How hot is too hot?

[trilinearmipmap]

Today my heater malfunctioned, my temp is up to 84 degrees. All of my fish corals and anemones look OK.

I have ordered a heater and controller unit but it will be awhile before it gets here.

In the meantime I can make do with spare heaters or adjusting the current heater.

Usually my temp runs around 81 degrees.

Where is the danger zone for my fish and corals? I am assuming over 85 degrees and I will be in trouble.

[Joe Reefer]

I think you should start to worry around the 86 mark. IMO you should worry more about the diferential in the temp. swing. Going from 78 to 85 and back down would be bad.

[Aquattro]

I spent a summer going from 80 to 90 every day, no losses. I wouldn't recommend it, but mid 80's is safe for a while.

[trilinearmipmap]

Thanks.

[Tom R]

I have found that many heaters seem to arc at the contact point and after awhile they start to stick causing the heater to stay on longer than you want. I have solved this problem by controling my heaters with a MADUSA heat controller. It has an electronic board controlling the heaters not contact points.

http://www.jlaquatics.com/phpstore/store_pages/details/controllers.php?product_ID=ct-mhc150

Tom R

[KarlK]

I had a heater go about 10 degrees F out of adjustment. It would just stay on all the time. When I turned the temp down, it cycled properly. I still didn't trust it and got a new one.