Temperature stability

[vbsaltydog]

I recently got a reefkeeper controller and noticed my temps swing from 80.0 to around 82.5 throughout the 24 hour day/night cycle. I know three degrees isn't much but I also know that three degrees over 24 hours is a BIG swing in the ocean, especially for subtropical climates. I also know that temp swings affect PH so a temp swing is also a PH swing.

Having said all of that, It seems I have three options:

1) Allow the three degree swings
2) Get a chiller and stabilize at 79
3) Run a heater and stabilize at 83

The chiller is a big expense given that it is only going to be reducing the temp by 3 or 4 degrees. The swings seem unhealthy and unnecessary given that the controller is present to maintain the temperature.

So here is the question, does it seem better to have a rock solid higher temp (83 degrees) over 79 - 82 swings or is 83 too warm?

[dzhuo]

Originally Posted by vbsaltydog

I know three degrees isn't much but I also know that three degrees over 24 hours is a BIG swing in the ocean, especially for subtropical climates.

No. It isn't. 3 degrees in 24 hours is absolutely nothing (both in your tank and in the ocean).

Originally Posted by vbsaltydog

1) Allow the three degree swings
2) Get a chiller and stabilize at 79
3) Run a heater and stabilize at 83

Go with #1.

Originally Posted by vbsaltydog

So here is the question, does it seem better to have a rock solid higher temp (83 degrees) over 79 - 82 swings or is 83 too warm?

Normal temperature fluctuations has never been shown to induce stress response. A rock solid temperature does nothing but "train" your fish and corals to a limited thermal range which is both unnatural and unnecessary. 83 is not warm at all. I don't feel like repeat myself again: Temperature question.

[disc1]

Option 4, put a clip on fan over the sump for $8, sit back and wonder why people spend so much on chillers.

Really I think the temp swing isn't that much. Temp swings on the natural reef come and go, sometimes faster than that depending on the currents.

[ZR1001]

In my experience, 3 degree swing is fine. I have my chiller set to kick in at 83 and the heater at 80.

[brtarr]

My tank swings between 78-83 on any given day and everything is fine.

[Allmost]

that's not a big swing at all, you are fine, corals do best at 84, so you are not even close to the top limit.

the fan on sump Idea works GREAT ! for sure try it. I leave mine on 24/7 .... it would lower the temp swing by about ~1 degree depending on the room temp.

[RVANANO]

Mine has been fluctuating b/t 77.5-81.5 for almost 2 years with no ill effects

[vbsaltydog]

Great. Thanks everyone. I have a fan that kicks in at 84 and at 85 the skimmer, fuge light, MH, etc turn off so it sounds like I am good to go.

[dzhuo]

Originally Posted by vbsaltydog

Great. Thanks everyone. I have a fan that kicks in at 84 and at 85 the skimmer, fuge light, MH, etc turn off so it sounds like I am good to go.

That sounds like a fine plan. I wouldn't necessary turn off the skimmer at 85 (it shouldn't contribute much to heat unless your skimmer runs a pressured rated pump). The benefit of running the skimmer far out weight the tiny bit of heat contribution.

[vbsaltydog]

Originally Posted by dzhuo

That sounds like a fine plan. I wouldn't necessary turn off the skimmer at 85 (it shouldn't contribute much to heat unless your skimmer runs a pressured rated pump). The benefit of running the skimmer far out weight the tiny bit of heat contribution.

My skimmer is more efficient than my tank requires so I only run it at night anyway. If I run it 24 hours then more than half of the time, there is nothing to skim.

[RVANANO]

There is always something to skim I think that just means you don't have it adjusted right. Try skimming a little more wet. I try and set my skimmer so that it fills the cup about twice a week.

[LegoZ81]

Also the skimmer helps to put a ton of oxygen into the water you should turn it on, no matter what time of the day if the tank gets too hot to prevent a low oxygen concentration in the tank.

Even worse when the lights are off Chloroplasts stop producing O2 and start consuming it resulting if a further decline in disolved O2 in the tank even further increasing the need for the skimmer to help with gas exchange.

[vbsaltydog]

Appreciated but I definitely have it dialed in right. If I skim at night only then I get dark skimmate in the cup. If I skim 24 hours then I get lots of gunk buildup in the neck. I prefer to skim less often and get all of the skimmate in the cup and have it be the mud vs the tea.

It is an SWC 160 Cone on a lightly stocked 54g so it is much more powerful than needed and skims very efficiently on the 12 hour cycle.

[vbsaltydog]

Originally Posted by LegoZ81

Also the skimmer helps to put a ton of oxygen into the water you should turn it on, no matter what time of the day if the tank gets too hot to prevent a low oxygen concentration in the tank.

Even worse when the lights are off Chloroplasts stop producing O2 and start consuming it resulting if a further decline in disolved O2 in the tank even further increasing the need for the skimmer to help with gas exchange.

The skimmer is on when the lights are off. Plus there is the fuge light at night, and I have good surface agitation for gas exchange.

Good points though. Maybe I will switch back to 24 hour skimming cycle.

[dzhuo]

Originally Posted by vbsaltydog

It is an SWC 160 Cone on a lightly stocked 54g so it is much more powerful than needed and skims very efficiently on the 12 hour cycle.

Then why even spent the money to get an overly big skimmer when you only need half capacity? It's good to think ahead and give yourself room for further upgrade, stocking more heavier, etc but really, it's just unnecessary. By the time you really upgrade your tank, SWC 160 might already be obsolete and you can probably get a much more efficient (by design and newer) skimmer for far less (in the future).

[vbsaltydog]

Originally Posted by dzhuo

Then why even spent the money to get an overly big skimmer when you only need half capacity? It's good to think ahead and give yourself room for further upgrade, stocking more heavier, etc but really, it's just unnecessary. By the time you really upgrade your tank, SWC 160 might already be obsolete and you can probably get a much more efficient (by design and newer) skimmer for far less (in the future).

I got it when they first came out and I would have been foolish to get the 120 Cone that would be undersized if I stocked heavily or upgraded my tank when the 160 Cone was only a few dollars more and left me room to grow.

The prices have increased dramatically since I got mine at the intro price. I am very happy with my decision.

[RVANANO]

I don't see any reason to not run the skimmer 24/7. It doesn't make any sense to me why the skimmer wouldn't produce skimmate when skimming 24 hours but skims great when only running at night. That would sound to me like it isn't properly dialed in. Sometimes skimmers take a bit to really get in their groove so starting and stopping for a half day every day might prevent it from skimming properly. I would imagine some of that skimmate in the neck would start to harden up when it's off during the day further reducing the skimmers efficiency.

My Octopus extreme 200 gets some nasty buildup in the neck. And I haven't cleaned it in a few weeks. Yet I still get dark skimmate every day. Mine will be full about twice a week but I still dump it just about every day. It did take a lot of fine adjusting to get it just right.

I would suggest running it 24/7 and making some fine adjustments to see if you can dial it in just right.