Water evaporation?

Mr. Right · 11/11/2010, 02:36 PM

This week I have been finishing up the plumbing, filling, etc on my 120. Last night I had it up and running with water. This morning I noticed that my return had been running dry, my water level in my tank had dropped about 4”! Mind you, I inspected things thoroughly to be sure no leaks were present. This morning I left for work and place a marker to see how much water would drop by the time I get home. Anxiously I stopped by at lunch. I discovered my level in the DT dropped ~1-2”! I know this is not typical. The tank sits about 15’ from a ac vent, and my room temp is about 72. It’s a 4’ x 2’ open top, no light has been mounted yet, and I found no condensation on the walls surrounding the tank. There is a ceiling fan about 5-6’ to the right of the tank. The surface agitation is very harsh at the moment because I’ve yet to dial in my powerheads. I can’t honestly tell you the tank temp because I haven’t set the reefkeeper up. There is a heater in the DT and by touch the water is on the warmer side. I do not have an ATO hooked up yet because I haven’t had time to button up all my equipment.

Question, can all these things contribute to that much water evaporation? Extreme surface agitation, ac vent, “possible” higher temps, open top, etc?

RVANANO · 11/11/2010, 02:40 PM

I lose about 2 gallons a day on avg on my 120. The max I lost in a day was 3 gallons. How is the level of your DT dropping instead of the level in the sump?

Mr. Right · 11/11/2010, 02:44 PM

I had to cut off the sump because so much water had evap'd and i didn't have time to fill it in the morning.

RVANANO · 11/11/2010, 02:47 PM

Wow.... That's a lot coming from the DT then. I would think something must be leaking. But high evap is not uncommon.

Mr. Right · 11/11/2010, 02:55 PM

Exactly! I inspected everywhere, under the stand, carpet surround, condensation on the walls, everywhere. As far as I can tell no water is leaking. And if that much water leaked, you’d think the carpet would at least be a little wet? Any who, a lunch I aimed the ac vent away from the tank and turned down the heater. I hope it helps. But that is nuts for evap w/ no lights running at all! Another reason I think it’s evap is because the salinity went up some. But who knows.

RVANANO · 11/11/2010, 03:02 PM

Curious where you are located as well.

Mr. Right · 11/11/2010, 03:31 PM

I’m in Arizona. But I think I found the issue when I cut the water off to the tank I left the ro line in the DT. I think it back siphoned and drained it. The more I think about it this makes sense. The DT only drained to the point where the ro line was. Make sense?

RVANANO · 11/11/2010, 03:43 PM

Ahhhhhhh. There you go. I knew something wasn't right

Mr. Right · 11/11/2010, 03:58 PM

Yeah, that makes me feel a little better. Thanks for your input!

sirreal63 · 11/11/2010, 04:02 PM

It makes sense, if your RO/DI unit does not have a back flow preventer. Mine does to prevent that from happening.

Salamander · 11/11/2010, 04:03 PM

Had to be the siphon issue. A 4" drop is like 20 gallons! Glad you fixed it.

Salamander · 11/11/2010, 04:48 PM

BTW, Where in AZ are you?

T Diddy · 11/11/2010, 07:45 PM

bdbyace28 · 11/11/2010, 08:36 PM

fans will definately speed up evap. also temp of water difference to outside temp will also have affect

Mr. Right · 11/11/2010, 10:18 PM

Tucson

aleonn · 11/12/2010, 04:35 AM

Glad you found the issue. I wouldn't have looked at that initially, but good to know once I'm all set up with my new system.

11/11/2010, 02:36 PM	#1
Mr. Right Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Here Posts: 521	Water evaporation? This week I have been finishing up the plumbing, filling, etc on my 120. Last night I had it up and running with water. This morning I noticed that my return had been running dry, my water level in my tank had dropped about 4”! Mind you, I inspected things thoroughly to be sure no leaks were present. This morning I left for work and place a marker to see how much water would drop by the time I get home. Anxiously I stopped by at lunch. I discovered my level in the DT dropped ~1-2”! I know this is not typical. The tank sits about 15’ from a ac vent, and my room temp is about 72. It’s a 4’ x 2’ open top, no light has been mounted yet, and I found no condensation on the walls surrounding the tank. There is a ceiling fan about 5-6’ to the right of the tank. The surface agitation is very harsh at the moment because I’ve yet to dial in my powerheads. I can’t honestly tell you the tank temp because I haven’t set the reefkeeper up. There is a heater in the DT and by touch the water is on the warmer side. I do not have an ATO hooked up yet because I haven’t had time to button up all my equipment. Question, can all these things contribute to that much water evaporation? Extreme surface agitation, ac vent, “possible” higher temps, open top, etc? __________________ He who knows does not speak, He who speaks does not know Current Tank Info: Old tanks: 37gal mixed, 57 gal mixed, 120 sps. Current tank 18”x18”x18” rimless in the works.

