[jsgates]

I need a little help and advice with my water temps. I have T5 lighting and will be adding some corals in 3 weeks or so. The problem now is with my water temps. Recommended temps for most corals is 76 - 78 degrees farenheit. Currently, my water temps range between 80 - 83 degrees. I am installing some PC fans under my canopy to cool things down. What is maximum temp that my water should be for corals? Trying to get it cooled down a bit. I refuse to buy a chiller as prices are outrageous for the size I would need. I only need to go down a few degrees. Thanks for any suggestions.

[pogodzib]

Most people try to keep their tanks in the range of 78-80 degrees. Corals will grow slower at slightly lower temps and at 84+ degrees, corals and fish start to get stressed out. I've never noticed any problems with my tank at 83 degrees. At 84 degrees, I have had a couple different types of SPS corals bleach on me.

[wesley6610]

I try to keep my tank near 78, but in the summer it gets really hot and my tank stays at 82. I wouldn't let it go higher than 84 in the day and keeping the temperature stable is the best thing. So if you level out at about 82 - 84 you might be okay, but crank that A/C up on those hot days until you can invest in a chiller, but T5's shouldn't be rasing the temperature that much. Is your room temperature regulated or are you under a vent, perhaps near the boiler room, lol

[jsgates]

No, but I do have my T5 lighting kit built into a plastic canopy. You can't see the top of the canopy, so I just leave the top of it off. Room temp stays between 75 & 78 degrees. Tank is 80 ga. with 100 lbs of live rock, mag drive 3 pump on a Remora Pro skimmer, and two koralia 3 powerheads. Temps seems to be hanging around 80 at night with moonlights on. Also, 120 lbs of sugar size white sand. I have invested in Tom brand digital aquarium thermometer w/ alarm. It keeps track of the highest & lowest recorded temp in memory, so I am monitoring it for about a week while i'm waiting for the diatom algae to die off. I guess the canopy is still keeping a lot of heat in. Wiring up some PC case fans in the canopy tonight to cool things down some.

[wesley6610]

Plastic canopy, is that even safe? lol

[jsgates]

I'll be posting pics soon. T5's are mounted to wooden frame that I buiit into the canopy using 1x2s..........

[wesley6610]

Oh, okay, well I will wait for the pictures then

[120gallons]

My tank runs at 82-86 during the summer and I see no ill effects. Stability is the key more than the temp as long as it's in the high 70's low to mid 80s.