greenhouse tanks

jrodscout · 11/02/2006, 07:24 AM

Im building my own tanks for my greenhouse & decided to change the size from10/220g tanks to 10/600g. tanks.
Other then working as a heat sink & helping to limit temp swings.
Im trying to determine if my water changes will be less frequent or if I should plan for larger backup holding vessels.The surface are of the tanks is the same as far as coral holding capacity.Any thoughts would help.
Jerred

Philip Root · 11/02/2006, 07:47 AM

Bigger tanks means larger back up tanks for sure.

jrodscout · 11/02/2006, 09:32 AM

Will I have to do water changes more or less frequently assuming the large & small tanks have the same surface area for corals?

Myrphie · 11/02/2006, 11:14 AM

I'd say the frequency of your water changes would depend upon what levels you want to maintain and the size of the changes you're willing to do.

raaden · 11/02/2006, 11:28 AM

jrod,

Two things here. Your evap rate in gals should be about the same as long the air/water interface surface is the same (I am guessing you just made the tanks deeper). The amount of evaporation is relative to the temp and surface area of the water, and the humidity, and motion of the air contacting the water. So generally speaking the evap rate won't change by making the tanks deeper if that is all that changes.

On water changes this is a bit more subjective. You do have a larger volume and therefore more gunk storing capacity to reach a certain DOC Level. The downside is that changing 25 gals in a 220 G tank removes more than changing 25 gals in a 600, so unfortunately I would have to agree with Phillip that you will need to use more water in your water changes. Something to think about is how much water will you be losing to pack your stock for sale. The makeup water for this may actually be large enough that you wont have to do actual "water changes" and instead just do "water replacement." If this is the case (and very well may be) then you will not see a net change in the amount of water you need to store.

As a general rule I am looking at about 17% water loss to evap/stock packing per week, except when the heater is running on the coldest days it will run closer to 25%. I am planning on doing a 15% water change once a month. This is for 18 s.f. on a 330 gal tank. Roughly 1200 gals a week

Hope this helps,

WarDaddy · 11/02/2006, 02:58 PM

"17% water loss to evap/stock packing per week"

Those are very different things. Stock Packing takes salt with the water, Evap leaves the salt in the tank, increasing your salinity. Are you toping off your evap with an automated, or manual process?

jrodscout · 11/02/2006, 05:32 PM

Thanks raaden thats helpful

raaden · 11/07/2006, 08:39 AM

Bryan,

I was referring to total water production needs across both uses. I will be using automated top off for evap, and direct manual replacement for stock packing. I think this will be doable since I will be doing most of my packing only once or twice a week. The topoff is going to use metered water addition so that I will not be dumping freshwater in when I pull water for packing/shipping. It will be a system with an open valve that is based on a reversed float, and another closed valve based on regular float. I will set the open valve to a normal evap range and just let it run. The second will only be useful in winter when the heaters kick on and the evap goes up tremendously and I will need more makeup water flow.

I will be honest and say that this is a theoretical idea with little practical experimentation done. I have baselined my makeup water needs and have sized holding tanks for the vats and delivery lines for the water to the vats. Unfortunately I don't have a setup to test it on so it will be a test in place solution.

Sorry if my earlier response was confusing. I was trying to give an idea of how much total water production the system was going to need as a whole. I will be storing both salt and freshwater and mixing my own salt water for the packing water. As a side note I will be storing almost half of the total volume of the tanks due to the fresh and saltwater holding needs.

acarson19 · 11/07/2006, 03:09 PM

What do you do with salt water from water changes? I know, stupid question, I'm sure, just lurking and was curious. Thanks.

redox · 11/08/2006, 03:52 AM

dump it as far away from your favorite plants as you can

11/02/2006, 07:24 AM	#1
jrodscout Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: connecticut Posts: 117	greenhouse tanks Im building my own tanks for my greenhouse & decided to change the size from10/220g tanks to 10/600g. tanks. Other then working as a heat sink & helping to limit temp swings. Im trying to determine if my water changes will be less frequent or if I should plan for larger backup holding vessels.The surface are of the tanks is the same as far as coral holding capacity.Any thoughts would help. Jerred

11/02/2006, 07:47 AM	#2
Philip Root Premium Member Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Boca Raton Flordia Posts: 830	Bigger tanks means larger back up tanks for sure. __________________ Law of Coral Shopping If you don't buy it when you first see it, It won't be there when you come back.

