[Nanook01]

Well, in trying to control the heat on my 120g reef, with 2 250w HQI, I am lowering the set temp to 77 degrees. The temp makes it up to 82-83ish with the lights on for 12 hours. Is this too big of a temp swing for my tank? Thanks,

Nanook

[golfish]

Nanook,
Some people will say its should not be a problem. IMO, its a little too much of a swing. I let my tank get down around 80 at night and sometimes will reach 84 for an hour or two before I cut the 400 watter. Yesterday my temp went up to 84.1 today it top out at 82.6

[reef120]

Nanook01

I am also having trouble keeping my temp down in my 125reef Im running 3- 250watt MH and 3-140VHO 8/10hrs per day. Right now my temp ranges from 78 morning to 83/84 by afternoon.

[SueT]

I think that that may to be too big of a swing. The corals will start to show signs of stress, or at least mine have as the summer has been so hot down here in Houston. Even with the chiller my 120 was getting up to 83, it is suppoesed to be below 80. I had to start soaking ice packs. This week we are having rain storms every day since Sunday and the AC is hardly cutting on, much less the chillers. This week the sps corals look amazingly better. I'm just hoping that the stress of the last few weeks and the much cooler temps this week don't come back to haunt me in the coming weeks.

my 120 sps tank:
http://suetruett.homestead.com/home.html
www.marshreef.org/members

[golfish]

Sue, do you think that its too much of a swing? The temp is just too high? Or both? I was over at Steve Tyree's place the other day and noticed he keeps his tanks around 78. I don't seem to have a problem with the SPS, my tank runs 80 in the morning to 83 at night. I have read it puts more stress on the fish then the corals, The temp swing that is.

I do get a little worried when I see my temp get over 83. I think I'll shoot for a chiller next year

Mark

[Nanook01]

Well, I set my temp controller for 79 degrees in the am, the temp got up to 82 the last few days. This is with 2 250w metal halides, if I add a third MH, then I will have problems, arghh! I really want a 250w Iwasaki over the glass brace to brighten up the tank more, I think it needs it. If I did it over again, I would simply use 2 400w Iwasakis and 4 110w VHO. I only have two VHO, so the Iwasakis would make the tank look to yellow to my eyes.

nanook

[SueT]

Mark, it may be both. The temp being too high and the temp can only swing from a bit higher to just a bit lower. I "try" to run my 120 at 78 and with these rain storms it hasn't been a problem. I have noticed the difference in the corals this week, I think just to the more stable cooler temp. The 180 stays right on 77. I have also noticed my green chromis feeling much more frisky with the cooler temps.

pics soon of the 180 ecosystem. My bro-in-law took them this afternoon and as soon as he emails them to me I can post em.
my 120 sps tank:
http://suetruett.homestead.com/home.html
www.marshreef.org/members

[golfish]

Thanks Sue

[PRO-AQUARIA]

just remember no more than 2 degrees in a 24hr. this is a rule of thump!

[Ironreef]

My temp swings 4 -5 degrees ever since I've kept reefs. Never had a prob. My temp ranges 80-85 all year. Some ppl may have problems but i never have. i only had rtn on 2 wild sps colonies. All other coral deaths I've experience were my error or fish/animal but not from temp. JME

[PRO-AQUARIA]

Ironreef in all my years this has alway`s been a problem. maybe down here in LOUISIANA is the culprit. also these temp swing`s alway`s caused ick breakout. my temp swing is .06 of a degree but cooling tank`s is very $$$$$$$$$$$$. so good luck wish i were so lucky!

[organicreefer]

im with pro-aquaria (except temp swings dont cause ich,they make the fish more susceptable to it),anything more than a couple degrees and youre asking for trouble.ime,fish will be affected by temperature swings worse than corals(corals a sooo much easier than fish,for me anyway).

[Ironreef]

My experiance is they never harmed my corals or my fish. My fish have always been fat and healthy. But i don't live in a hot area so my temp swings are only for 3-4mo. I never run a heater only fans when needed.My tank doesn't run cool= acylic in wall. I have alot of current through my system also. I put ceramic floors in my fish room so my animals are in rubbermaids in the garage= big temp swings there. Fish are still fat and healthy no ick still look good. But most of my stuff is captive prop or reared. May have something to do with it. I'm not suggesting large temp swings are good. I'm just saying I've never had a problem.