Water Temp

I was wondering how important a consistent water temperature is. The reason I'm asking is that in the morning the water starts off around 73 degrees and while the MH lights are on then steadily rises throughout the day until it reaches about 78-79 before the halides turn off. Presently I only have a Yellow Tail Damsel and two Percula, a toadstool and a frogspawn for corals. I want to add some more corals but, want to get this temperature thing worked out first.

 

Put a fan or two blowing across the top of the tank to help with the temp. You can also put one in the sump that will help.

 

Temp is very important. You want to be able to maintain around 79 at all times. The biggest problem is usually cooling the tank. If you were to adjust your eaters to 79 it is likely you would see your tank go as high as 85 with the MH on.
Otty is right on. Fans will help big time as they will promote evaporation and that will cool the tank. You can even put them on timers with your lights so that your not cooling when the lights aren't on.

J

 

Also look into an ATO - auto top off! Fans make alot of evap

 

wait what will fans do here
unless im reading this wrong (high probability)
he is saying his low is 73 and high is 78 79
a fan will just lower the 78 79
i think the problem is getting the 73 up higher
why not set the heater on 75

 

Yes I think everyone has assumed the heaters should be set so that the base temp is higher. That will result in the need for fans to cool the tank

Sorry for the confusion njdevilsfan



J

 

Thanks for the quick replys. So a big fluctuation in temperature is a bad thing. I was afraid that if I set the heater to say 75 that in a couple of hours the tank would be 79 - 80.
I have two ice cap temp sensitive fans fans in the canopy and a clip on one in the sump. I think when I built the canopy I kept the lights too close to the tank. Right now they're about 8" away from the water. Should I raise them up a little?

 

You want fans blowing across the surface of the water to promote evap.

 

A temperature fluxuation is responsible for the devastation associated with our coral reefs! Bleaching due to changes in temperature(warming up by just 1-2degrees) will stress out corals possibly killing them! Global warming...
and that is on a large scale, so imagine what problem it could pose for your corals in your tank! Try to keep fluxuations at a minimum for temperature as well, water parameters!

 

Thanks everyone for the help. I will work on getting the lights moved up and temperature more constant