Water evaporates too fast! One day and 4"?

[AquaWave523]

Ok, the last few days my tank has been hot up to 88F at one point. I took off the versa top and lifted the canopy for more air. Now the temperature is at 79 to 80F with the fan blowing on top...and today I just checked the water level and it's down by 4 inches in one day!!!!

Ok, let me clarify, 4" from the sump tank and not the Display tank. :)

But that requires me to top off everyday! The sump tank is only 8.5 gal. and the water line is at 3" and I normally fill the sump up to about 7" because of the protein skimmer box.

I guess I'm not asking anything specific, but 4" in one day is a lot! I will find myself topping off everyday.

[Aquarist007]

The fan you are using is causing more evaporation however it is a trade off in your case--running the tank at 88 degrees is a little out of the preferred range of 76-84 degrees

I go through 3 gallons a day right now in a 225 gallon system.

[Henry Bowman]

find a decent auto top off unit. There are kits if you search google. Bulkreefsupply and Tunze have units.

[Sisterlimonpot]

I top off everyday, I go through about 2.5 gallons on my 125 and about 1 gallon on my 72. It's an everyday chore but if you want to get away with not doing it take Henry's advice and get an ATO.

[sedor]

I would invest the $100 bucks in an ATO anyways, saves you from having to freak out when you get to work and realize you didn't add your RO water that morning. Water... its just part of the hobby.

[AquaWave523]

how does the ATO work? where is the top off water coming from? Is it another tank that sits next to the sump and another water pump?

how long do i have to top of the ATO?

[2004jetta]

You can also change up your heat sources, MH for example adds a lot of heat, Switching to T5's would help.

[FullFathomFive]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15348734#post15348734 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by AquaWave523
how does the ATO work? where is the top off water coming from? Is it another tank that sits next to the sump and another water pump?

how long do i have to top of the ATO?

If you read this, then it should answer your questions (asked and unasked): http://www.melevsreef.com/plumbing/auto_topoff.html

With the way I have my ATO set up, the top off water comes from a 30-gallon reservoir of RO/DI water that is filled about every three weeks.

If a similar maintenance schedule doesn't suit you, then you also have the option of installing the ATO to your RO/DI system, I think. I'm not very familiar with that option. If someone has more information on it, I'd like to see it!

Ivana

[Flipper62]

Also.....Has everyone forgot about the " CHILLER "

If you get a chiller, it will keep the water at a + - of 2 deg of the temp that you want to keep it at.

This will stop the evaporation of the water because you wont need to use a fan.

[Catastrophi]

But chillers are much more expensive in the intial cost and long run.

[Poeticlydead]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15349001#post15349001 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Flipper62
If you get a chiller, it will keep the water at a + - of 2 deg of the temp that you want to keep it at.

This will stop the evaporation of the water because you wont need to use a fan.

To clarify this will not stop the evaporation but it will elimanate the increased loss do to the fan and the removal of the hood because you can ditch the fan and put the hood back. You will still need to top your water off from time to time and an ATO is a great way to automate this.

[atwinparadox2]

Have you checked to see if you have a small leak somewhere? That can always be a possibility too.

[AquaWave523]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15348826#post15348826 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by 2004jetta
You can also change up your heat sources, MH for example adds a lot of heat, Switching to T5's would help.

I only have those All glass single strip 40 watt lights. :(

I am gona up grade to T5's if its for corals and its cheaper overall later on.

Theres no leak i checked....i thought about a chiller but its pricey ....I might have to go with an ATO....

[2004jetta]

Another option is a larger return area in your sump. No matterwhat you do you hould still get a ATO for its convenience.

[Aquarist007]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15349642#post15349642 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by AquaWave523
I only have those All glass single strip 40 watt lights. :(

I am gona up grade to T5's if its for corals and its cheaper overall later on.

Theres no leak i checked....i thought about a chiller but its pricey ....I might have to go with an ATO....


wind blowing across a body or surface of water increases the evaporation from it;)

[mann1139]

Your tank got up to 88 without MH lights, or even T-5's?

I think you might have another issue.

What temperature is the room at?
Do you have a glass top?
What kind of heater, and can you tell whether it is stuck 'on'?

