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View Full Version : leaving top open-water evaporation

winvargh
10/03/2010, 02:27 PM
I have a 90 gallon tank and the top Is open on it. I was wondering how fast does the water evaporate with it open? does it also depend on the light ?
josh27
10/03/2010, 02:37 PM
I used to have an open top tank until I had 5 gobies jump out... since I made a top I have noticed a dramatic decrease in evaporation. I dont use an auto top off system I just go and get some ro water. When I didnt have a top, I had to top off my water twice a day but now with a top I only need to top off once every two days. So to answer your question without a top water can evaporate quite fast.
winvargh
10/03/2010, 02:49 PM
well from reading I heard it looks better. I'm definitely not goin to have any gobies i'n there and I do the same thing as you use ro water to top off. but I only need to top off once every week with the top on. let's see how fast it evaporates with the top off. and also I just upgraded to a medal halide which I think is worse. but topping off is no problem for me
RVANANO
10/03/2010, 04:41 PM
I have an open top 120 and I have to top off about 1-2 gallons a day.
winvargh
10/03/2010, 04:47 PM
wow that's crazy. what light fixture do you have?
jwoyshnar
10/03/2010, 04:57 PM
I top off one gallon each of my 90 gallon tanks each day. T5's on both but I have my powerheads pointed up toward the surface for alot of turbulence.
Dalbery
10/03/2010, 05:15 PM
I have a 230 gallon (60x30x30) open top and open sump. It evaps about 1.5 gallons a day. I don't think that's too bad.
E46er
10/03/2010, 05:52 PM
my open top 120 evaps about 1.5 G a day thats with 2-150W MH
Fishamatank
10/03/2010, 06:16 PM
I have a 120 with a canopy with T5's. There are 2 fans in the canopy and one on the sump, I lose 2 gallons daily.
OneReef
10/03/2010, 06:41 PM
to the OP, are you talking about a canopy or glass lids?
winvargh
10/03/2010, 06:56 PM
glass lids
sasharotty
10/03/2010, 07:02 PM
glass lids

Alot of people dont use these because they trap heat and they acquire salt creep and diminish light penetraton.
winvargh
10/03/2010, 07:24 PM
Alot of people dont use these because they trap heat and they acquire salt creep and diminish light penetraton.

yea they defintitly get alot of salt on them and it's impossible to get rid of it. yea and they also fade the light too. I tested it
LaOtIn
10/03/2010, 07:49 PM
Alot of people dont use these because they trap heat and they acquire salt creep and diminish light penetraton.

a trip to the bathtub once a week does wonders for these problems :lolspin:

freshwater is the cure for salt creep, and clean glass = great light penetration
OneReef
10/03/2010, 08:36 PM
take off the glass, get a canopy or bird netting to keep fish in. Glass traps heat like crazy. Evaporation cools your water off.
steelhead77
10/03/2010, 09:24 PM
a trip to the bathtub once a week does wonders for these problems :lolspin:

freshwater is the cure for salt creep, and clean glass = great light penetration


Uhh....For awhile this works. Salt will eventually etch the glass - it doesn't take too long - then light penetration drops. Open top solves this issue.
RVANANO
10/04/2010, 10:19 AM
wow that's crazy. what light fixture do you have?

I have the Geisennman Infinity with 2- 250W and 4 T5's
LaOtIn
10/04/2010, 08:14 PM
Uhh....For awhile this works. Salt will eventually etch the glass - it doesn't take too long - then light penetration drops. Open top solves this issue.

really? im not doubting your words, but my glass has always remained crystal clear. i wash my glass once a week along with my WC. ive never seen etching or spots or anything. call me crazy or maybe im a one in a million case, but its been like that for a very long time on my tank /shrug

maybe i should add that i wash my glass in tap water in the bathtub with #00 grade stainless steel pads then they are dried off using a regular towel then wiped with a lent free micro fiber cloth.
TheH
10/04/2010, 08:22 PM
I've had etching on my glass tops before. Maybe you can avoid it if you keep up the maintenance, but if you don't it will start etching very noticeably 3-4 weeks. I guess it depends on the distance between the water surface and the bottom of your glass as well though.
winvargh
10/04/2010, 08:22 PM
my glass never remained clear after a day it would stack up back on salt and everything would dry up. it's also very annoying to clean it. open top does solve this issue even if you need more top off. it wouldent be a problem if top off is easy for you. does Anyones water splash everywhere while the tops open? the splashing depends on the flow on the water too because if it's too much flow it's gonna splash everywhere but if it's too less flow your not going to get the shimmer effect.
dougiefresh
10/04/2010, 08:27 PM
I have a open top 90 gallon. I don't get any splashing. You can have a lot of with out splashing. What's sometimes a problem if you have bubbles breaking at the surface which causes salt creep, but most reef tanks have sumps where the bubble action takes place.
winvargh
10/04/2010, 08:28 PM
does etching mean salt on the glass?
winvargh
10/04/2010, 08:35 PM
I have a open top 90 gallon. I don't get any splashing. You can have a lot of with out splashing. What's sometimes a problem if you have bubbles breaking at the surface which causes salt creep, but most reef tanks have sumps where the bubble action takes place. yea I do get alot of bubbles which makes all the splashing because the powerheads are too close to the surface. But when there close to the surface they make great flow for shimmering with the light. if the powerheads are too low then there's not that much flow and there's not that much shimmering. and shimmering is pretty cool.


yea I have bubbles at the surface because of my powerheads. they are very close to the surface but they make great flow for simmering with the light. but if the powerheads are too low then there's not that much shimmer.
winvargh
10/04/2010, 08:36 PM
sorry I wrote it twice by mistake.
TheH
10/04/2010, 09:28 PM
etching, I believe, is where salt corrodes away at the surface of glass resulting in scars/pits.
winvargh
10/04/2010, 09:49 PM
oh yea. I have alot
lordofthereef
10/05/2010, 12:01 AM
Unless you are essentially lugging RO water around from the store for your top-off I wouldn't even put the more vs less top-off factor into considering whether I want to go with a top or not. Get an inexpensive RO unit (save yourself the headache down the road) and just do top-offs as needed. I had a hard time justifying the expense, but at the end of the day, after water savings, time savings, gas savings, etc. it is way worth it. Make things even easier for yourself and set up an ATO if possible. That is a little more splurging with the money, but the RO unit is essential IMO.

As far as the glass etching, I have had no issues with the glass or the acrylic tops.
winvargh
10/05/2010, 07:04 AM
Yes I do have a ro/di unit and I do top offs when needed
JTL
10/05/2010, 07:22 AM
My 110 loses between 1 and 1 1/2 g per day with LED lights and no top (I do have a mesh to keep the fish in). I also think there is an important gas exchange taking place with the top open.
Al Kurtys
10/05/2010, 09:42 AM
well from reading I heard it looks better. I'm definitely not goin to have any gobies i'n there and I do the same thing as you use ro water to top off. but I only need to top off once every week with the top on. let's see how fast it evaporates with the top off. and also I just upgraded to a medal halide which I think is worse. but topping off is no problem for me I think with a metal halide if you don't have fans blowing you should't have a top on your tank! Are you trying to have seafood for dinner lol!