View Full Version : got my new tank setup and fighting evaporation
harley3ky
03/04/2015, 01:24 PM
So have got my 115 gallon tank up and running late Saturday night. Things seem to be adjusted properly but yesterday when the wife got home she calls me because "there is a weird noise coming from the aquarium". The sump was low and the pump was struggling. I had her add some water and when I got home I checked to make sure there were no leaks and then I added some more. All total I think we added about 3 or 4 gallons. I know it is winter and we have a dry house but 3 to 4 gallons in 3 days?
Anyways, does anyone have any advice on a water level controller so the pump shuts off when it gets too low? Since the tank is in living room, there really isn't a good way to setup a auto-top off tank that I know of.
Any ideas, advice or suggestions are welcome.
http://i647.photobucket.com/albums/uu198/swrightky/IMG_3804.jpg
Kyle461
03/04/2015, 01:28 PM
I've seen talk about using float switches with a relay in the sump that will shut off pumps when water gets too low.
Mark9
03/04/2015, 01:33 PM
My 65G loses almost a gallon/day due to evaporation.
Your evaporation rate for a 115G seems a bit on the low side when compared to mine.
You need to get an ATO setup, it's a must.
coffee_snob
03/04/2015, 01:37 PM
You need an ATO system.
I have seen some people hide the ATO water container in an adjacent piece of furniture, cabinet or chest, and run hose to sump with float switch.
Maxxingout
03/04/2015, 01:43 PM
What size sump do you have under the fish tank? I have a 75g tank with a 29g sump. I ended up putting a 7.5g plastic storage bin with the right dimensions to fit next to the sump. I'll have to say that I'm very happy with my tunze ato. Got it on sale during the holidays abd is well worth it. I think you should be able to get some type of bin under your 115g tank if your sump doesn't take up all the space. And yes that evaporation that you're getting is not far off at all, if not basically normal. At some point you will want to get a ato figured, stability and ease on you will pay in full with time.
Here's a pic of mine. You can see the bin next to the sump even though it's a high shot.
http://i195.photobucket.com/albums/z198/2wheelrider/Tank/20150114_170542_zpsvlqzofk4.jpg (http://s195.photobucket.com/user/2wheelrider/media/Tank/20150114_170542_zpsvlqzofk4.jpg.html)
aiq25
03/04/2015, 02:07 PM
I lost 1/2 gallon water per day on my 55 gallon. I broke the tank down and going to build a new system with bigger tank. ATO will definitely make life much easier.
stscream4187
03/04/2015, 02:16 PM
I lose around 1 gallon to 1.5 gallons each day on my 125G. I would figure out a way to get an ATO up and running. There are some small simple ones and would just need to find a place for the water storage.
jminick2
03/04/2015, 02:17 PM
yeah buy a tunze 3155. youll be glad u did.
thegrun
03/04/2015, 02:57 PM
The general rule of thumb is a gallon a day per 100 gallons of tank size.
lllesley
03/04/2015, 03:17 PM
All of the above. ATO best thing ever. Much better than pump shutting down when level in return is too low. I have an alarm that tells me the return is a little low, but that's just to let us know really if something has gone wrong.
I top up about 10litres a day in my system, but more through summer.
P.S. Hope your topping up with RODI, had a friend that didn't understand the topping up thing and topped up with nsw for ages. lol Not good.
maze531
03/04/2015, 07:30 PM
I lose about 1 gallon a day. I have my tank in the living room as well my ato is a 5 gallon jug next to my sump fits under the tank how much room do you have under your tank?
harley3ky
03/04/2015, 08:21 PM
Well it is good that I am in the norm. Thank you for all of the ideas. I have been looking at the ATO. I would love to get the Tunez 3155 but I also don't want to sleep on the couch. Wife is already not thrilled with the money I have spent so far.
I could move things around and probably get a 5 gallon bucket or 10 gallon tub under the stand. I already have an extra pump that I got for water changes. So that with the ATO might be the way to go.
The sump I have is an old Oceanic 75 Plus trickle filter I got for free since the one I got with the tank was way undersized. It will be replaced at some point but is working good for now.
Thanks for the input
JamesHolt
03/04/2015, 08:29 PM
ATO Controller
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00EVD944A/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o04_s02?ie=UTF8&psc=1
ATO Pump
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001BOD9JI/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o04_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1
ATO Pump bracket
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003JCZQIM/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o04_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1
get a 5 gallon tank from walmart and you are all set..
you need that slow pump for this ATO, it gives the sensors time to react..
Best thing I have bought for mine..
Mark9
03/05/2015, 07:44 AM
yeah buy a tunze 3155. youll be glad u did.
+1
I have this as well, you will not regret this purchase.
dkeller_nc
03/05/2015, 08:07 AM
I'm afraid your wife (and possibly you) are in for a rude shock. From your picture, it appears that you've the basic equipment, but there's thousands of dollars to go to a fully stocked reef.
Regardless, the Tunze ATO is easily the best designed and most bullet-proof ATO on the market. The safety features alone will prevent you from having a living room flood, or cooking your return pump.
