gregg
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What is the ideal temperature for coral growth and health?
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Best Temperature for Coral Growth (1 Viewer)
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Ok...I'll go first 
I am by no means a success story when it comes to corals. I tried several times over the past year with various sps frags and only recently (like in the last 2 months) experienced any good fortune or measurable growth. Funny thing is that sps was the ONLY thing I couldnt grow or even keep alive! So I don't know if temp had as much to do with it as much as the overall big picture health and maturity of my system, but I run a steady 76.5 in my small tank and an average of 79 in my larger tank.
Great question though! I can't help but wonder how loaded of a question this is? I would think it would depend on type of coral, age of system, lighting, nutrients etc...as all playing an equal part in successful growth of corals. It will be interesting to see how others chime in.
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I am by no means a success story when it comes to corals. I tried several times over the past year with various sps frags and only recently (like in the last 2 months) experienced any good fortune or measurable growth. Funny thing is that sps was the ONLY thing I couldnt grow or even keep alive! So I don't know if temp had as much to do with it as much as the overall big picture health and maturity of my system, but I run a steady 76.5 in my small tank and an average of 79 in my larger tank.
Great question though! I can't help but wonder how loaded of a question this is? I would think it would depend on type of coral, age of system, lighting, nutrients etc...as all playing an equal part in successful growth of corals. It will be interesting to see how others chime in.
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I chose between 78-79, but consistency is a more important factor... especially with an immature tank (less than 2 years old).
/Leo
/Leo
I couldn't decide which option to select lol...
Corals can actually withstand a fairly large temp. range e.g. great barrier reef min 17°C in Jul to 31.5°C in Jan from Great Barrier Reef Weather.
I like to keep my tanks in the 77°F - 80°F range. I try to keep the swing in that range as well...
Biomes of the World, Coral Reefs, Radford University
What Do Coral Reefs Need to Survive? | Coral Reef Alliance
Corals can actually withstand a fairly large temp. range e.g. great barrier reef min 17°C in Jul to 31.5°C in Jan from Great Barrier Reef Weather.
I like to keep my tanks in the 77°F - 80°F range. I try to keep the swing in that range as well...
Biomes of the World, Coral Reefs, Radford University
What Do Coral Reefs Need to Survive? | Coral Reef Alliance
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Mark L.
Moved On
I choose 78°-79°F. I keep my tank at 78°F and my SPS are growing like weeds. I used to keep it at 77°F but my chiller would kick on quite a bit more. I bumped it up 1° to keep my chiller from running as much and I don't see a difference in my corals.
flexrac
Guest
You will find that with softies, temps can get up to 80-82 and they will thrive, good example, it seems that with hotter temps mushrooms get larger. I've witness this personally!
with LPS I would say 80 max, but like Flipside noted, consistency matters. Steady temps is better than swings.
SPS, it's not just temps, you have to keep the chemistry correct as well (correct is a loose term) we know SPS thrive under diff parameters from tank to tank.
NPS (not all) require lower temps and so do some fish
all in all, I've always stuck to the 78-79 temp range as that's what I was thought. seems to work really well. I think 78 is a median between cold and warm, could be wrong.
with LPS I would say 80 max, but like Flipside noted, consistency matters. Steady temps is better than swings.
SPS, it's not just temps, you have to keep the chemistry correct as well (correct is a loose term) we know SPS thrive under diff parameters from tank to tank.
NPS (not all) require lower temps and so do some fish
all in all, I've always stuck to the 78-79 temp range as that's what I was thought. seems to work really well. I think 78 is a median between cold and warm, could be wrong.
Personally I have ran reefs at 77-79, 78-80, 78 constant, my current build runs 78-81 (halides) and I think water chemistry has more to do with coral growth than temperature. Theoretically its alive so it can adapt accordingly just like in the ocean. I think if you run anywhere from 77-82 just pick a 2 degree range in there and focus on that.
reefanatik
Guest
I ran mine at 76.5-77 and i raised my set point to 77.5-78. I think I've seen my coral look a bit happier. I lie it more at this higher temp.
FarmerTy
Silver Sponsor
Agreed, they'll be happy in a range of 77-82. I run an average of 81 in my SPS-dominant tank. My thought is, higher metabolism at higher temperature equals higher growth. With that though comes higher growth of bacteria and algae so be careful at higher temps.
Fish Keeper82
Guest
Mine runs at 80-82 because of my submersible Mag Drive 12 return pump adds some heat to the water and I have had it peak as high as 84.5 in the past. That was before adding some screens for ventilation. I never had an issue with livestock because of the temp. All corals have grown just fine. I would like to run it more about 78-80 but since all has been good I don't worry about it anymore. Plan on changing to a Vectra M1 when it goes out.
A bit off topic but thought I would share.
I had a heater once fail in a QT tank with fish only in it. It amazingly got to 94 before I noticed it and both Fish actually survived. I'm sure it would have killed most corals and thought i lost the fish for sure. All I had to cool it was a six pack I had in the fridge.
Not my first choice of beer but it worked
A bit off topic but thought I would share.
I had a heater once fail in a QT tank with fish only in it. It amazingly got to 94 before I noticed it and both Fish actually survived. I'm sure it would have killed most corals and thought i lost the fish for sure. All I had to cool it was a six pack I had in the fridge.
Not my first choice of beer but it worked
