# What is the ideal temperature for plants?



## nat72sherman (Feb 20, 2012)

What is the ideal temperature for plants?


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## fplata (May 20, 2012)

It depends, but 74 to 78 degrees seem to work


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## HD Blazingwolf (May 12, 2011)

lower temps reduce need of nutrients because its slows down plant metabolisms
higher temps increase metabolism and potentially growth rates, but that also comes with the need of, more co2, more ferts and a careful eye to watch for algae.
most** plants do well between 68-82


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## DogFish (Jul 16, 2011)

I tend to agree with Tom Barr with low 70s being optimal. 

I strive for 72 degrees. However, I have swings from 70 to 78 with no adverse effect. All fish & shrimp are thriving. I'm starting to believe temp fluctuation is beneficial as it mimics nature.


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## NWA-Planted (Aug 27, 2011)

DogFish said:


> I tend to agree with Tom Barr with low 70s being optimal.
> 
> I strive for 72 degrees. However, I have swings from 70 to 78 with no adverse effect. All fish & shrimp are thriving. I starting to believe temp fluctuation is beneficial as it mimics nature.


At least not detrimental 

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## tomfromstlouis (Apr 2, 2012)

yeah, well 72 seems pretty chilly for many tropical fish. At least I would not want my angels at that temp all the time...


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## DogFish (Jul 16, 2011)

tomfromstlouis said:


> yeah, well 72 seems pretty chilly for many tropical fish. At least I would not want my angels at that temp all the time...


I meet Jack Wattley years ago at a GCCA event. When asked about fragile Discus requiring pristine water at precise temps. He made an interesting response, "you don't really think the water in the Amazon were Discus & Angelfish live is really 84degrees all the time do you?" This from a man that has actually been there collecting. That has stayed with me ever since. 

I knew a Angelfish breeder that had a 300+ gl plywood tank that he did a 50% or more water change every Saturday morning with water directly from his wheel. Well water comes out of the ground at about 64 degrees. During the week that tank would get back up to the mid 70s. YES, he would loose new fish occasionally. However, those that lived were pretty darn tough. Our local ground water PH is 7.8-8 and the adults were huge. These were common angelfish not altums.

Mountian stream feed water in the tropics is just not 78 degrees off the mountain.

Anyone that has ever been in a lake will tell you the water at the surface is warm but the water at their feet is cool at the least.

I hope it goes without saying that superior water quality and conditioning of the fish are major factors in survival rates.


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## HD Blazingwolf (May 12, 2011)

DogFish said:


> I meet Jack Wattley years ago at a GCCA event. When asked about fragile Discus requiring pristine water at precise temps. He made an interesting response, "you don't really think the water in the Amazon were Discus & Angelfish live is really 84degrees all the time do you?" This from a man that has actually been there collecting. That has stayed with me ever since.
> 
> I knew a Angelfish breeder that had a 300+ gl plywood tank that he did a 50% or more water change every Saturday morning with water directly from his wheel. Well water comes out of the ground at about 64 degrees. During the week that tank would get back up to the mid 70s. YES, he would loose new fish occasionally. However, those that lived were pretty darn tough. Our local ground water PH is 7.8-8 and the adults were huge. These were common angelfish not altums.
> 
> ...


im glad this comes from other places.. i often just use tap water for 30% water changes if an extra one is needed. this generally drops my temperature during the winter about 12 degrees and yet i dont have fish kills or unhealthy fish. 
my lfs says they get ich everytime they do this but i just dont see it in my tank


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## DogFish (Jul 16, 2011)

HD Blazingwolf said:


> .....my lfs says they get ich everytime they do this but i just dont see it in my tank


Very Few LFS can maintain the level of sanitation in their tanks that a hobbyist can. I knew one shop in Morton Grove, ill. were the owner had such an advanced case of OCD that he could pull it off.

I believe the ICK issues in the LFS or chains is more a cumulative effect of strews from shipping, nitrate levels (or worse), over crowding, min. cover /hiding places in the tanks, constant netting of fish...then you toss in a big water temp. fluctuation and that is just too much.

In our tanks fish don't survive at those levels of stress. So, a water temp swing isn't such a massive stressor. Keep in mind some mind stress is beneficial to keeping the fish's immune system strong. Consider the effects of weather on the fish in nature, storms create temp. changes, flooding carries in silt, droughts drop water level and cause bacteria counts to raise. The strongest of the sp. survive to reproduse


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## HD Blazingwolf (May 12, 2011)

DogFish said:


> Very Few LFS can maintain the level of sanitation in their tanks that a hobbyist can. I knew one shop in Morton Grove, ill. were the owner had such an advanced case of OCD that he could pull it off.
> 
> I believe the ICK issues in the LFS or chains is more a cumulative effect of strews from shipping, nitrate levels (or worse), over crowding, min. cover /hiding places in the tanks, constant netting of fish...then you toss in a big water temp. fluctuation and that is just too much.
> 
> In our tanks fish don't survive at those levels of stress. So, a water temp swing isn't such a massive stressor. Keep in mind some mind stress is beneficial to keeping the fish's immune system strong. Consider the effects of weather on the fish in nature, storms create temp. changes, flooding carries in silt, droughts drop water level and cause bacteria counts to raise. The strongest of the sp. survive to reproduse


i agree wholeheartedly


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## Jahn (Apr 26, 2013)

Mine swings from 75-78, with the heater set at 75. As the summer comes it'll be more 78 than 75 to be sure. Both flora and fauna seem happy, and the plants are getting LED/Pressurized CO2/PP2-Pro dry ferts.

The pH though is 6.4, which is fine for all but my poor nerites. One's a goner and the other is MIA, no longer on the glass.


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