"Pszemol" wrote in message
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I'm starting to look into buying one. Have a 210 reef tank.
Also has anyone tried using them with an aquacontroller
instead of the built in thermostat? I'd like to really notch
in a stable temperature.

Why are you so concerned with "stable temperatures", Bob?

It is well known the water temperatures on the reef
varies A LOT during the year... Your animals are well
adapted to varying salinity and temperatures common on
all reefs they come from.

If you peak over the average couple of days during
the course of year nothing bad will happen...

I'm not speaking for Bob. I'm an intruder here.

My concern would be the temperature swings over the course of an hour rather
than the course of a year! The term is hysteresis and typical cheap
thermostat mechanisms cause a lot of it. The heater doesn't come on until
the temperature is 4 degrees too low and then it doesn't quit until the
temperature is 4 degrees above the setpoint. All in all in an acceptable
range, perhaps, but how fast do temperatures swing on a tropical reef? How
fast in a 6 gal. nanoreef?

I don't know the answer to that question but I would like to!
I *suspect* that temperature swing (hysteresis!) in a nanoreef can be rather
extraodinary and stressful to the inhabitants. A serious thermostat control
may be of benefit.

But then - I don't know ;-)
Thomas Bartkus