I posted this on March 30th. But I think this is worthy of posting again. I don't want newbies turning up the heat just because of R.Shimek wrote.
I know I said don't believe everything you read so here's the other side of keeping the temp at higher levels...Also from a well known aquarist, J.Charles Delbeek (co-author of The Reef Aquarium Vol.1&2,writer for several aquarium magazines). I found this in March 2001,Aquarium Fish Magazine,reef aquarist "Things get heated when water temps are discussed",Page 14. I was going to just say "go find it" but 9 out of 10 of you won't. Here are some key points Mr.Delbeek said "Have not seen any data to support his claims that corals kept in home systems at temps below 80 degrees grow any more slowly and are any less healthy than those kept in home systems over 80." "It is also interesting to note that Dr.Shimek has lowered his recommended temperature from 84 to the 82 mentioned in his latest article in AFM."puzzled by his conclusion that an average temp of 82 would produce the best health for most coral reef animals.This represents the average of a range of average temps of more than 1000 reefs around the world,and ranged from averages of 76 to 86 degrees." "taking an average of several averages may not be statistically valid" "Dr.Shimek's main thesis is that reef tanks should mimic nature. However, keeping a constant temperature of 82 year round mimics no reef I know of." "Our aquariums are approximations at best. The lighting on most reef tanks, for example, is far below that found on reefs." "Dr.Shimek's main point is that the majority of the corals kept in aquariums today come from centers of high diversity and high water temps such as Indonesia and the Philippines. However, many of the SPS corals found in the trade come from Fiji,Tonga, and the Solomon Islands.Fiji and Tonga lie on the very edge of the 80 degree water temp map that Shimek includes in his 1997 Aquarium Frontiers article,in which he first began to tout the keeping of reef tanks at higher temps. Summer temps in Fiji may run up to 82 degrees but stay there for only a few months of the year, then drop back down to the high 70's in the water. In January 2000, water temps began to rise above 82 in Fiji, reaching as high as 84 and briefly 86 in some areas. These temps resulted in extensive coral bleaching throughout many of the rich coral reefs of Fiji beginning in March and extending into June." "In the same article,he shows an aerial shot of a cut in a coral reef taken in Palau where states that he measured surface temps of 86 in the oceanic water offshore and 92 on the reef flat.I am not sure what point he is trying to make here. Surface temps only extend a foot or two at best, depending on the amount of mixing." "One argument against maintaining higher tank temps that Shimek points to is that these temps are often accompanied by lowered oxygen levels. His response is that adequate aeration should circumvent any oxygen decrease brought on by higher temps.He states this as a given. However, I have yet to see this actually proven by anyone with data." "The satellite images only record the surface sea temps.(SST)SST's also reflect when there are elevated temps that could cause bleaching,and they can be used to estimate deeper water temps,but these would be lower than what you would see in the satellite data." "So should you keep your tank temps at 82 to 84 degrees? If you feel confident that your tank connot go much higher, if you have periods in which the temp runs lower than this for parts of the year,if you can maintain adequate oxygen levels at the elevated temps at night,if your corals are of the type that have the ability to adapt to higher temps, if the water motion approximates outer reef areas, and if you know exactly where all your corals came from and what water temps they grew in,then,yes, I suppose you can" "The recommendation of 75 to 77 is based on the belief that these temps offer the best chance for success,offer a cushion in case of elevated temps that may cause come corals to bleach, and they generally keep biological processes in the tank manageable"
I know this is VERY long but I think it's important that we see both sides. And so that some of the newer people don't turn up the heat without knowing all the info they can get.IMO, corals don't get stressed like us,they don't need a Hot tub!!...
