Water Temperature?

[TropicalRespect]

The water Temp in my 3 gallon varies about 4 degrees between when the light is on and off. In the morning before i turn on the light the water is 78 degrees. Later in the day the water gets up to around 82 degrees. How could this temperature fluctuation be effecting my corals/fish?
Thanks

 

[Jmck]

well it can cause shock and kill inverts an corals. If your light is doing this, maybe you should try getting a fan to run over the top of your tank during the day. This should drop the temperature. I cant say if 4 degrees F is a lot, because i dont understand what that means ( we use celcius) but I believe its enough to cause some damage

 

[TropicalRespect]

ok, i hear that running a fan speeds up evaporation

 

[Reef Nutz]

4 degree swing is normal.

 

[Jmck]

Thats good then 4 degrees for me is death in my tank :D

 

[Reef Nutz]

Thats good then 4 degrees for me is death in my tank :D

You should try it mate. I'm bettin your guessin and have not done it. Even SPS tanks have swings. The more gradual the swing is the more your corals adapt to your tank.:mrgreen: you think that the ocean does not swing more than 4 degrees in the reefs?

 

[Jmck]

You should try it mate. I'm bettin your guessin and have not done it. Even SPS tanks have swings. The more gradual the swing is the more your corals adapt to your tank.:mrgreen: you think that the ocean does not swing more than 4 degrees in the reefs?

maybe you should think of australia? we run in celcius so moving from 25 -29 would be like going from 78-90 in your tanks :P

 

[TropicalRespect]

but it gets up to 82 degrees, is thata little to hot?

 

[Reef Nutz]

I would not let it roam to much farther north of that temp. 82 would be my max high temp.

 

[Reef Nutz]

maybe you should think of australia? we run in celcius so moving from 25 -29 would be like going from 78-90 in your tanks :P

. And just do alittle Google on Ocean temps and seasons for me. And a swing from 76 to 82 is not a big swing in temps.
Just my thoughts. No one has to listen to anything I'm saying. Google it.

 

[little_fish]

I think that is too much a swing, i would put a little heater in your tank and try and get it stay between 80-82

And the ocean doesnt change 4 degrees in a day once you get down below the surface a few feet.

 

[Reef Nutz]

"The best temperature for coral reefs is between 25 and 31 C" http://oceanworld.tamu.edu/students/coral/coral2.htm

 

[Jmck]

That is to keep a CONSTANT temperature, not a shifting temperature. Reefs need stability, and a temerature which is always having that large a swing is dangerous. I have seen livestock die on smaller swings.

 

[Reef Nutz]

That is to keep a CONSTANT temperature, not a shifting temperature. Reefs need stability, and a temerature which is always having that large a swing is dangerous. I have seen livestock die on smaller swings.

You win. I've said all I will on this subject.:beerchug:

 

[Waddi]

Yea, too much of a swing, a temp swing that high in that short amount of time can do some damage.

 

[TropicalRespect]

I think that is too much a swing, i would put a little heater in your tank and try and get it stay between 80-82

And the ocean doesnt change 4 degrees in a day once you get down below the surface a few feet.

I already have a heater in it that keeps it at 78, but when i turn on the light the temp shoots up to 82 degrees

 

[Jmck]

Try a fan over the surface and it should help to even it out during the day. Im guessing you have Mhalides right?

 

[Bifferwine]

I already have a heater in it that keeps it at 78, but when i turn on the light the temp shoots up to 82 degrees

Turn your heater up to 80 or 82.

I would not like my tank swinging more than 1 to 2 degrees in a 24 hour period. Of course the oceans naturally have temp swings -- but that is seasonal and gradual -- over several months. They stay very constant over 24-hour periods.

82 is not bad for your tanks; it's not too high. I keep my tanks between 82 and 84. Again, the swings in temperature are worse than the extremes.

 

[TropicalRespect]

thanks for the information everyone/ I think i will turn the fan on during the day and turn it off at night to keep the temp around 78.
And no I have an 18 watt flourescent

 

[little_fish]

That seems a bit extreme for a fluorescent lamp, but see if they fan does the trick.