glass cover for tank to prevent evap?

supernareg

New member
on the new 26 gal i'ma set up... i was thinkin to help with evap, putting the glass top on... but i know this will keep the heat in right?

evaporation = endothermic


anything else to help with evap and not get hot? chiller is out of the question btw.
 
nope. cooling without actively cooling via chiller is only done via evaporation or ice cube addition.
the glass top is also going to limit the gas excange across the water surface.
 
If/ when water evaps with a glass cover present, you'll get some nasty salt creep.

Topless is definately the way to go. The heat/ hi temps should be gone for the most part, so I really wouldn't worry about evap.
 
correct me if i am wrong folks, but as i am thinking of this, heat build up is crucial, but IMO it should be gas exchange that is the most critical. although there is room inbetween the lid and water, it is far better to allow the fresh air movement across the surface. which does help with the heat. good surface agitation, and air flowing across as many a square inch as poss, is best.
evap will always be there. you might slow it down a bit with the top on, but not quite eliminate it.
anyone want to add to this or correct me?
 
You need as much evaporation as you can get unless you live in Alaska with the windows open....

Evaporation is a cooling process. It dissipates the heat coming from all these pumps and lights. If you don't allow it you'll boil your fish.

My tank, a 52g reef, evaporates a gallon a day, and I'm happy about that.

The equipment you need is an autotopoff, a float-valve in your sump with an electrical switch that turns on a small pump in a bucket [there are other designs] to deliver a tiny spurt of fresh ro/di water to your sump. This means any evaporation is made up by tablespoons, not by cupfuls, so there's no salinity spike, and no disturbance of your corals, or accidental bath in fresh water.
Look at www.autotopoff.com for a cheap and basic topoff system and lose the lid, not only on your display, but also on your sump. Your temperature will be a pain to stabilize until you do.

In summer, you'll want to blow fans across the water down there to further speed evaporation.

The other thing mentioned, gas exchange, is where your live sand emits pure nitrogen gas bubbles toward the surface: this is the final product of the breakdown of biowaste in your tank, and it needs to escape.
 
You could also run into the problem of having CO2 build up in your tank with a completley closed top leading to low ph, etc.
 
Back
Top