evaporation rates

[bigbenji]

I'm pretty sure I'm losing 1 gallon/ day. It just doesn't seem possible that I lose that much on a 75g. I swear I topped off 2g the other day, and I had to do it again today. How often and how much do you have to top off? I have an auto top-off dosing system is in the works.

 

[collective21]

My 180 is currently cycling. I'm am currently running only Actinics and I am losing 2.5 gallons a day to evaporation. I wonder what will happen when I put on the Metal Halides.

 

[alten78]

sounds bout right, i get .5 gallons evaporated a day just on my 29 hex(not as much surface area as most)

 

[NDeep]

If you put a glass cover over the top of the aquarium it will cut your evaporation rate in half or more.

 

[alten78]

I will never put a glass top on, as this restricts the oxygen-carbon dioxide gas exchange efficiency, resulting in poor or inadequate aeration of the aquarium...thats just me, im a stickler like that

 

[examiner]

Glass top = no-no. Your evap rate is likely to be higher in the winter because you are running your furnace and the inside humidity is lower. It might slow down in the summer, but then of course you'll be running fans over the tank, which most likely will increase the level of evaporation.

I embrace evaporation! It gives me a chance to add limewater which stabilizes my CA & Alk. In the hotter months, it's the cheapest and easiest way to cool your tank. A nice sized fan blowing over your sump will do wonders for water temp via the miracle of evaporative cooling.

Anyway, your level of evaporation is by no means abnormal.

 

[JRPhd]

not sure glass top = no-no neccesarily. Light reduction is one problem, sure. Others?
and
"this restricts the oxygen-carbon dioxide gas exchange efficiency, resulting in poor or inadequate aeration of the aquarium." I'd have to say POTENTIALLY resulting in poor or inadeqaute aeration. Cerainly a skimmer and HOB fuge CAN provide the necessary amount of gas exchange when one has a glass top.

 

[Ironman]

That's about right. I'm going through 2 gallons a day on my 90. My fans cause allot of the evaporation.

I don't mind because it allows me to keep everything stable by dripping kalk 24/7 in the replacement water, such as pH, alk, and calcium.

 

[NeilPearson]

Between my 29 and my 210, I evaporate about 7 gallons a day

 

[Porkibear]

When I started my 60 gal, I thought my sump was leaking because every day I was filling about 1-1.5 gallons to get the sump level to the desired mark. I actually use a home-made sump that's not covered, so there is a lot of evaporation. I wouldn't worry too much about it...like these guys said, I think it helps to add water so you can keep the tank parameters stable.