Evaporation Rate!

Charleskart · 06/17/2013, 12:08 AM

I don't know if this is to generalized, but I have a 6oG cube 24x24, separate sump, and separate refugium.

Set up an ATO reservoir on Friday afternoon with 25G, and by mid Sunday, half was gone, so my evaporation rate on less than 100G is 6G per day, also salt creep was everywhere.

The set up is about two weeks old.

Does this sound normal.

Pumps are low wattage. Almost no heat, and lights are off due to cycle....

Haberdasher · 06/17/2013, 12:29 AM

Does not sound right to me, to much evaporation. Is your tank, fuge, and sump covered? If none of them are covered then you are exposing a lot off combined surface area to the air for water to evaporate from.

What is the temperature of the tank? What is the temperature of the room? Is there air conditioning or a fan on in the room?

I get about a half gallon of evaporation per day on my 50 gallon. The DT is covered but my sump is not, but it is in an enclosed stand. There are ventilation fans in the stand that are on a temperature controller.

-Dave

Charleskart · 06/17/2013, 01:10 AM

The tank is open as well as Refugio's, which is quite large. Sumps first two chambers are covered. Equipment is located in closed. Tank is pretty cold. 75-77 degrees, was a little hot in there this weekend, it's my office, around 82.

Kind of scared me actually, my other tank got into the 82-84 range, I'll see the damage tomorrow, no chiller it's a 20G.

No fans, think they would help?

Timfish · 06/17/2013, 05:43 AM

I've seen evaporation rates in excess of 10% a week with good airflow but if you have a lot of salt creep that's telling my you have a lot agitation and/or splashing which you might want to address. Is the AC vent blowing on the tank?

jimmy frag · 06/17/2013, 05:49 AM

slow down the flow, less surface agitation will result in less evaporation. im over 5 gallons a day. i remove my heaters at this time a year and tank hovers around 74 which helps reduce evaporation

ca1ore · 06/17/2013, 06:38 AM

Also depends on how big your sump and refugium are as water will obviously evaporate from all surfaces. Agree with prior post on salt creep - lots means a lot of splashing and spray, so part of your evaporation may actually be lost salt water. Do you see water on the floor? Also, excessive salt creep can affect salinity, so make sure you check that.

dkeller_nc · 06/17/2013, 06:49 AM

First thing to check is your salinity. If it's dropping, then your ATO is not only making up for evaporation, it's also making up for seawater loss somewhere.

DiscusHeckel · 06/17/2013, 06:59 AM

Is it possible that the water level in your display tank rose slightly as a result of blockage in your return pipe?

Blockage in your main return pipe slows down how much water is drained to your sump. This then raises the water level in your main display, and as a result your auto top up device pumps more water than usual.

It happens to me all the time. I usually notice it when my overflow pipe drains more water than usual.

hth

vette.tech · 06/17/2013, 11:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dkeller_nc

First thing to check is your salinity. If it's dropping, then your ATO is not only making up for evaporation, it's also making up for seawater loss somewhere.

I was gonna say the same thing, it happened to me in my basement sump cause the filter sock was clogged and there was a lot of splashing

Charleskart · 06/17/2013, 11:40 AM

I will check all, there is a lot of agitation in main display, almost none in refufium.

The refugium is LARGE 48"x18, again, the display is only 60G, the AC is not in the closet at all.

Level in tank is stable.

The protien skimmer did overflow, I'm hoping the salt creep is from that, I will check after all is wiped down, again tank is a new set up, so trying to get used to its parameters.

slief · 06/17/2013, 11:56 AM

That is an awful lot of evaporation. Matter of fact, that is more than I get on my system which has around 600 gallons of total water volume. I'd look long and hard at that salt creep.

maroun.c · 06/17/2013, 01:45 PM

Its dependant on your room humidity as well. The dryer your room the more you evaporate. Turning on the vents or dehumidifier in my sump cabinet easily increases my daily evaporation rate by 50%
The advantage is that it cools the tank rather considerably. Adding a fan that blows dry air on the sump increases evaporation and drops my temp a few degrees on a 500 gallon system.

kb3777 · 06/17/2013, 02:09 PM

There's a few things to check here that can lead to more evaporation. What is hte humidity where you are? Also check salinity & calcium.

SEEMAC · 06/17/2013, 03:14 PM

That sounds high...even in winter when a lot more evaporation should occur...that is if you are in the northern part of the US.

06/17/2013, 12:08 AM	#1
Charleskart Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: New Jersey Posts: 65	Evaporation Rate! I don't know if this is to generalized, but I have a 6oG cube 24x24, separate sump, and separate refugium. Set up an ATO reservoir on Friday afternoon with 25G, and by mid Sunday, half was gone, so my evaporation rate on less than 100G is 6G per day, also salt creep was everywhere. The set up is about two weeks old. Does this sound normal. Pumps are low wattage. Almost no heat, and lights are off due to cycle....

