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03-02-2006, 10:33 AM
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#1 (permalink)
| | Fire Worm
Join Date: Nov 2005
Posts: 164
Karma: 28
 
|  MAJOR water evaporation problem!
Hello all....well I seem to have a major problem with water evaporation! I find myself needing to add top off water everynight...which I'm sure is stressful my livestock. Lighting listed below...no cover on tank, with light suspended above tank with hinges. The water level is lowering I would say about 1/8-1/4 a day. Lighting hood has fans included, and been trying to cut down "full light" time to see if that helps....water temp is stable at 79-81, but this is making it hard to keep my sg stable....which is around 1.26-1.27 right now....also, because I'm always playing catch up with the water level, my hang on filter outflow is creating microbubbles in the tank, because it is so hard to keep the water level high enough to where the water flows right into the water, and not has to "splash" well not that bad, but you get what I mean.
Is it my light? What can I do...add another fan? My home is generally cool, at around 70-73 degrees....How much stress am I creating by adding fresh water so often? All is well, everyone is healthy and happy, not showing signs of problems....but I know the importance of keeping everything stable...and for the most part, it is, except the sg really, and I'm concerned about the bubbles....please...any help? _________ 20 Gallon Reef Tank
Berlin System
15lbs Live Rock w/ Live Sand
Coralife Lunar Aqualight
(1x Actinic and 1x 10,000K, 2x 3/4W Blue LEDs)
2 False Percula Clownfish * Blue/Green Reef Chromis * Fire Shrimp * 1 Halloween Hermit Crabs *
2 Scarlet Reef Hermit Crabs * 4 Turbo Snails * 5 Bumblebee Snails
Green Star Polyps * Yellow Polyps * Pink Eyed Zoanthids * Branching Green Hammer Coral *
Hawaiian Feather Duster
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03-02-2006, 10:47 AM
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#2 (permalink)
| | KingFish
Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: Pt. Richmond, Ca. Age: 38
Posts: 7,339
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Automating the water top off is a big stress reliever for you and your fish.
I use Tunze's - it's incredible but expensive.
A cheaper one is A.T.S. - there are a couple reviews of it on the review board.
Or a Kent plastic float switch will do or even a Kent Aquadoser I.V. would help.
Adding a sump would help to hide this stuff. | |
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03-02-2006, 10:59 AM
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#3 (permalink)
| | Sailfin Tang
Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: SF/Monterey Bay Area, CA
Posts: 1,749
Karma: 104
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 I call that minor evap. I replace 2 gallons a day in my 60g system. I used to do 25 - 35g a day at work in one system and now we do it by the hundreds at my current job
I's invest in a auto top off unit, like Matt suggested. It'll really help solve this problem for you. I went a more expensive route myself and bought a scientific grade paristaltic dosing pump and just dialled it into my need.
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Gresham
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Feeding the reef... one polyp at a time... | |
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03-02-2006, 11:41 AM
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#4 (permalink)
| | Fire Worm
Join Date: Nov 2005
Posts: 164
Karma: 28
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WOW, guess my evaporation is "minor" compared to yours!!! So is it safe to assume that this is a normal issue, and based on the size of my tank, the amount of evaporation is to be expected? I was under the assumption for some reason that maybe it was an excessive amount. I always see when reading about "top off" water, but it never specified an average amount (probably no need to) but for whatever reason I thought mine was out of control!  Probably because I always feel like I'm filling it back up! hehehe
Okay, Ill definitely look those units! Thanks again guys!!! | |
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03-02-2006, 11:48 AM
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#5 (permalink)
| | Eyelash Blennie
Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Lakeland, Fl
Posts: 1,294
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You're on the right track. Adding the fan would keep your water cooler if it blows across the surface, but would increase the evaporation.
Evaporative cooling effect.
Jim
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90 Gallon glass, 135#'s of rock and 2" sand. 2-250w 20k XM metal halides. 2-95 watt actinic VHO, 4 powerheads, Coralife skimmer. Maroon Gold Striped Clown, Blue Chromis, Kole Tang, Pygmy Angel, Serpent Star, Brittle Star,Gorgonians, Mushrooms, Yellow Polyps, Turbo Snails & Blue Legged Hermits. 20 gal sump with Caulerpa, Mag 7 return pump. | |
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03-02-2006, 12:15 PM
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#6 (permalink)
| | Scooter Blennie
Join Date: Sep 2005 Age: 26
Posts: 1,200
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dancin'! I call that super minor evap! I have to top off day and night. lol. About 1/2g, sometimes more when skimming is high. You need to top off not just because of evaporation, but also because of skimming. It's normal and should not be stressful, as water is lost everyday.
If you're topping off freshwater, be careful because you may lower the SG. Prep RO/DI water with salt to keep the SG leveled. I only start topping off with fresh RO/DI when my SG is a bit high and need to lower it a tad. You can also top off catalina water if you dont wanna make your own batch of saltwater.
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30g reef tank, CPR CY192 filter w/ DIY plumb running Rio 17HF return, Coralife 3x 9w UV Sterilizer, 3 24W T5-Helios 10K Daylights/3 24W T5-Helios Blue lights, 2 Logysis blue meteor light strobes (moonlights/24 Blue LEDs).
Tiger tail cuke, asst. snails/hermits, asst. feathers, rainbow acan,zoos,shrooms,bubble,galaxea, asst. shrimp, 2 ocellaris,mandarin,zebrasoma xanthurum,pink-spot watchman,red-striped pistol. | |
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03-02-2006, 12:38 PM
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#7 (permalink)
| | KingFish
Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: Pt. Richmond, Ca. Age: 38
Posts: 7,339
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Quote: |
Originally Posted by rickzter If you're topping off freshwater, be careful because you may lower the SG. Prep RO/DI water with salt to keep the SG leveled. | You shouldn't have to add salt to your evap water.
You can only lower SG if you add more than what evaporated.
Salt doesn't evaporate. But it sure creeps! | |
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03-02-2006, 01:37 PM
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#8 (permalink)
| | 3reef Moderator
Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Melbourne, VIC,Victoria
Posts: 2,261
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Quote: |
Originally Posted by Matt Rogers You shouldn't have to add salt to your evap water.
You can only lower SG if you add more than what evaporated.
Salt doesn't evaporate. But it sure creeps! | Matt,
I think that rickzter is referring to topping up due to excessive skimming. Every time you throw out a cup of skimmate, it's the same as throwing out a cup of salt water and eventually your sg will drop ( albeit over a lengthy period )
John
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The organization is like a tree full of monkeys, all on different limbs at different levels. Some monkeys are climbing up, some down. The monkeys on top look down and see a tree full of smiling faces. The monkeys on the bottom look up and see nothing but a&&holes. | |
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03-02-2006, 01:51 PM
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#9 (permalink)
| | KingFish
Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: Pt. Richmond, Ca. Age: 38
Posts: 7,339
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Quote: |
Originally Posted by JohnO Matt,
I think that rickzter is referring to topping up due to excessive skimming. Every time you throw out a cup of skimmate, it's the same as throwing out a cup of salt water and eventually your sg will drop ( albeit over a lengthy period )
John |
Good point! I wasn't thinking about that. THat has to be a lot of skiimmate! | |
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03-02-2006, 02:09 PM
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#10 (permalink)
| | 3reef Moderator
Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Melbourne, VIC,Victoria
Posts: 2,261
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Yes it is a lot and normally over an extended period. But I guess if you had a small tank and skimmed heavily ( very wet skimmate ) it would/could be an issue
John | |
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