Having said that, if there's a requirement as far as the Wife Approval Factor (WAF) to locate the ATO make-up reservoir remotely, you've several choices. The new Apex DOS pumps are capable of pushing water up a couple of stories, but of course they're not cheap and you have to have an APEX controller. Another, older, but still very well thought of solution is the LiterMeter system from Spectrapure.
You can also "hybridize" the Tunze system by adding a 110V outlet controlled by the Tunze head unit, and use a LiterMeter pump as the ATO pump, which allows you to push water up a couple of stories so that the reservoir can be in the basement, the water heater closet, etc...
Typically the evaproation rate is about <1% to 1.5% and varies with heat, relative l humdity in the air and a number of other variables.
Gallon a day per fifty gallons is about typical. I use a 32 gallon topoff reservoir (you definitely need an autotopoff and reservoir!!!!) and can leave town for two weeks on automatic. If I need to be longer, I have a second barrel of ro/di and ask a friend to change barrels for me.
The good news is that this is great for a stony reef: bring your params to what I have in the sig line, toss 2 lbs of Mrs Wages Pickling Lime into the topoff reservoir, and forget dosing for quite a while. Evaporation drives the ATO to put that lime'd water into your tank, which supplies enough calcium for good coral growth, up to the point you have so MUCH stony coral you have to get a calcium reactor.
If your air is getting TOO humid (I have a library and my sump in the same basement) a Whirlpool dehumidifier is a good piece of equipment. During the rainy season in Spokane, I definitely use it. It'll pull 2 gallons from the air before you need to toss the water, and at some times in Spokane this can be every 2-3 days.
whosurcaddie
03/05/2015, 11:08 AM
I wish i evaporated 3 gallons every three days. I evap three gallons a day.
jaybfresh
03/05/2015, 11:14 AM
I'm losing just over a gallon a day with an open top 40B, and about 15 gallons in the sump.
BigCountry74
03/05/2015, 11:29 AM
there is a cheaper way. esp if you have an extra pump lying around. i used these guys on my 135:
http://autotopoff.com/products/
FraggledRock
03/05/2015, 11:42 AM
sounds about right.
i add +/- 1 gallon a day of top off in my 40B. open top and sump.
I also have an algae scrubber from the down drain so there is a lot of contact time with air.
skimming also helps evaporate water and overflow boxes make evaporation speed up.
the larger area means more contact time with ambient air. When i keep my spacer heater on its like a sauna in there with the humidity HAHA
mcgyvr
03/05/2015, 11:46 AM
Did someone mention ATO? :p
My rule.. Don't apply generic rules to things that are effected by multiple variables. :idea:
ucdcrew
03/05/2015, 01:30 PM
I'm similar sized tank, same cycle stage. I have two float switches in my sump hooked up through my controller to a Tom's Aqualifter pump. The first switch turns on the pump when the water level is low, and turns it off again when it gets back to normal. The second switch cuts power to the ATO if the water is above a certain level (in case it got stuck on). I check the ATO reservoir level daily to keep it in the right area. I have two 5 gallon water bottles from "the walmart" that are full, and each one lasts 4 days right now (cool temps, low rH).
All said and done, it cost me 40ish bucks for the switches and brackets, 15 bucks for the aqualifter, and 7 bucks per ATO container. I already had the controller and the SL-1 module.
Kyle461
03/05/2015, 01:43 PM
there is a cheaper way. esp if you have an extra pump lying around. i used these guys on my 135:
http://autotopoff.com/products/
These run pretty smooth? I want to get one for ATO features and also another (turned upside down) to stop my return pump in case of a siphon failure in my overflow.
dustinkimpel
03/05/2015, 01:52 PM
JBJ auto top off... it sounds like you will be buying one either way. The jbj ATO comes with two sensors. One for the pump to start do to evap and the other to keep if from starting if the water is running low to protect your pump.
Compliance
03/05/2015, 01:53 PM
The good news is that this is great for a stony reef: bring your params to what I have in the sig line, toss 2 lbs of Mrs Wages Pickling Lime into the topoff reservoir, and forget dosing for quite a while. Evaporation drives the ATO to put that lime'd water into your tank, which supplies enough calcium for good coral growth, up to the point you have so MUCH stony coral you have to get a calcium reactor.
THIS.....
Even a gravity fed drip setup could work in a pinch.
Addiction
03/05/2015, 02:47 PM
You could put glass covers on your tank. This will keep evaporation to a minimum, but you will have to clean salt spray off of them on a regular basis as the salt will block light penetration.
Steveg229
03/05/2015, 03:40 PM
I have used a gravity fed ATO system for the last 1 1/2 - 2 years. I have a 5 gallon rectangular container next to my sump, in the stand, sitting on a shelf at just above the sump water level. I installed a float at the correct height in the acrylic baffle, a fitting in the bottom side of the container, and it has worked flawlessly. Pretty fail safe because no pumps are involved.
harley3ky
03/05/2015, 05:33 PM
I'm afraid your wife (and possibly you) are in for a rude shock. From your picture, it appears that you've the basic equipment, but there's thousands of dollars to go to a fully stocked reef.
