Just wondering since you moved up too the central area how is your source water? I get about 170ppm kh and over 300ppm gh out of the tap. It is very good for the fish but my skin and bathrooom fixtures think otherwise.

Well, its not much improvement over the water we had in the Broward area, but its okay. I dont know about gh, but my kh improved slightly from zippo to 30-40 ppm, so I dont have to have that much crushed coral all over the place. Ph is pretty stable at around 7.2, unfortunately, the temperature isnt! (There gotta be a freezing icon here somewhere.......brrrrrr.......)
I had never that much to worry about temperature in Broward county, fish were all okay without heater. But here!! Had a half a dozen cases of Ich because of it, and there is salt in every tub. Even the veils, wich I wouldnt dare to keep outside, came down with it in their tank in my office. How much temp difference could it have been between day and night? Not more than 4 degrees!!! So, heater in there too....The store made a killing on me buying heaters!

Sorry too hear that since I am barely south of you but only 3 miles from the gulf. I guess you still really need some of that tampabay water.
I laughed before about the temp fluctuations but even now us floridians have been having a cold winter. I am down too as of now (62.6 in the pond) and will be buying some long 2x4's and a pool solar cover for the really cold nights. I know I will be safe but since I got it bad you know I will do whatever I can too help them.
Here is something I picked up on another board that you might enjoy. It is a wireless digital thermometer that they sell at radioshack. I got the base unit half price($20) since I got their card and the pond sensor is on sale for half price for $15. It gives you the temps in the pond and also the outdoor temp wireless. It also saves the lows and the highs until you reset it and only set me back $35. If you want I will give you the model numbers. It is great since I can easily figure out what what amounts of food they will be getting if any at all.

That digital thermometer is a great idea! I saw them too somewhere, I think BestBuy, but I am not sure.
My temperature is set on 72 degrees, but its not actually that warm, it hovers around 68, since the heaters are a tad too small for the tubs, but with one on each end it stays at least stable. I have plastic sheeting and styrofoam over the tubs, it isnt the greatest look on earth, but it keeps warm.
Its strange, the same fish that made it last year through the winter with no problem are so feeble this year. I find that the day/night temps fluctate here a lot more than they did further south. <_<