Temperatures and Salinity

[Tim Marvin]

Read this article for those those of you that are always concerned about these issues. I keep my tanks at 80-84 degrees and salinity 1.022-1.026.

http://animalnetwork.com/fish2/aqfm/1997/nov/features/1/default.asp

[Tim Marvin]

In this article it suggests that you keep your tank at 84 degrees and 1.024-1.025 specific gravity. I have found the coral growth will accellerates in the higher temperatures, and livestock seems happier and healthier. This is just my obseravations with my own tanks. Of course I don't buy much subtropical. Most of my livestock is from indo-pacific, Fiji, and warmer waters.

[Tim Marvin]

I thought it may help out those that still worry when the tank gets over 80 degrees. Most of our tanks should be running at 80-84 constantly. I rarely worry about water being too warm only too cold.

[Chris]

An oldie but a goodie.

Also take into consideration that some of our tanks don't do nearly as well of a job at getting dissolved oxygen into the system. Higher temperatures can decrease the amount of gases that are easily dissolved in the water and be a contributing factor to an unhealthy system.

This is simply one of the many reasons plantlife such as Caulerpa are an added benefit to skimmerless systems. A skimmer will(if not anything else) do a good job at creating turbulance to oxygenate the water. Plantlife will essentially do the same thing albeit through a different method... photosynthesis.

So although higher temperatures in itself aren't bad(they actually increase coral growth rates), sudden changes, or changes in a system not setup to fully support it's inhabitants(too many fish, too little oxygen) can cause stress and/or death.

I personally like to keep my tanks close to 81°F / 1.025

8)

[Tim Marvin]

Yep, old article 1997, but I am sure not much has changed since the study. I usually recommend people use refugiums or at least a sump. These two will effectively add Oxygen to the system just from the dropping water. I use some skimmers but with the refugiums they produce very little, they are good for more O2 though. On the other hand I can feed heavier when I need to with the skimmer running. Anyway I liked the article and have had it around here for a couple years, I thought you guys and gals may find some use from it.

[Chris]

Definately a good one to have bookmarked. ;-)

:beer:

[Texreefer]

my tank rarely drops below 80 .. its usually between 80.5 and 83 i keep my salinity as high as possible so long as it doesnt go over 1.027,,everything has been doing fine im just not getting any growth... howver my brownish pink M. digitata has turned bright purple.

[Chris]

http://www.naia.com.fj/research/watertemp.gif

Thought i'd toss in this chart of water temperatures from Fiji.

Other places like around the Phillipines and Australia's Great Barrier Reef average a few degree's warmer.

Hawaii's waters are pretty cool compared to most other reefs(actually one of the coolest) dropping down to around 76°F for a few weeks during the year but averaging in the very low 80's.

;)