Regardless, the Tunze ATO is easily the best designed and most bullet-proof ATO on the market. The safety features alone will prevent you from having a living room flood, or cooking your return pump.
I should have mentioned in the OP that this tank is a FOWLR. I may do a reef at some point but it won't be in that tank since it is 30" deep.
The Tunez system looks pretty sweet but a bit more than I will be spending right now.
Jables
03/05/2015, 08:06 PM
+1 on autotopoff.com Their system has worked well for me. Easy, simple, and not too expensive.
droog
03/05/2015, 09:02 PM
Nice looking rock you have in there and pretty clear water at this early stage. Should make a great environment.
You might want to tweak the aquascape a little though. All those horizontal plates tend to catch detritus. The scape is also quite densely packed which can cause dead spots with little flow. Both of these factors can lead to nuciance algae down the road. If you can open things up a little bit I think the system will work better long term. Just my opinion of course!
-droog
slapshot
03/05/2015, 10:26 PM
I've used this for 39 years. Set it at the level you want in the sump run a line to a bucket of water and presto an auto top off for under $10
http://www.usplastic.com/mobile/item.aspx?sku=23079&gclid=cnv8hptwksqcfq4baqodyyoamg
kjcoop2
03/06/2015, 11:41 AM
Yup gravity feed your sump no pump needed best quietest and cheapest way to go good on ya d
roog
Goldndoodle
03/06/2015, 02:25 PM
I use this - LINK (http://www.amazon.com/Eshopps-AEO19085-Float-Valve-Aquarium/dp/B00BUFV2GK/ref=sr_1_11?ie=UTF8&qid=1425673448&sr=8-11&keywords=ato) - connected to my RODI system.
tim.henley73
03/06/2015, 11:54 PM
Best thing I ever got was a Smart ATO....just keeps everything stable and I don't have to worry so much if I go away a week
kenpau
03/07/2015, 10:13 AM
Best thing I ever got was a Smart ATO....just keeps everything stable and I don't have to worry so much if I go away a week
+1, I have an Autoaqua Smart ATO and am very happy, keeps salinity very stable. I also bought an 8 gallon tank to fill with RODI and the ATO pump drops straight in....easy!
http://www.autoaqua.com.tw/en/products/automatic.htm
Compliance
03/07/2015, 10:52 AM
If you end up with a float valve in the sump be sure it's protected from snails or any other thing that can hang on it and trick it into staying open. That's why I run a dual float switch system instead. For the redundancy.
dkeller_nc
03/07/2015, 10:55 AM
I should have mentioned in the OP that this tank is a FOWLR. I may do a reef at some point but it won't be in that tank since it is 30" deep.
The Tunez system looks pretty sweet but a bit more than I will be spending right now.
Well, your fish will be far more resilient to salinity swings than will coral, so you're good in that sense. If you decide to set up a gravity-fed system that's controlled by a float valve, be absolutely sure that your make-up container has less volume than your sump can contain. I can assure you from personal experience that gravity-fed, float-controlled ATOs are not fail-proof; the typical failure mode is that the float valve doesn't completely shut off the flow from the ATO reservoir.
That's no big deal in a fish system so long as the volume in your reservoir cannot overflow the sump and cause a wet-carpet disaster.
thrlride
03/07/2015, 01:58 PM
If you end up with a float valve in the sump be sure it's protected from snails or any other thing that can hang on it and trick it into staying open. That's why I run a dual float switch system instead. For the redundancy.
This.
I have two float switches in my sump for this reason. I ran a 1/4" line from the garage, behind the baseboards to top off the system. My pump is an aquamedic sp3000. I wish I would have ran larger tubing as any kalk I add to the topoff water causes the line to clog.
dustinkimpel
03/07/2015, 02:24 PM
If you end up with a float valve in the sump be sure it's protected from snails or any other thing that can hang on it and trick it into staying open. That's why I run a dual float switch system instead. For the redundancy.
The JBJ brakets are suppose to be snail proof. No issues with it yet.
Joel_155
03/08/2015, 10:49 PM
You need an ATO. I'm sure this has been mentioned many times but you need one for a stable reef tank.
harley3ky
03/09/2015, 12:58 PM
Thanks for all the input. I have found a 12 gallon drum that will fit under the stand with the sump and I will be putting together an ATO this week.
uwish
03/09/2015, 01:04 PM
evaporation rates will vary depending on the temperature of the water vs surrounding air and the largest factor, how much surface agitation there is. Your right smack in the middle range for evaporation.
My Eurobraced 250 Gal with go through 15 Gallon in 4 days easily.
My 130 Gal rimless freshwater tank goes through about 2.5 L per day. It won't take long before you realize an ATO is the best system invented. Don't forget having a stable saltwater tank means having a steady replenishment of fresh water as it evaporates or your salinity in the tank will start to climb (slowly but it will climb).
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