Tank at 72 degrees and never looked better

[zkirby]

OK, I know the optimum tank temp is between 74 and 80 degrees but this is wierd. I've been battling a terrible algae problem for a few months. The algae is a brownish slimy stuff that covers my sand and rocks and extends up 2-4 inches and waves around in the water. It looks like thin layers of mucus membrane and pretty much covers everything. My tank has always been at 78-80. Last thursday I siphoned out a ton of the algae and did a 5 gallon water change (Tank is 29 gallons) just as I've been doing each week for months. I then ever so slightly tweaked my stealth heater from the 72 to the 69ish position to try to get the temp to drop 2-3 degrees as it's been at or slightly above 80 since the weather has been getting better. I then left for a 4 day long weekend with family. When I came back the tank looked amazing. My Rose anemone was fully extended and open, something she hasn't done since the algae outbreak. My Orange Dendro was in the same state. My Baby 1.5" Pacific Blue Tang was swimming around as happy as can be (I know, I know, I will need a bigger tank asap for him. I was very confused, so I checked everything and immediately noticed the temp was 72 degrees at most. Am I flirting with disaster? I did crank the heater back up a bit to try to get to 74-76.

Thoughts?

zkirby

 

[tat2z_21]

Where are the pics at. I live this close to you and have not seen your tank yet. You have to remember that the temp could drop a little bit at night. What size is your heater. I would always have a size or two bigger then what is recommended for your tank. Also what kind of temperature indicator do you have. Maybe it is not as accurate as you are hoping. So I believe that the optimum temp range is given so that there is a little room for deviation on either side. But if you up the size on your heater it means a little quicker heating response, which means that your tank temp will stabalize a little better. I am no professional. But when you are ready for a bigger tank let me know. I am currently in the process of upgrading to a 180. So the 75 will be ready. Tank and stand and possibly the lights and all of the overflow stuff. Let me know.

 

[lvsuckerfish]

I was always told to have 2 or 3 smaller rated heaters just incase one goes out you have a back up I have a 100 watt on a 55 during cycling and the heater got stuck on on mode and heated the water to 92 degrees a little scary luckly no life in the tank. thats when i was told 2x50 watts one for a back up and they will alternate on and off.

 

[bigblue141]

I say leave it. The ocean fluctuates in temperature from day to night. I don't heat my tank. It gets up to around 78 in the middle of the day and is around 70-72 in the morning when I wake up.

My house thermostat is set at 70 degrees. My current tank is a 120 and I currently only have about 4,000 GPH turn over. Next month it will be 6,000 and by the end of July I hope to have all my pumps and power heads to get up to 8-9000 gph.

Set your heater up around 67-68 degrees to keep your tank from freezing. Everything that came from the ocean expects the temp to drop when the lights go out, why not try to copy their natural habitat.

P.S. We should start an Oak Harbor tank tour starting at your house

 

[ac7av]

+1 more on don’t mess with a good thing.
I would say one of a couple of things are possible. Ether the heater is not working correctly and you’ve been cooking the tank or the thermometer your using is not working correctly. Ether way if the tank looks good and all your pets are happy then let them be happy. It sounds like a good thing.

BTW nice to here you back in town, for a while I hope.

 

[sandswhitson]

lvsuckerfish is correct you want two smaller heaters, NOT one bigger heater. If the bigger heater fails on you will cook your tank (which most do.) I would double check you thermometer sounds like it may be off.

 

[ac7av]

Oh I forgot
I have to quote bigblue141 again
“Only bad things happen quickly, all things that are quality happen over a long time"
But in the case of the heater my vote is for two smaller then recommended heaters because if one if one over rated heater messes up you will have problems very fast if it over heats.

 

[johny99]

I used to keep my tank 77-80 and had various algae problems and moved my temp range down 74-76 and everything slows down in growth including algae.

I like the Oak Harbor guy who doesn't heat his tank. That is a awesome approach. Let nature decide what temperature the tank is.

 

[tat2z_21]

ZKIRBY, Where did you go. How is the tank doing. Updates would be nice. I iknow you are probably pretty busy, but just thought I would check up on you and see how things are.

 

[Herefishyfishy]

I say leave it. The ocean fluctuates in temperature from day to night. I don't heat my tank. It gets up to around 78 in the middle of the day and is around 70-72 in the morning when I wake up.

Only the surface layer or very near the shore. The majority of the ocean does not have daily temp swings but changes gradually with the seasons.
The range isn't as critical, but best to keep as steady a temp as possible.

 

[Katchupoy]

+1 with what Mike said.

 

[roscoe]

+2 I'd have to agree with you Mike.

 

[IWishIWasAFish]

I don't heat my 15g. nano. The temp at school drops into the upper 60s at night, and rises to the low 70s during the day. I've got xenia, brittle stars, asterinas, azure damselfish, hermit crabs, other crab, and macroalgae. The temp of the tank is raised a tiny bit by the pair of T-5s above it, but not much. Everything is very happy.

 

[noworries]

I tend to lean to the OP (thought process) but do agree with Mike. Being most of our tanks are reef tanks or inhabitants to shallow reefs the variance of temperature is more than deeper water organisms. Since our reefs are enclosed and limited to the amount of water in our systems steady is better. The rate at which our temperature has the potential to change isn't even close to nature. Way more factors in the house. (With that said, I am usually an advocate of trying to get my tanks to sway in temps from day-night.)

 

[WA coral]

just remember that corals grow and eat alge so if you slow the growth with temp you can expect that to be the trend across the board which may come back to bite you later. like mike said stable is the idea and 74-76 isnt bad