How big is your tank and how big is the sump?

[Sisterlimonpot]

Agreed make sure that heater isn't stuck in the on position.

[Aquarist007]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15350404#post15350404 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Sisterlimonpot
Agreed make sure that heater isn't stuck in the on position.

I shut the heater off from April til November and replace the existing one at that time. I been shocked twice from them and had two malfunction--being over cautious but the last shock put me on the ground.:eek2:

[AquaWave523]

It's the room temperature, its at 79F right now.

[Sisterlimonpot]

That's pretty warm, I would try to cool the room down some way with either fans in the windows or a portable air conditioner. I don't have ac (it doesn't stay hot enough to justify) so I do the window fan thing myself and it keeps the tank at a balmy 80-82 during these summer months and the room is at a nice comfortable temp.

[AquaWave523]

Yeah, i'll hook up a fan too just for when I turn on the lights

[mann1139]

A fan or AC may actually make the evaporation worse, if you point it at the tank. As capn said above, the moving air, which is at a lower temperature, attracts the moist water, and takes it with. Same reason that cold beer sweats.

I could see the hot room causing that amount of evaporation. Its amazing how much your tank will lose in the summer, if the room isn't kept cool, and/or air is being moved around the tank.

[Aquarist007]

[i] Same reason that cold beer sweats.

. [/B]

:lol: now they will understand.


Here is a simple top up system which gives me about two days grace.
I have to use a maxijet to pump the ro/di water up to the 5 gal jug. There is a float valve in the sump and gravity does the rest.

http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r107/reefescapetangster/DSC_0758.jpg

[Crustman]

I have the JBJ ATO (above) and set up a 10 gallon tank for the reservoir. I go through about 1 gallon per day. Evaporation rates are high in reef aquaria. You either have to make or buy RO water. I fill up 2, 7 gallon jugs at Walmart (Culligan) for about $5

[AquaWave523]

thank god i decided to hold off on a reef until later. thats a lot of evaporation. lol

[SC Trojan]

yea it kind of sucks right now with my tank too. Out here in the IE its been blazing at about 105 and the living room my 75 is in gets probably about 86. Got one of those walmart turbo 8 inch fans blowing across my tank during the duration of my light period which is about 9 hrs of T5 and 5hrs of metal halide and i have to top off about 2gal a day,manually.Trying to avoid running the AC because of the cost of electricity out here but just might have to give in.Desperatly need to invest in a auto topoff and ro/di system,baaadddddly.

[Aquarist007]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15353487#post15353487 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Crustman
I have the JBJ ATO (above) and set up a 10 gallon tank for the reservoir. I go through about 1 gallon per day. Evaporation rates are high in reef aquaria. You either have to make or buy RO water. I fill up 2, 7 gallon jugs at Walmart (Culligan) for about $5

this one does 100 gal a day
http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r107/reefescapetangster/DSC_0759.jpg

[Sisterlimonpot]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15353082#post15353082 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by capn_hylinur
:lol: now they will understand.


Here is a simple top up system which gives me about two days grace.
I have to use a maxijet to pump the ro/di water up to the 5 gal jug. There is a float valve in the sump and gravity does the rest.

http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r107/reefescapetangster/DSC_0758.jpg
I wish I had a basement or even just a fish room.

[spamreefnew]

the temp and evaporation rates seem very hi to me,,are you sure you dont have other issues? i have had a 90gallon long with big halides in a hot room with fans on it ,and never saw that kind of temp/evap spike.

[AquaWave523]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15354196#post15354196 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by spamreefnew
the temp and evaporation rates seem very hi to me,,are you sure you dont have other issues? i have had a 90gallon long with big halides in a hot room with fans on it ,and never saw that kind of temp/evap spike.

I mentioned it up in an older post, its' the room temp causing the issue. Room temperature is at 80F right now, it was 88F because the lid was sealed with a canopy on top. Ever since removing both, it's been steady at 79 - 80F. I need to invest in an fan and ATO to keep it cooler...

