Temperature questions

[elzool]

Morning,

I'm getting very close to purchasing a 55gal tank for a FO SW setup.

I'm just wondering about a few things here and there.

What kinds of replacement parts am I going to purchase throughout the year? Bulbs? Filters? Media?

How will I know if I need a chiller? I keep my house at 74 degrees during off peak hours (8pm – 1pm) in the summer and during on peak hours (1pm – 8pm) the a/c is turned off. As a result, the house climbs up to a maximum of 80. In the winter the temperature doesn’t fluctuate as much(68-72).

Is this going to be a problem?

This is my first post, hopefully I don't screw it up.

-elz

 

[TCTFish]

Replacement stuff or things you'll need to replenish from time to time will be bulbs, filter medias, conditioners, and food for the most part. Also salt mix or premade salt water from your LFS.

When it comes to temps, you want to have as much stability as possible in an aquarium. Temps should be stable at about 76 degrees. Danger arises past 82 degrees. A heater will take care of the lower end. Fans in the light hood or canopy will help the high end of the temp. Depending on where you live and the type of lights you have, a chiller may or may not be needed. Though keep in mind house temp. does not neccessarily reflect tank temp.

 

[Reese]

I think that the water in a tank as large as a 55 gallon doesn't experience as much fluctuation due changes in household temperature. At least if it does it's going to be pretty gradual. I don't use a heater. But then again, I live in Florida. In my case I'm running 4 95W VHO flourescent tubes so I'm more concerned with keeping the water cool which can be accomplished with a fan...

 

[TCTFish]

Reese, that's what one would think and out in nature it would be little change but in a closed system such as an aquarium...here's an example of a major upset...

A friend of mine has a 140 gallon reef...been up and going for a few years. You'd think there'd be little change in temp...even if the probe to the thermostat for the chiller were knocked out of the sump for just a few hours. Ah no. His cat knocked the probe out of the sump, the tank temp rose up to 85 degrees within three hours from about 79 degrees. The fish fared ok, but he lost more than half the coral. He lives in Southern California.

 

[Reese]

Yeah, I understand. But my point was that under normal lighting in a house that's controlled by a thermostat (either AC or heat) you're not going to need to use a chiller or heater. Now if my power goes out say due to a hurricane in September (like it did two years ago), I'm going to be using my generator and floating bags of ice in the sump. I'm assuming that your friend was using hallides or VHO's which do need to be controlled by some sort of cooling whether it be a chiller or fans. Again, I live in Florida. If I was still living in New Jersey, I'm sure I'd be running a in sump heater...

Did that make any sense? I'm really tired...

 

[melosu58]

I had a 55 for several years and did not use a heater but it also depends on where you have the tank as I had mine on an interior wall. If you have on an exterior wall than you might have the fluctuation. Interior wall will not.

 

[TCTFish]

LOL...Reese...didn't mean to take out your thinking cap while tired...LOL. Was just sharing one of those disappointing temp mishaps, but yes...there are halides on the guy's tank. What was amazing...he had a frogspawn that I swear the bone was just bone. It was bare as can be. Months later, there's a new head growing out of it...so just becaue the corals seemed to have disappeared and nothing but skeleton left...some did manage to keep some bio material behind...LOL.

Go to sleep....(yawn)...you did make sense...

 

[Reese]

heh heh...thanks