bang guy
Moderator
Originally Posted by cross
why do we all have thermonatures in our tanks that say 74-80 is SAFE and above that is not safe?
If you look at older studies of average reef temperatures you'll find averages anywhere from 75 - 78F. If you look closer at the raw data you'll find that all of these older studies included temperate reefs and that brought down the average depending on how many temperate reefs were included.
If you eliminate temperate reef temperatures for these same studies you'll come up with average tropical reef temperatures from 82 - 86F. Again it depends on which reefs were included. Studies that include the red sea tend to have higher average temps.
If you look at just the reefs where your animals come from you'll be quite surprised at average surface water temperatures. Fiji is 83-85F, Carribean is 80-82F, Florida is a lot cooler at 78 - 80F and the Red Sea has average water temperatures in the upper 80's, almost 90F for the Northern Red Sea.
Most of these reef animals will get stressed with a temperature spike, either up or down, though. If they are otherwise healthy then they'll be fine. If they're already on the edge then a high temp spike followed by a rapid decline in temp is going to be too much for them and you'll have losses.
why do we all have thermonatures in our tanks that say 74-80 is SAFE and above that is not safe?
If you look at older studies of average reef temperatures you'll find averages anywhere from 75 - 78F. If you look closer at the raw data you'll find that all of these older studies included temperate reefs and that brought down the average depending on how many temperate reefs were included.
If you eliminate temperate reef temperatures for these same studies you'll come up with average tropical reef temperatures from 82 - 86F. Again it depends on which reefs were included. Studies that include the red sea tend to have higher average temps.
If you look at just the reefs where your animals come from you'll be quite surprised at average surface water temperatures. Fiji is 83-85F, Carribean is 80-82F, Florida is a lot cooler at 78 - 80F and the Red Sea has average water temperatures in the upper 80's, almost 90F for the Northern Red Sea.
Most of these reef animals will get stressed with a temperature spike, either up or down, though. If they are otherwise healthy then they'll be fine. If they're already on the edge then a high temp spike followed by a rapid decline in temp is going to be too much for them and you'll have losses.