Opinions on Temp

I was checking out some links above and else where about whats a good temp to keep your reef tank. I have a 90 gallon tank, which right now mostly contains fish and inverts, with mininal other creatures, 1 rock of Zoo , and one star polyp rock, and 4 lil red mushrooms. I keep the temp at aroudn 74 to 75. However i notcied today my LFS keeps his things at around 80, and he said something to me about aclamating and that my tanks should be warmer than his.. I have had no problems with my tank in the 9 months it has been running, but if i am intending to keep adding corals and polyps,should i think about slowly raising my temp? or will that stress out my fish? any suggestions are always happily accepted
thank you
-Ben

 

I always thought that a reef aquarium should be 78 to 82 degrees.
some corals do better in warmer waters depending where your corals are from.
I have never heard of anyone keeping it below 77 but I never really questioned that.
One of the MODs here will chime in shortly and give you an answer.

 

Nautilus,
Ok, well i put in another heater a few mins ago, and just barely turned them both up, gonna try to raise the temp over night from 74 to 78, and see how the fish do in the morning when the light comes on, and see how everything else reacts. I dont know why i have kept the temp at 72 - 74 range.. everything was working fine, guess i didnt see a reason to change it, but i got worried today by the lfs. So we will see.

 

Fish only tanks are less temp sensetive than corals and inverts. Depending on where your livestock is from you will find that most tropical reefs are in the 78 - 82 dergree range and have a Salinity of 36ppt or 1.025 Specific Gravity. I keep my Indo Pacific reef at 80 degrees and a SG 0f 1.025. All fish, inverts, and corals are awesome.

A swing of one or two degrees will not overly stress your fish. You should be fine by raising a degree or two every day until you reach the 80 degree mark.

 

That sounds good,
Ill just raise it slowly till i get around 79 - 80
thanks

 

with out a chiller my tank runs at 82 degrees and the heater is there but only if the tank drops at night with the lights off. between my pc hood and the mag 950 in the sump the temp has nevere moved. may have to add a chiller when my hood is complete both 400 watt mh and pc.

 

this is the most accurate heater that I have found without using a seperate controller..I have the 150 watt on a 30 gallon long with a sump and it keeps it within .2 degrees of set temperature and displays tank temp on a digital readout...
http://www.championlighting.com/e/e...Products/productinfo.html&item=main:prod1

 

i keep mine around 80-82 it flucuates a bit there. my salinity about 1.024