed under blue LEDs.

 

[Pistondog]

77, isn't that what scolys like

 

[Max_nano]

78, if ambient goes above that then it gives me more of a safety buffer. I think? Once it starts getting cooler I might push it to 79

 

[Daddy-o]

So according to the poll, my temp is lower than most. So will bump to 80. Now here is where it gets complicated. This reef is 5 separate tanks (if you include the sump). They are all plumbed together and there are 6 heaters running. So bump each heater a bit. Now the question: How do I know that I am actually at 80 degrees.
- digital Fluval heater says 80
- floating hydrometer says 82
- floating thermometer says 80
- InkBird says 80 but was calibrated 2 degrees lower (I dont remember why) so 82?
- Pull out the trusty ohm meter and the temp. probe I have never used and it says 86
I will presume the factory set Fluval is accurate?

 

[Graffiti Spot]

Have you thought that maybe the pigments comes from high intensity metal halide? I think some of my corals under halides look fantastic when they are then placed under blue LEDs.

These pigments were different than anything I have seen before. The fluorescent parts were swirled together and not really visable under the halides. Although I am sure the coral would have looked different with led over it and that’s one thing I am curious about. I feel like the high temps stressed the coral into having the odd coloration but I don’t believe it was just the temp. The corals were on the edge though that’s for sure. I would think any swing or change could have made them rtn. Was not a healthy situation but I just found the color of them amazing.

 

[EMeyer]

So according to the poll, my temp is lower than most. So will bump to 80. Now here is where it gets complicated. This reef is 5 separate tanks (if you include the sump). They are all plumbed together and there are 6 heaters running. So bump each heater a bit. Now the question: How do I know that I am actually at 80 degrees.
- digital Fluval heater says 80
- floating hydrometer says 82
- floating thermometer says 80
- InkBird says 80 but was calibrated 2 degrees lower (I dont remember why) so 82?
- Pull out the trusty ohm meter and the temp. probe I have never used and it says 86
I will presume the factory set Fluval is accurate?

I'd trust your thermometer & hydrometer readings more than the meters. Funny that those two don't agree! But at least theyre not 86...

 

[vanpire]

Just curios as to anyone calibrating their temp probe. I have an apex and I am not sure how to calibrate the temp probe. It is not like there is a solution with the right temperature.

 

[Daddy-o]

I wonder if our corona-virus forehead thermometer would give an accurate reading?

 

[Doctorgori]

Room temperature ... I‘ve only heated my tank for the last few yrs ... and only because the internet said
Really tho, anything between 70F - 80F works ...
IMO in most homes heaters are optional for tanks 100G > or relatively stable room temps

 

[Paul B]

My fish live at the same temperature as I do. If I am comfortable, so are they. They have to live with me, I don't live with them.
They haven't complained yet.

 

[zachj7]

My tank follows the Apex's seasonal temperatures. It's like 75-81 degrees, winter to summer.

 

[Kazumi]

Just curios as to anyone calibrating their temp probe. I have an apex and I am not sure how to calibrate the temp probe. It is not like there is a solution with the right temperature.

To check your temp probes and other thermometers, I would get a highly accurate thermometer. https://www.thermoworks.com/Classic-Thermapen

These are high accuracy plus/minus 0.7degrees F. They work well, I use them for brewing.

 

[Maximitsurugi]

My fish live at the same temperature as I do. If I am comfortable, so are they. They have to live with me, I don't live with them.
They haven't complained yet.

Paul B doesnt keep fish. Fish keep Paul B. Lol

Well here in the Caribbean my tank is usually between 80 lowest and 83 highest, usually around Christmas to Easter, but during summer and even now, night time temp is 82.5 and day temp goes up to 85 (I start icing when i see it getting there. No chiller, only fan). All inhabitants are fine.

Acros dont seem to care. In fact, they seem to grow a little faster than in the tank they are coming from which sits at 78. I think corals that are conditioned to swings are hardy corals. I swing minimum 2° daily.

The reef here gets really warm. On a given day, if i go catch water for a water change, i cant use it immediately because ita in the 90s.

 

[vetteguy53081]

78.5 and maintained with a chiller unit

 

[anthonygf]

Just curios as to anyone calibrating their temp probe. I have an apex and I am not sure how to calibrate the temp probe. It is not like there is a solution with the right temperature.

I've learned to calibrate my thermometers with ice water, which is 32-33 degrees.