[AquaWave523]

Nice! Finally ordered an ATO yesterday, drilled 1" into the floor which the tube will run into the basement where the reservoir will sit. I think the ATO reservoir is going to be either a 5 gallon bucket, 20 gallon tank or a 44 gallon rubbermaid trashcan. That's debatable right now, I really dont want to be topping off my tank every week neither so I might shoot for the larger tank. I fill about 1 1/2 to 2 gallons a day on average.

[Swimwiththefish]

get an ATO it will evaporate more in the summer then the winter

[Aquarist007]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15362692#post15362692 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by AquaWave523
Nice! Finally ordered an ATO yesterday, drilled 1" into the floor which the tube will run into the basement where the reservoir will sit. I think the ATO reservoir is going to be either a 5 gallon bucket, 20 gallon tank or a 44 gallon rubbermaid trashcan. That's debatable right now, I really dont want to be topping off my tank every week neither so I might shoot for the larger tank. I fill about 1 1/2 to 2 gallons a day on average.

glad you removed the glass top --not only does it reduce temp but it is a key area for gas exchange. Make sure the surface of your tank is churing also.

sounds interesting --hope you will post some pics when you are done

[AquaWave523]

Will do, I didn't want to put any more stress on the floor.

[rgun2515]

auto top-off unit. I go through 2 Gallons a day...

[Henry Parsons]

If a similar maintenance schedule doesn't suit you, then you also have the option of installing the ATO to your RO/DI system, I think. I'm not very familiar with that option. If someone has more information on it, I'd like to see it

I've read that this is not preferred because the h2o that sits in the membranes of the ro di unit will become "stale" Since the ato will only be adding ounces at a time instead of gallons at a time lots of the water going into your tank will be sitting in the membranes/lines of the system and is not ideal for your tank. a reservoir of several gallons cycling with a powerhead will eliminate this.

That being said, thats just what i have read and have no real scientific evidence to back up the stale water statement. Also, i'm sure that there are people here who have it directly hooked up to the ato and have found a clever solution to the problem.

[Henry Bowman]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15362692#post15362692 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by AquaWave523
Nice! Finally ordered an ATO yesterday, drilled 1" into the floor which the tube will run into the basement where the reservoir will sit. I think the ATO reservoir is going to be either a 5 gallon bucket, 20 gallon tank or a 44 gallon rubbermaid trashcan. That's debatable right now, I really dont want to be topping off my tank every week neither so I might shoot for the larger tank. I fill about 1 1/2 to 2 gallons a day on average.


larger resivoir is better. RODI units should not be run for 1-2 gallons at a time. My basic understanding is that there is TDS "creep" I.E. the first gallon or two will have higher TDS therefore you want to run your RODI for the longest time possible when "making" water for your tank.

[evsalty]

Careful with a large resevoir. If your ato pump gets stuck on you will have that much larger of a flood and decrease in salinity. Just a thought.

[Aquarist007]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15364135#post15364135 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by evsalty
Careful with a large resevoir. If your ato pump gets stuck on you will have that much larger of a flood and decrease in salinity. Just a thought.

that's correct--that is why I went with the 5 gal reservoir that I have to pump to myself. If something went wrong the most water I would get in the sump is 5 gals.

there is a float switch on my ro/di unit---I just don't trust it that much to use it.
Dosing two part and seeing that the reservoir is topped up each night I don't see as a chore. It keeps me in tune with my system;)

[AquaWave523]

Yeah good call, but the way I'm doing it is just a bucket or tank with RO/DI water just sitting there while a small pump just pumps enough water that has evaporated into the sump tank upstairs. The RO/DI water is separated from the ATO.

[Aquarist007]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15365234#post15365234 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by AquaWave523
Yeah good call, but the way I'm doing it is just a bucket or tank with RO/DI water just sitting there while a small pump just pumps enough water that has evaporated into the sump tank upstairs. The RO/DI water is separated from the ATO.

good call right back at you;)

[evsalty]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15365234#post15365234 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by AquaWave523
Yeah good call, but the way I'm doing it is just a bucket or tank with RO/DI water just sitting there while a small pump just pumps enough water that has evaporated into the sump tank upstairs. The RO/DI water is separated from the ATO. Just FYI, my post was specific to th ATO water holder. If you use a large tank/bucket like you mentioned you run the risk of flooding the tank if the pump gets stuck on. Also this would cause a huge drop in salinity.