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Temperature is an important factor that must be controlled exactly and in the correct range for a reef to be successful. It is one of the first parameters that should be allowed for when considering the establishment of a reef tank.
Importance Of Temperature
Why is it that the temperature is such an important factor and has to be maintained in such a narrow range?
There are several reasons, each covered below
Activity of enzymes
Enzymes are used in various biological pathways within living organisms in order to catalyse or assist a reaction to take place.
The shape of an enzyme is of vital importance to its ability to function correctly, with a slight temperature change having a huge impact on the shape of the enzyme molecule.
This results from the fact that the shape of the enzyme is determined by hydrogen bonds (the sharing of a hydrogen atom between two parts of a molecule, usually two hydroxide groups, OH), and the tendency for hydrophobic (water hating) parts of the molecule to isolate itself from the surrounding water environment.
These two forces that hold the enzyme in the correct shape are relatively weak and can be easily disrupted by a change in temperature.
Once the shape of the enzyme is disrupted from that of its biologically active form, then it either performs its function at a reduced efficiency or no longer can perform it at all.
Demand and solubility of oxygen
As the temperature increases, then the metabolic demand for oxygen also increases.
But conversely the solubility of oxygen falls, with oxygen only being half as soluble at 30oC as it is at 0oC.
Therefore an organism will have difficulty extracting enough oxygen from the water to keep its metabolic processes operating at elevated temperatures, above that which it is acclimatised to.
Temperature dependence of chemical reaction rates
The biological chemical reactions that occur in a cell are highly complex, with many different ones in parallel and series occurring simultaneously.
These reactions are all in balance, with the rate of each tuned such that there is no undue accumulation or depreciation of any one species within the reaction pathway.
The reaction rate of each reaction is influenced by the temperature, with an increase in temperature typically increasing the rate at which the reaction proceeds.
(It should be noted also that in the case of some reactions, a temperature increase may cause a decrease in the reaction rate.)
And each reaction involved in a biological reaction pathway will have a slightly different rate change for a given temperature change.
With a disturbance in the temperature, then these reaction pathways become unbalanced.
As a result some products and reactants required become either depleted or in excess.
This unbalancing can cause major problems with the health of the organism, possibly resulting in death when taken to the extreme.
The ideal temperature range for a tropical reef tank is from 24 to 29oC (see Temperature on a Reef for further information on natural reef temperatures).
A swing of one or two degrees during the daily cycle with in a reef tank will not cause any undue stress to the tank inhabitants, with this being a typical occurrence in some reef locations as pointed out previously.
Depending on the type of region the reef aquarium is attempting to model, the type of temperature variation in that region should be followed.
It should also be noted that a higher than normal temperature is more dangerous than one lower than normal.
Influences On Temperature
Anything that has a different temperature to system, and comes into contact with it in some way, whether direct or indirect, will influence the water temperature.
The following items will influence the temperature of a tank:
Water heater
Chiller
Room temperature
Evaporation of system water
Heat generated by water pumps
Heat input via lighting, either globes or natural lighting
Heat generated by the lighting ballasts
Convective cooling via the air blown over the water surface
Convective cooling via the tank walls
Temperature Control
In order to control the temperature of a reef tank, several methods can be utilised.
The one that first comes to mind is a water heater.
When using a heater, make sure it is located in a high water flow area.
Additionally, use more than one to achieve the required total wattage for the tank so that if one fails then the problem that it will cause will be minimised.
The simplest method, and most stable, of temperature control is having the tank situated in a temperature controlled room.
This usually means the room is maintained at a constant temperature by air conditioning.
Evaporation of the system water can be used to lower the temperature.
This is helped by using fans to move a high volume of air across the water surface, allowing more water to evaporate.
If evaporation is not enough to maintain a low enough temperature then a chiller can be used.
A chiller is just a type of refrigerator that cools the system water.
They are expensive, but if there is a large wattage of lighting over the tank then this will be the only way to keep the temperature down into a suitable range.