11/11/2010, 02:44 PM	#3
Mr. Right Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Here Posts: 521	I had to cut off the sump because so much water had evap'd and i didn't have time to fill it in the morning. __________________ He who knows does not speak, He who speaks does not know Current Tank Info: Old tanks: 37gal mixed, 57 gal mixed, 120 sps. Current tank 18”x18”x18” rimless in the works.

11/11/2010, 02:55 PM	#5
Mr. Right Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Here Posts: 521	Exactly! I inspected everywhere, under the stand, carpet surround, condensation on the walls, everywhere. As far as I can tell no water is leaking. And if that much water leaked, you’d think the carpet would at least be a little wet? Any who, a lunch I aimed the ac vent away from the tank and turned down the heater. I hope it helps. But that is nuts for evap w/ no lights running at all! Another reason I think it’s evap is because the salinity went up some. But who knows. __________________ He who knows does not speak, He who speaks does not know Current Tank Info: Old tanks: 37gal mixed, 57 gal mixed, 120 sps. Current tank 18”x18”x18” rimless in the works.

11/11/2010, 03:31 PM	#7
Mr. Right Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Here Posts: 521	I’m in Arizona. But I think I found the issue when I cut the water off to the tank I left the ro line in the DT. I think it back siphoned and drained it. The more I think about it this makes sense. The DT only drained to the point where the ro line was. Make sense? __________________ He who knows does not speak, He who speaks does not know Current Tank Info: Old tanks: 37gal mixed, 57 gal mixed, 120 sps. Current tank 18”x18”x18” rimless in the works.

11/11/2010, 03:58 PM	#9
Mr. Right Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Here Posts: 521	Yeah, that makes me feel a little better. Thanks for your input! __________________ He who knows does not speak, He who speaks does not know Current Tank Info: Old tanks: 37gal mixed, 57 gal mixed, 120 sps. Current tank 18”x18”x18” rimless in the works.

11/11/2010, 02:40 PM	#2
RVANANO SWAGON Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Richmond, VA Posts: 3,404	I lose about 2 gallons a day on avg on my 120. The max I lost in a day was 3 gallons. How is the level of your DT dropping instead of the level in the sump?

11/11/2010, 02:47 PM	#4
RVANANO SWAGON Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Richmond, VA Posts: 3,404	Wow.... That's a lot coming from the DT then. I would think something must be leaking. But high evap is not uncommon.

11/11/2010, 03:02 PM	#6
RVANANO SWAGON Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Richmond, VA Posts: 3,404	Curious where you are located as well.

11/11/2010, 03:43 PM	#8
RVANANO SWAGON Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Richmond, VA Posts: 3,404	Ahhhhhhh. There you go. I knew something wasn't right

11/11/2010, 04:02 PM	#10
sirreal63 Go Spurs Go!!! Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Meadowlakes Texas Posts: 13,357	It makes sense, if your RO/DI unit does not have a back flow preventer. Mine does to prevent that from happening. __________________ Jack No One has ever been seriously injured by using the search function. Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms should be a convenience store, not a government agency. Current Tank Info: Reefing the Pentagon.

11/11/2010, 04:03 PM	#11
Salamander Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Flagstaff, Arizona Posts: 2,103	Had to be the siphon issue. A 4" drop is like 20 gallons! Glad you fixed it. __________________ I feel more like myself now than I did before. Current Tank Info: 120g mixed reef, 2 x 250W DE MH, 2 x 54w T5, MSX 200 SKimmer, 2 Koralia 4's, 40g fuge/sump, QT

11/11/2010, 04:48 PM	#12
Salamander Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Flagstaff, Arizona Posts: 2,103	BTW, Where in AZ are you? __________________ I feel more like myself now than I did before. Current Tank Info: 120g mixed reef, 2 x 250W DE MH, 2 x 54w T5, MSX 200 SKimmer, 2 Koralia 4's, 40g fuge/sump, QT

11/11/2010, 07:45 PM	#13
T Diddy Slayer of Mice Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Augusta, Ga Posts: 1,338	__________________ America's best are not in America. Current Tank Info: 140 Gallon DSA in-wall, foam/rock wall, DIY LED, 40g sump, Precision Marine Skimmer, 100 gallon refugium, NO3, PO4,NH3/4 undetectable, Mg, Ca, KH...eeehhhhhh?

11/11/2010, 08:36 PM	#14
bdbyace28 Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Inland Empire Posts: 98	fans will definately speed up evap. also temp of water difference to outside temp will also have affect __________________ Aaron Current Tank Info: 265 total tank volume(200g main, 65g frag, custom 25g sump and 25g fuge). 3x 400w Hamilton Radium 20K, Bubble Magus 220CS, Poseidon O3, Heavily stocked mixed reef, and avid tang lover

11/11/2010, 10:18 PM	#15
Mr. Right Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Here Posts: 521	Tucson __________________ He who knows does not speak, He who speaks does not know Current Tank Info: Old tanks: 37gal mixed, 57 gal mixed, 120 sps. Current tank 18”x18”x18” rimless in the works.

11/12/2010, 04:35 AM	#16
aleonn Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2010 Posts: 4,041	Glad you found the issue. I wouldn't have looked at that initially, but good to know once I'm all set up with my new system.

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