06/17/2013, 05:43 AM	#4
Timfish Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Austin, TX Posts: 1,985	I've seen evaporation rates in excess of 10% a week with good airflow but if you have a lot of salt creep that's telling my you have a lot agitation and/or splashing which you might want to address. Is the AC vent blowing on the tank? __________________ "Our crystal clear aquaria come nowhere close to the nutrient loads that swirl around natural reefs" Charles Delbeek

06/17/2013, 11:56 AM	#11
slief RC Sponsor Join Date: Sep 2009 Posts: 14,173	That is an awful lot of evaporation. Matter of fact, that is more than I get on my system which has around 600 gallons of total water volume. I'd look long and hard at that salt creep. __________________ Director Customer Support Royal Exclusiv USA For All Royal Exclusiv & Bubble King questions please refer to our Sponsor forum: http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/fo...play.php?f=745 Current Tank Info: 480G display mixed reef, 90G sump, 90G refugium, 60G display refugium. Check out my build thread: http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1783476

06/17/2013, 01:45 PM	#12
maroun.c Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2001 Location: Lebanon Posts: 6,111	Its dependant on your room humidity as well. The dryer your room the more you evaporate. Turning on the vents or dehumidifier in my sump cabinet easily increases my daily evaporation rate by 50% The advantage is that it cools the tank rather considerably. Adding a fan that blows dry air on the sump increases evaporation and drops my temp a few degrees on a 500 gallon system. __________________ 390 G mixed reef build Current Tank Info: 390G mixed reef

06/17/2013, 12:29 AM	#2
Haberdasher Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Posts: 3	Does not sound right to me, to much evaporation. Is your tank, fuge, and sump covered? If none of them are covered then you are exposing a lot off combined surface area to the air for water to evaporate from. What is the temperature of the tank? What is the temperature of the room? Is there air conditioning or a fan on in the room? I get about a half gallon of evaporation per day on my 50 gallon. The DT is covered but my sump is not, but it is in an enclosed stand. There are ventilation fans in the stand that are on a temperature controller. -Dave

06/17/2013, 01:10 AM	#3
Charleskart Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: New Jersey Posts: 65	The tank is open as well as Refugio's, which is quite large. Sumps first two chambers are covered. Equipment is located in closed. Tank is pretty cold. 75-77 degrees, was a little hot in there this weekend, it's my office, around 82. Kind of scared me actually, my other tank got into the 82-84 range, I'll see the damage tomorrow, no chiller it's a 20G. No fans, think they would help?

06/17/2013, 05:49 AM	#5
jimmy frag Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: burlington ontario Posts: 845	slow down the flow, less surface agitation will result in less evaporation. im over 5 gallons a day. i remove my heaters at this time a year and tank hovers around 74 which helps reduce evaporation

06/17/2013, 06:38 AM	#6
ca1ore Grizzled & Cynical Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Stamford, CT Posts: 17,319	Also depends on how big your sump and refugium are as water will obviously evaporate from all surfaces. Agree with prior post on salt creep - lots means a lot of splashing and spray, so part of your evaporation may actually be lost salt water. Do you see water on the floor? Also, excessive salt creep can affect salinity, so make sure you check that.

06/17/2013, 06:49 AM	#7
dkeller_nc Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2013 Location: Central NC Posts: 5,062	First thing to check is your salinity. If it's dropping, then your ATO is not only making up for evaporation, it's also making up for seawater loss somewhere.

06/17/2013, 06:59 AM	#8
DiscusHeckel Acropora Gardener Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Sheffield, UK Posts: 2,780	Is it possible that the water level in your display tank rose slightly as a result of blockage in your return pipe? Blockage in your main return pipe slows down how much water is drained to your sump. This then raises the water level in your main display, and as a result your auto top up device pumps more water than usual. It happens to me all the time. I usually notice it when my overflow pipe drains more water than usual. hth

06/17/2013, 11:40 AM	#10
Charleskart Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: New Jersey Posts: 65	I will check all, there is a lot of agitation in main display, almost none in refufium. The refugium is LARGE 48"x18, again, the display is only 60G, the AC is not in the closet at all. Level in tank is stable. The protien skimmer did overflow, I'm hoping the salt creep is from that, I will check after all is wiped down, again tank is a new set up, so trying to get used to its parameters.

06/17/2013, 02:09 PM	#13
kb3777 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2012 Posts: 92	There's a few things to check here that can lead to more evaporation. What is hte humidity where you are? Also check salinity & calcium.

06/17/2013, 03:14 PM	#14
SEEMAC Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2011 Posts: 60	That sounds high...even in winter when a lot more evaporation should occur...that is if you are in the northern part of the US.