Water Evaporation...

[reeferkeifer]

Is it a constant refill battle to maintain the water level in the sump due to evaporation? I know it is going to happen but since I set up my tank last Saturday, I have lost probably about 2 gallons since then and it really was noticable in the past 24 hours. The water temp is 77 degrees, no livestock, ammonia, ph, nitrite all check out fine but nitrate is at 10 ppm as of tonight. I'm dialing everything in right now. Is there a cover I can put on my sump to minimize the evap or any other ideas?

 

[skriz]

Yes, it will constantly evaporate. Add an auto-topoff and you'll be much happier.

Sealing the tank will only make it hotter, which you don't want.

 

[jdavid]

Skriz;982732 wrote: Yes, it will constantly evaporate. Add an auto-topoff and you'll be much happier.

Sealing the tank will only make it hotter, which you don't want.

+1, or manually top off. Those are your only two options.

Remember, only top off with freshwater, not saltwater. As water evaporates the salinity goes UP so you have to top off with fresh water to bring it back down, constantly.

If you top off with saltwater you're adding saltwater back in place of freshwater that evaporated and your specific gravity will continue to rise.

 

[porpoiseaquatics]

I lose about 2 gallons a day!

I have an 18 gallon capacity reserve (kept at about 12 gallons unless I'm travelling) with an ATO set up so it gets me through several days before I have to refill it. Generally, I fill it during my weekly water change. In the winter, it's not quite as bad...probably around 1 gallon a day depending on how much I have to run the heat in the house (I have gas heat and it will pull moisture from the air).

Evaporation can also be dictated by the room temp...not the tank temp. If you keep your house at say 78 degrees in the summer and a ceiling fan running close to the tank, your evaporation rate will be higher than if you ran the house a touch cooler and no ceiling fan on.

 

[jrhunter0000]

Like the advice above a to is gonna be the best bet

 

[reeferkeifer]

Thanks y'all

 

[drydock]

Remember that most Central AC units are designed to remove moisture from the air to reduce the home humidity levels. (we all know in the south that dry air feels cooler than humid air). So watch for placement near AC vents and as porpoise points outs - ceiling fans.

 

[elfloyd]

I loose 2 - 2 1/2 gallons per day in my 180. House stays at 68 degrees. I have a dehumidifier on my AC, and a ceiling fan running. Tank stays 78-79 degrees.

For me... ATO is mandatory.

 

[kilralpine]

I have a 110G with 6xt5 over the top and with a vented canopy w/ fans I lose about 5 gallons in 4 days or so.

 

[acroholic]

open tank and open sump pn my 465, lose about 4 gallons a day.