How High is too High?

[triggerob]

Hello everyone. New registrant although have been surfing the site for a while.

My question is in a fish only tank, how high have you let your temperature get in the summer months? At what temperature did you start seeing detrimental effects on your livestock? I have heard of people running tanks at a constant 85 degrees or higher in the summer with good aeration and water movement and no bad effects of the fish. Any experiences/stories?

[brown trout]

First off, glad you finally joined.(like me.) Anyway, my tank is usually around 80 degrees. There are times when it drops to 75 and times when it rises to 85. So far, I haven't seen any adverse affects. As you mentioned, surface movement is extremly important. Sorry I don't have any horror stories for you. I hope I never do! Good luck.

[MEC]

85 should be Ok. Just keep the water current up. Adding a fan over the tank or sump will help lower the temp by evaporation. this is usually good for a couple of degrees...HTH.
Mike

[vtec si]

My desk top reef (7gallons) stayed at 86 - 88 deg all summer and I have AC. I never had a problem with it! My other tanks stay about 82 deg at all times!

VTEC

[organicreefer]

personally 85 degrees scares me and i dont let my tanks get that hot(except my african cichlid tank ..they dont mind they get really active and aggressive)and use a fan on the sump when necessary.i think that temp swings are more of a problem than 85 degrees is though so pick a temp and keep it there(i run my tanks at 80 in the summer. fighting halides,this is the lowest i can consistently keep it)

[orion25]

My tank fluctuates between 81 & 87 wwith no ill affecxts. The key is to avoid sudden changes. My range occures over the whole year.

Ryan

[Strangelove]

My tank has daily swings: it's 79 in the am before lights and 84 in the evening after lights all day. Is this too rapid for the temp to change?

[MEC]

I think you will be Ok there SL. In the ocean the temp can also vary by as much as 10 degrees, depending on how deep the fish swims. It could be 89 degrees at the top of the reef, and drop to 75 degrees 10 feet down in the shadow of a rock. The fish normally will swim through different temps without really thinking about it. The corals tend to grow where they like the conditions best though. but even then during storms the temps and salinity will vary.I think as long as youre tank looks healthy and happy everything is ok and a few degrees one way or the other wont hurt. JMO.......Mike

[organicreefer]

strangelove:
yes 5 degrees is too much for an everyday thing.it will definitley bother youre fish more than youre corals.if youre having swings of more than 2-3 degrees at the most id say you need to deal with it.placing a fan on the same timer with youre lights should help alot.fish are cold blooded and i seriously doubt they swim through different temps. without thinking about it.jmo

[Strangelove]

Maybe I could just have my heater set a little higher to decrease the temp drop at night.

[PerryinCA]

As long as you stay within reasonable temps, swings of 4,5,6 and even 7 degrees aren't bad for the tank. Stability is good, but if you tank never varies, that one time something happens and you get a temp spike/drop, it can be cataclismic. Temp swings of more than 5 degrees are common in the natural reef shallows. I have seen coral bleach in a temp swing that headed past 87 from 80, but that is reaching the upper bounds of coral livability anyway...

As long as you stay between 78 and 85, you'll be fine.

-Perry

BTW, Welcome!