An interesting perspective

Anyone read this article by Ron Shimek.

A little different perspective on optimal temperatures and salinity.

What do you guys think about this?

 

Not seeing the link?

 

the word "article"

 

First, Ron Shimek has been known for authoring controversial reports... Here's another good example:

http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2003-03/rs/feature/index.php

Second, corals are more adaptive than once thought; the same species of acro, for example, can be found near the surface as well as up to 30 meters deep where light and temps are obviously far lower. Slower growth can be directly attributed to the environment, but they do still thrive. Moreover, there are natural reefs in cooler climate ranges that thrive quite well. The Great Barrier Reef is a prime example.

Third, it would be impractical to attempt to maintain a tank temp of 86 - 93F. The ocean has millions of square acres of surface area to help maintain dissolved oxygen levels. Our little glass boxes do not.

Lastly, when one purchases a wild specimen, they have no idea exactly from where it came or the exact conditions in which it was thriving; however, time has proven that when one has been known to be from a more temperate climate and is placed into a tropical setting, it is usually short-lived. Stress from higher temps affects individuals, regardless of the range of it's species. This is true both in the wild as well as in captivity, hence the reason for bleaching on one reef at a lower temp than what another may be thriving.

Stay tuned for a rebuttal of yet another one of Dr. Shimek's reports from the greater scientific community.

 

This is good information. Just wanted to see what people thought. I had just been concerned with how warm my system is getting and wondered what people thought about it. I guess i need to figure out what I can do to keep my system a little cooler

 

What's interesting and disturbing at the same time is that Shimek prefers to use extremely dated information, scientifically speaking. Marine biology is an ongoing study to this day, and yet, in the report you linked, one reference he used is from 1942; the majority are from the 1960s - 1990s, and the only ones from this Millenium, which are still one decade old, are irrelevant to the core basis of his report. Unfortunately, this is typical.

 

As discussed with mdbostwick when he was over my place this past wknd, you're not only housing coral, but fish and inverts. The task is to find a happy medium for all livestock. Often more times than not, a difficult task.

Stability being key.