New to sumps...evap rate normal?

[Grimreaperz]

Okay so granted I am new to sumps and maybe seeing the water level in this manner is just a lot different then only monitoring my display tank.

But I have a 36g DT with a newly added DIY 29g tall sump/fuge.
So I am guessing roughly 55-60g in volume.

My return section is 7x12x16 with the flow going under the baffle into the return...

I notice about 1/4 inch of evap every 2 hours and when I come to check in the am after sleeping it goes down about 4-5 inches.....at first I was really worried I had a slow leak but everything is dry....so this just must be my evap correct? And I should be placing my optical sensor for my ATO I am setting up in my return section as the water level everywhere else stays pretty consistent.

I think I just answered my own question but would love some reassurance from others on the scenario on how much evap they see and if it's only in the return section?


Thanks as always
Here's a pic of what evaped in 2 hrs



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[garethwood]

yeah top up sensor in the return pump section is the way to go.. but thats an awful lot of evaporation! is your salinity staying stable over a 24hr period?

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[StatelineReefer]

That evaporation rate seems incredibly high. What's your home's relative humidity? I see you're in the great white North. It can get pretty dry both when it's cold and when furnaces are running.

A small humidifier may help with both comfort and reducing evaporation. My 75G with it's 24 gallons in the sump evaporates about 3 litres a day at 35% relative humidity, 22 degrees celsius air temperature.

 

[A sea K]

Thats roughly 1.09 gals of evaporation per day. It is a bit much for a 36 gal DT but given the time of year, dry heat in the house, above average evaporation is somewhat expected.


Can't recall exactly how much my 30gal system used in a day but seems like it was just shy of 1/2 gal per day.
And yes, you should only see the level change in the return section of your sump, perfectly normal.

 

[SaintAndrews]

I'm in Alaska my tank evaporates a lot more in the winter. I have a 92 corner with a 40b sump and have about 3 gallons a day evaporation this time of year. It doesn't seem like your evaporation rate is too high to me. I wouldn't worry. Just keep your auto top off bucket full.

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[ReefinND]

I'm in North Dakota and right now my ATO empties a 5 gal bucket about every 4 days for my 90gal.

 

[horwitzs]

Sounds normal. My 150 has a glass top over 99% of the surface but i still lose a gallon per day from evap because we have a dehumidifier built into the house and the air is always dry.

 

[Grimreaperz]

Yeah I keep room temp 23ish....it's in the basement so it does get cooler at night...and we just had a massive cold snap/snow dump.....i was adding about 1/2g a day before sump....seems like I'm adding about 1g now. I'm going to mark my lowest level today and see if it's staying within the same fluctuation....if I'm consistently losing the same amount probably safe to say it's evap...thanks so much for the Input guys! Makes me feel a bit better....

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[JMorris271]

Your ER sounds normal to me.

 

[Jscwerve]

Yup. Same on mine.

It's been cold here so the heater running a lot. Evaporating about 2.5 gallons a day in my 125.

 

[Grimreaperz]

Thanks for the reassurance guys....never realized how much water I was actually adding until now crazy....

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[EDJFA]

My tank will evaporate a couple gallons a day. Mine is in my office, so all of the air from the furnace comes out at ceiling height which blows on my tank.

When it's really cold and the wind is blowing, my front door, which is glass and aluminum, will frost over on the inside and in some situations will freeze shut.

We go through a lot of water this time of year.

 

[homer1475]

First off, you have no where near 50 to 60 gallons of water unless that 29 tall is full to the top, and you have no rock or sand. Probably more like 40G with displacement of sand, rock, and the (more then likely) half full sump(that 29 tall is probably more like 15G). For instance I have a 80G tank and 30G sump, but I only have roughly 80G of total water, not 100G.

Anyways, back top the topic at hand....

I evap about a gallon a day in an open top 80G with an open 30G sump. I would think your rate is completely normal.