What is the right temperature??

[Chris Jones]

I just came from to LFS's and We were talking temperature. My tank is consistantly 81-82. One store said this was too warm especially when I start collecting corals. The other store said that I need a heater because my tank might drop to below 79 or 78 during the night.

I run my PC's for 8 hours and they turn off at midnight. at that time, my refug 18 watt comes on for 6 hours till the morning.
I look at the temp constantly. and I have never seen it below 80.

Randy holmes-Farley says
All things considered, I recommend temperatures in the range of 76-83° F unless there is a very clear reason to keep it outside that range. I keep my aquarium at about 80-81° F year-round.

what is the general consensus???

That temp 80-81 is great.
Since I added bigger fans in my hood I range from 77 to 80 degrees.
The ocean depending on where it is fluctuates alot more then that so I would not worry unless the temp stays above 84 degrees during the day. Try adding some computer fans if you have a canopy or a clip on fan over the sump area as I use to do this and it works great but enhances water evaporation.

[Chris Jones]

I was thinking of getting the 100mm size fans for the canopy. down in my stand, i have a small desk fan that comes on with the timer for the fuge light as it feels like it puts out a bit for a small light.
And in following in DX7's footprints, I am constructing a float switch for my sump to top off so that will be ok there. thanks Dave.

No problem sonar man.

What kind of float switch setup are you planning on doing?

[Chris Jones]

Like the one DX7 pointed out in my post "My Refugium" in REFUGIUM forum here is the link, grainger is right around the corner from my work so I can get the parts easily. only 12 bucks for the switch.
http://www.hawkfish.org/snailman/diytofloat.htm#fstop

in his instructions, he states " I am not sure why I made this piece of PVC pipe so long because the float switch is tiny. It will work long or short. "

Im thinking if there is any wave action at all in the location where the switch is, it may cycle alot.

If the tube is long and the water has to enter down low in the sump wave action will not affect the switch, just true drops in water level. So if he don't know why, he inadvertantly did it right for a stable, smooth switching action.

[wds21921]

I've had great success keeping my tanks between 78-82 F. Most all soft corals and even a lot of SPS will do fine up to as high as 84 F for a while but anything beyond that and they will either start bleaching or simply close up and not come back at all.
This range works well for almost all salt tanks whether FO, FOWLR, FOWLC, LRLC.

[chetrod]

Hell my tank has been at 83 to 86 and its driving me crazy..... I have left the MH lights of for three days just to see but the temp is still at 83. I have been thinking of getting a chiller. I have the fans in the canopy on 24 hours a day and it still did not drop below 83. A previous post sd to freeze a 2 liter bottle and put it in the tank to help control temperature I am currently trying that.

[Tangster]

Only problem the temps above 77 to 78 is the dissolved 0'2 falls off and then you open the system to alga's and Cyano bacterias. The key is consistency keep them as stable and as little fluctuations as possible. Nothing alive is ever static.