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Tank Temp Effect on SPS

9supratt4

9supratt4

After seeing the thread started by @Mark_C on how his SPS started dying with increased tank temps....it got me thinking.

I have seen many reefers have this issue when their tanks reach temps 80-84 degrees, but is it different then in nature? It seems that once our tanks reach anything over 80, we have problems. But parts of the world have temps over 80 and the SPS is fine. So what gives?

For example...The Maldives. All of my dives there, the water temperature was in the high 80's almost 90 at the surface and at 100 feet it was still 86 degrees.

So why are SPS corals thriving in spots like that where the temps are extremely hot, but not doing the same in our tanks at home?
 
njtiger24 aquariums

njtiger24 aquariums

Officer Emeritus
Article Contributor
9supratt4 said:
After seeing the thread started by @Mark_C on how his SPS started dying with increased tank temps....it got me thinking.

I have seen many reefers have this issue when their tanks reach temps 80-84 degrees, but is it different then in nature? It seems that once our tanks reach anything over 80, we have problems. But parts of the world have temps over 80 and the SPS is fine. So what gives?

For example...The Maldives. All of my dives there, the water temperature was in the high 80's almost 90 at the surface and at 100 feet it was still 86 degrees.

So why are SPS corals thriving in spots like that where the temps are extremely hot, but not doing the same in our tanks at home?
Click to expand...

Very good topic. Now I am just taking a shot in the dark here but could it be the swing in temp and not the temp itself? If you think about it the Ocean, mainly in those area, don't swing much (maybe a couple of degrees) but we get our corals used to the lower temp so when it jumps to above 80 (with normally is more than 3 or so degree swing for most people).

Also I know the oxygen level is different in higher temp so with the increase temp in our tanks but not increase the flow/gas exchange will lower the amount of oxygen in our systems.

Again just shots in the dark. Love to see what others think.
 
redfishbluefish

redfishbluefish

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I think it's stability. If the water is always at temperature X, and really never fluctuates, then you're fine. However, if you see swings of 4, 5, 6 degrees or more....now you have problems.

I know the same thing can happen with nitrates. If you slowly build up nitrates, fish and some corals have no problems at 100 ppm or higher. However, if there is fluctuation, then there are problems.

That is why I try to keep all parameters as stable as I can....pH, temperature, alk, calc, mag, salinity, etc.
 
Mark_C

Mark_C

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I've been snorkeling in Cuba in summer and dived in their 'winter' and coral was much the same, regardless of the 8-10 degree drop in temperature. With the entire ocean as a thermoregulation unit, even temperature fluctuations close to shore occur over weeks.
The frags in my tank have (probably) never seen such extreme environmental shifts.
Oxygen content at increased temperature levels of 2-3 degrees is negligible, have to remember that protein skimmers oxygenate the water in our tanks considerably.
Without alert, my tank raised from 78.5 to close to 83 during the heatwave and it occurred in under 2 weeks time.
The frags in my tank have (probably) never seen such extreme environmental shifts.
SPS are way too sensitive for a 5 degree temperature shift in such a short time
I agree with Paul, its all about stability and slow change.
 
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