Too Hot??

[boxxmann]

I have a 92 corner tank w/ 2 175watt MH 14k lights. My tank flucuates around 78-80 deg. F. Is that too hot for my corals, fish, clams, inverts, etc.??
Thanx.

[tecwzrd]

As long as it's not over 82 you're doing fine. Just make sure the temp doesn't fluctuate more then a degree or two during the night by setting your heaters to the max temp you reach during the day.

[boxxmann]

I was told that I could not have a linkia star because of the temp. Is that right? Also, if I can have one how do I care for one?

[tecwzrd]

sea stars can easily adapt to 80-82 degree temps as long as the increase is gradual IME. My Brittle star has no trouble with my 80 degree temp but I know Linckia Sea Stars are a lot more temperamental to ph/sg/temp changes then most stars.

IMO with a long drip acclimation and steady temp increase (2-3 hours) you could do it.

I assume you don't have any other Sea Stars now in the 92.

Edit: I only feed my brittle once every other week and it's a small raw shrimp piece about the size of my fingernail. It will scavenge the lr/sand for food also and goes after frozen leftovers that fish miss.

[boxxmann]

How do you feed them the shrimp? How do you steadily increase the temp over that long of a period? Also, how do you properly drip acclimate?

[roka64]

This is a good article on drip acclimation. As for feeding the stat, put the shrimp on the substrate and place the star over it. I believe tec was saying to adjust the temp during the drip acclimation, either using a heating pad, ubder yout bucket or a heater.

[tecwzrd]

The acclimation article covers it.

I use a 5 gal bucket and tie a loose knot in air line tubing running from the main and let it drip about 3-5 drops per second and let it run for about 3-4 hours. I always start with just enough lfs water to cover the fish/inverts. Every half hour I remove about 1 cup from the bucket. At the same time I add 1/2 cup of heated SW.

Keeping the temp steady is more tricky. You can use a low watt heater in the bucket but I prefer to separately heat the water in a different bucket and add small amounts to the drip bucket every half hour usually in 1/2 cup increments. I heat the other water to around 85-90 degrees depending on how warm the lfs water is that I add to the drip bucket.

I just place the shrimp next to a leg. They usually have no trouble finding it.

[roka64]

I actually bought a valve from HD, that I can adjust the rate of the drip.

[boxxmann]

won't the drip acclimation also do the temp. change also?

[tecwzrd]

A drip is too slow to have much of a temp change difference. More options covered in the Equipment for drip acclimation post.