11/02/2006, 02:58 PM	#6
WarDaddy Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Land O Lakes, FL Posts: 4,022	"17% water loss to evap/stock packing per week" Those are very different things. Stock Packing takes salt with the water, Evap leaves the salt in the tank, increasing your salinity. Are you toping off your evap with an automated, or manual process? __________________ --Bryan I Brake for FRAGS! Current Tank Info: 50 Gallon DIY cube

11/02/2006, 09:32 AM	#3
jrodscout Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: connecticut Posts: 117	Will I have to do water changes more or less frequently assuming the large & small tanks have the same surface area for corals?

11/02/2006, 11:14 AM	#4
Myrphie Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: El Paso, Tx Posts: 177	I'd say the frequency of your water changes would depend upon what levels you want to maintain and the size of the changes you're willing to do.

11/02/2006, 11:28 AM	#5
raaden Registered Member. Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Raleigh NC Posts: 504	jrod, Two things here. Your evap rate in gals should be about the same as long the air/water interface surface is the same (I am guessing you just made the tanks deeper). The amount of evaporation is relative to the temp and surface area of the water, and the humidity, and motion of the air contacting the water. So generally speaking the evap rate won't change by making the tanks deeper if that is all that changes. On water changes this is a bit more subjective. You do have a larger volume and therefore more gunk storing capacity to reach a certain DOC Level. The downside is that changing 25 gals in a 220 G tank removes more than changing 25 gals in a 600, so unfortunately I would have to agree with Phillip that you will need to use more water in your water changes. Something to think about is how much water will you be losing to pack your stock for sale. The makeup water for this may actually be large enough that you wont have to do actual "water changes" and instead just do "water replacement." If this is the case (and very well may be) then you will not see a net change in the amount of water you need to store. As a general rule I am looking at about 17% water loss to evap/stock packing per week, except when the heater is running on the coldest days it will run closer to 25%. I am planning on doing a 15% water change once a month. This is for 18 s.f. on a 330 gal tank. Roughly 1200 gals a week Hope this helps,

11/02/2006, 05:32 PM	#7
jrodscout Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: connecticut Posts: 117	Thanks raaden thats helpful

11/07/2006, 08:39 AM	#8
raaden Registered Member. Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Raleigh NC Posts: 504	Bryan, I was referring to total water production needs across both uses. I will be using automated top off for evap, and direct manual replacement for stock packing. I think this will be doable since I will be doing most of my packing only once or twice a week. The topoff is going to use metered water addition so that I will not be dumping freshwater in when I pull water for packing/shipping. It will be a system with an open valve that is based on a reversed float, and another closed valve based on regular float. I will set the open valve to a normal evap range and just let it run. The second will only be useful in winter when the heaters kick on and the evap goes up tremendously and I will need more makeup water flow. I will be honest and say that this is a theoretical idea with little practical experimentation done. I have baselined my makeup water needs and have sized holding tanks for the vats and delivery lines for the water to the vats. Unfortunately I don't have a setup to test it on so it will be a test in place solution. Sorry if my earlier response was confusing. I was trying to give an idea of how much total water production the system was going to need as a whole. I will be storing both salt and freshwater and mixing my own salt water for the packing water. As a side note I will be storing almost half of the total volume of the tanks due to the fresh and saltwater holding needs.

11/07/2006, 03:09 PM	#9
acarson19 Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Oxford, MS Posts: 66	What do you do with salt water from water changes? I know, stupid question, I'm sure, just lurking and was curious. Thanks.

11/08/2006, 03:52 AM	#10
redox Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: SOBX Posts: 2,128	dump it as far away from your favorite plants as you can