question about temp changes

sir_dudeguy · 08/08/2006, 02:24 PM

Ok, this question has nothing to do w/my tank, but while i was in rocky point last week, i went snorkeling at an island nearby. The water was only 15 ft. deep, so it was easy getting to the bottom and hanging out for a minute and then come back up...but i noticed that at the top the water was fairly warm, i'd say around the same temp as we try to keep a reef aquarium, but as i would go down towards the bottom, about halfway down there was a huge temp change. The water was actually cold below the halfway mark. I'd say prolly 15 degrees lower maybe.

I was mainly watching the fish tho, and how they act...there were triggers and wrasses and stuff, and i think i even saw what the boat driver called a mexican barracuda...at least thats what he thought it was from my description...but the fish were going up and down in the water, cold to warm...didnt matter what the temp was.

so it gave me this question...why do we worry so much about temperature swings in aquariums, when these fish were goin from around 80 to like 70 and below w/no problems? there wasnt any gradualness (is that even a word? lol) in the temp change either...it was pretty sudden.

just a thought

but the fish there were awsome too. Tons of big blue triggers, and then there was a bunch of what they call spinster wrasses...i saw mosly females of those (much dif. coloration than the males) and i also saw a trigger tear some little guy apart lol. There were quite a few corals too. There were a few dif. polyps and then a bunch of other stuff i dont even know how to describe haha

mike

reefnetworth · 08/08/2006, 02:30 PM

tank temperature as well as ocean temp. are maintained to control disease or good and bad bacteria. the ocean only has a temp change of 6-8*f. the temp of the surface is warmer in some areas but the true temp is quite stable. for a tank, in case of power out or mistakes made by the keeper, its important to keep the temp between 76-83F at all times. this keeps corals and fish alive, and prevents future problems from occuring. REEF-ON!

reefnetworth · 08/08/2006, 02:36 PM

the 70F you thought you felt is current. i gaurantee you it wasnt 70F. take the temp of your faucet and then compare. you will be surprised at what 70F really feels like to youre entire body. REEF-ON!

kass03 · 08/08/2006, 02:43 PM

Just a note on temps.

Ive always kept my heaters/ temps around 76F for over 20 years.
I read alot of people on here keep them at 78F or higher.
Last yr when I went to Dr. Fosters and took the aquaculture tour I asked what temp they use and they said 78F so I turned mine up to 78F.

This year when I went back they said they now keep the temps at 76F because they found out it's better.

I doubt it matters a real lot and stable is what your shooting for anyway but thought it was interesting.

kass

sir_dudeguy · 08/08/2006, 02:44 PM

ya it might not have been 70 but it was pretty dang cold compaired to the 80 on top. and the current was the same on the bottom tho..we were on a side of the island that gets very little flow (and this was even on a windy day). When sitting still in the water it didnt move me at all, so i dont think it could have been just current that was making it cooler...but it was cooler.

thanks for the input

mike

sir_dudeguy · 08/08/2006, 02:51 PM

ya i dont think that it would really matter..that 2 degree dif. i mean.

Quote:

and stable is what your shooting for

but again tho...why, when there was such a temp change in the ocean would it matter so much? I reallize that some things like bacteria and stuff will grow in one temp range and die at 2 degrees lower or higher, but isnt that the same in the ocean? wouldnt some of that bad stuff grow in the warm part for example, and not the cold part? I'm not saying i'm gonna do this to my tank and make temp swings all the time lol, but i'm just curious.

and also, i was more wondering about the fish going into shock...i hear all the time that people say "dont let the temps swing because it puts the fish into shock"....well then fish put themselves into shock more out in the ocean...I know that the most my tank ever changes is a couple degrees, but thats rarely...the fish while snorkeling tho were constantly going in and out of warm water to cool water and vice versa...THAT would put fish into shock i would think...not the 2 degrees in an aquarium lol.

thanks for all the input.

08/08/2006, 02:24 PM	#1
sir_dudeguy Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Portland, OR Posts: 10,841	question about temp changes Ok, this question has nothing to do w/my tank, but while i was in rocky point last week, i went snorkeling at an island nearby. The water was only 15 ft. deep, so it was easy getting to the bottom and hanging out for a minute and then come back up...but i noticed that at the top the water was fairly warm, i'd say around the same temp as we try to keep a reef aquarium, but as i would go down towards the bottom, about halfway down there was a huge temp change. The water was actually cold below the halfway mark. I'd say prolly 15 degrees lower maybe. I was mainly watching the fish tho, and how they act...there were triggers and wrasses and stuff, and i think i even saw what the boat driver called a mexican barracuda...at least thats what he thought it was from my description...but the fish were going up and down in the water, cold to warm...didnt matter what the temp was. so it gave me this question...why do we worry so much about temperature swings in aquariums, when these fish were goin from around 80 to like 70 and below w/no problems? there wasnt any gradualness (is that even a word? lol) in the temp change either...it was pretty sudden. just a thought but the fish there were awsome too. Tons of big blue triggers, and then there was a bunch of what they call spinster wrasses...i saw mosly females of those (much dif. coloration than the males) and i also saw a trigger tear some little guy apart lol. There were quite a few corals too. There were a few dif. polyps and then a bunch of other stuff i dont even know how to describe haha mike

08/08/2006, 02:30 PM	#2
reefnetworth Premium Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: U.S.A. Posts: 3,810	tank temperature as well as ocean temp. are maintained to control disease or good and bad bacteria. the ocean only has a temp change of 6-8*f. the temp of the surface is warmer in some areas but the true temp is quite stable. for a tank, in case of power out or mistakes made by the keeper, its important to keep the temp between 76-83F at all times. this keeps corals and fish alive, and prevents future problems from occuring. REEF-ON! __________________ GIVE A MAN A FISH, YOU FEED HIM FOR A DAY. TEACH A MAN TO FISH, HE FEEDS HIMSELF FOR LIFE. (NEVER, underestimate another man's greed) Current Tank Info: SPS dominated barebottom display with BB sump since 2005, most consistant parameters in 19+ years of reefkeeping.

08/08/2006, 02:36 PM	#3
reefnetworth Premium Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: U.S.A. Posts: 3,810	the 70F you thought you felt is current. i gaurantee you it wasnt 70F. take the temp of your faucet and then compare. you will be surprised at what 70F really feels like to youre entire body. REEF-ON! __________________ GIVE A MAN A FISH, YOU FEED HIM FOR A DAY. TEACH A MAN TO FISH, HE FEEDS HIMSELF FOR LIFE. (NEVER, underestimate another man's greed) Current Tank Info: SPS dominated barebottom display with BB sump since 2005, most consistant parameters in 19+ years of reefkeeping.

08/08/2006, 02:44 PM	#5
sir_dudeguy Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Portland, OR Posts: 10,841	ya it might not have been 70 but it was pretty dang cold compaired to the 80 on top. and the current was the same on the bottom tho..we were on a side of the island that gets very little flow (and this was even on a windy day). When sitting still in the water it didnt move me at all, so i dont think it could have been just current that was making it cooler...but it was cooler. thanks for the input mike __________________ TAKE...LUCK!!!

08/08/2006, 02:43 PM	#4
kass03 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Kaukauna, Wi Posts: 2,937	Just a note on temps. Ive always kept my heaters/ temps around 76F for over 20 years. I read alot of people on here keep them at 78F or higher. Last yr when I went to Dr. Fosters and took the aquaculture tour I asked what temp they use and they said 78F so I turned mine up to 78F. This year when I went back they said they now keep the temps at 76F because they found out it's better. I doubt it matters a real lot and stable is what your shooting for anyway but thought it was interesting. kass