This is an important question for me to ask. For a year I have been running a 24 gallon aquarium with very little water loss due to evaporation. I have recently upgraded to a 125 gallon and feel like i am adding water every time I turn around. My sis who also has a 125 gallon says she looses about a gallon a day depending on the weather. I think that right now I am loosing a tad more than a gallon a day. I keep my home 78 or below and my Average water temp is around 77 as well. I guess this is normal water loss for a tank of this size. I was just curious though as to what others might be loosing with this similar tank size.
How Much Water do you loose?
- Thread starter bveselka
- Start date
joeman
MorphingSquid
That sounds about right to me. Water evaporation will be impacted by the humidity of the air as much as the relative temperature. Just be sure to top up with fresh water (not salt water) as the salt does not evoporate with the water, but stays in the tank => you don't want to add more.
ReefKeeper
TalkingReef Live co-host
you only loose a little over 1 gallon per day ??
i loose close to 6-7 gallons per day on my 125. i had to invest in an ATO setup so i dont have to lug the top off buckets around everyday.
i loose close to 6-7 gallons per day on my 125. i had to invest in an ATO setup so i dont have to lug the top off buckets around everyday.
newbeetwo
Here to 8 on the break
whats an ATO setup ? I have an 100gal. only loose anout 2gals. a week
ReefKeeper
TalkingReef Live co-host
it is an Auto Top Off system, they automatically refill the sump from a resiviour in another location.
Rcpilot
Reef enthusiast
It has to do with the size of the surface area on the tank and the humidity in the air, and how turbulent the surface of the tank is.
My tank measures 24x12 on top. I have a relatively small "footprint" of water that is exposed to the air. So, I am less likely to loose a ton of water to evaporation.
Now take a look at Biffs 240g tank. Probably 7 feet long by 2 feet wide. There is a much larger footprint of water exposed to the air in the home, so it makes sense that her tank would evaporate more than mine.
Look at a 55g tank. What are they? 48" x 12"
Now consider where you live. I live in Colorado, where it's drier than a popcorn fart. My tank evaporates about 1g per day right now. The weather is mild. The furnace in the home isn't on. Neither is the AC in the home. Both dry out the air.
With such dry air in Colorado--you're going to get more evaporation than somebody who lives in Mississippi where the humidity is rarely under 40%.
It just depends on a lot of different factors. You might be getting 5g of evaporation on a 125 tank in West Texas. And somebody else with the same tank might only get 2g of evaporation in Missouri where it's almost always 70% humidity. But if the guy in Missouri has tons of water on the surface that is boiling from powerhead currents, then he may get the same evaporation as the guy in Texas whose tank looks like glass on the surface.
My tank measures 24x12 on top. I have a relatively small "footprint" of water that is exposed to the air. So, I am less likely to loose a ton of water to evaporation.
Now take a look at Biffs 240g tank. Probably 7 feet long by 2 feet wide. There is a much larger footprint of water exposed to the air in the home, so it makes sense that her tank would evaporate more than mine.
Look at a 55g tank. What are they? 48" x 12"
Now consider where you live. I live in Colorado, where it's drier than a popcorn fart. My tank evaporates about 1g per day right now. The weather is mild. The furnace in the home isn't on. Neither is the AC in the home. Both dry out the air.
With such dry air in Colorado--you're going to get more evaporation than somebody who lives in Mississippi where the humidity is rarely under 40%.
It just depends on a lot of different factors. You might be getting 5g of evaporation on a 125 tank in West Texas. And somebody else with the same tank might only get 2g of evaporation in Missouri where it's almost always 70% humidity. But if the guy in Missouri has tons of water on the surface that is boiling from powerhead currents, then he may get the same evaporation as the guy in Texas whose tank looks like glass on the surface.
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Bifferwine
I am a girl
In my 240 I lose 3 to 4 gallons per day. In my old 55, I lost around 1 gallon per day.
What's interesting (and I can't figure it out), before I added an ATO to my 240, I was losing A TON more water, around 6 gallons per day. Now that I've added the ATO, it evaporates half as fast. I doubt it's the weather... Or maybe I'm just crazy. Okay, I bet that's it. Nevermind.
What's interesting (and I can't figure it out), before I added an ATO to my 240, I was losing A TON more water, around 6 gallons per day. Now that I've added the ATO, it evaporates half as fast. I doubt it's the weather... Or maybe I'm just crazy. Okay, I bet that's it. Nevermind.
ReefKeeper
TalkingReef Live co-host
i bet you are just crazy too.
MikMcgyver
Vlamingi owner 4 life!
I second that.... I lose about 1/2 gallon a day in my 12 gallon... But it is pretty hot in my area...
reeffreak
Reef pro
I lose about three gallons a day on a 210 gallon tank.For a large tank,an ATO comes in handy.
RigoSharon
LIVING REEFS INTERN
like litter or two every 3 days..on my 20g
yote
In Memoriam
I loose about a gallon and a half every day on my 75.
I got tired of topping off every day to,so hooked up an ATO.
I got tired of topping off every day to,so hooked up an ATO.
Thanks to you all!!! This makes me feel better- it is crazy how much water can evaporate in a day!!! I am in South Texas and yes it is very humid here. Sorry about my spelling error. LOOSE!!!HAHA! Yes I know it it "lose"! At least now I know that it is not actually my pump that is working too hard but my rapid water loss! thanks again.
Doc
I don't work for anybody
my 125 loses less than a gallon per day. I have glass covers on the top of the tank so the lights evaporate the water and then it drips back down into the tank. This set up works for me. my sump is open and does not have a fuge, so there is no light to help evaporate the water. it keeps the water loss down and still oxygenates the water.
-Dr Marco :sfish:
-Dr Marco :sfish:
fishbait
I found Nemo
1 to 1/2 gallons a day on my 55
Rcpilot
Reef enthusiast
Depends on the time of the month. Sometimes, I just feel so bloated.
Alexander
Reef enthusiast
i think i will put my middle glass top back on. i only have 2 of them on right now but no heat issues so i think its going right back on when i get home today
Bifferwine
I am a girl
I agree. Once in a while, I just have a "fat day". It's just one of those days where everything I wear, no matter what it is, makes me feel and look fat. I hate those days.
