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Nocturnal temperatures

idris

idris

Member
Joined
3 Jan 2011
Messages
816
Location
Herts
Is there any benefit to plants or fish of having the heater on a tank getting switched off at night, to allow temps to drop a little, as in a natural enviroent?
 
probably cost a fair bit in electric over the year aswell, as the heater will be on a lot to heat all the water back up to temp.
 
m_attt said:
probably cost a fair bit in electric over the year aswell, as the heater will be on a lot to heat all the water back up to temp.
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Wouldn't be that much of a drop 1 too 2 degrees.
hoggie
 
foxfish said:
I guesse there could be a temp variation in a small body of water but would there be any measurable drop in a large lake or flowing river?
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There is a massive change of temp on a large river or lake, a really big change. :)

Shallow area can be at least 5 degrees hotter, if not more.


.
 
http://www.lakeaccess.org/russ/temperature.htm

Have a look at the link above, it has all you need.

temp2.gif
 
foxfish said:
Tell me more - I am really interested..... :)
would a fast following river carrying millions of gallons an hour be effected by night & day?
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No. It's well mixed and water has a high specific heat capacity which allows heat to be retained.

ghostworld, you are talking about changes in temperature with changes in depth, not because of a transition from day to night.
 
Hi,

Fred is right. Temperature stratification only occurs with depth and only in non-mixed body of waters. And you do not need large bodies of water. You can easily measure it in 30 cm deep rock pools which become stratified during the low tide. I've done this myself.

Obviously, if changes in day/night air temperature are large (temperate regions), they will affect water temperature. However, the magnitude of such change will depend on the volume of water due to its high heat capacity. the greater the volume, the lower the change in temp.

Fred are you styding at the UoP. Are you attending the Temperate Reefs Symposium later this month?

cheers,

GM
 
gmartins said:
Fred are you styding at the UoP. Are you attending the Temperate Reefs Symposium later this month?
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Hi. Yes, I just finished my second year at Plymouth Uni.
Unfortunatly I don't think I'll be attending (have to find a local job back home and I'm going to glasto festival). :D
 
What a shame. Best marine ecology dedicated symposium in the world!!!

I did my masters and phd at the UoP so it will be good to come back for the symposium.

Regarding the topic, varying temperatures may be important to trigger some species' reproduction. But that is usually associated with seasonal changes in temp. Not the day/night changes. That's why sometimes making a WC can result in spawning. The day-night variation, however, I do not think it would be important for either the fauna and flora at least in our houses.
 
Fred Dulley said:
foxfish said:
Tell me more - I am really interested..... :)
would a fast following river carrying millions of gallons an hour be effected by night & day?
Click to expand...

No. It's well mixed and water has a high specific heat capacity which allows heat to be retained.

ghostworld, you are talking about changes in temperature with changes in depth, not because of a transition from day to night.
Click to expand...

Yes, but it would be safe to assume that if the night is cooler than the day wouldn't that also be reflected on the water? I am sure that it would show a decrease of at least two or three degrees.
 
Ever been swimming at night? The water is slightly warmer at night than during the day because throughout the day the water has been absorbing solar radiation, which steadily warms it up.
 
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