Evaporation

[phoenixfire]

anybody got any good tips to combat evaporation...cause it happens so fast for some reason in my tank but not my friends...i have all openings covered including the filter except for the area around the filter and my temp is 78 degrees...lol anybody got any tips to help me or sugestions...thanks!!

Jared

 

[CatLover]

Hmm, I don't think there is much you can do. Lowering your temp a couple degrees and not keeping the light on as much will help reduce it a bit. Other than that, I don't think you can do anything but just get into a habit of refilling your tank often.

There must be some other factor with your tank... I keep my tank light on about 13 hours a day, and keep it at 78 degrees too, and my water evaporates really slow. Also, I have a huge area that's not covered by a lid or anything. So, I'm not sure what to tell you

 

[Boxcar Muzzdogg]

Is it drafty in your room, does the air circulate freely? Do you use a dehimidifier in the room you have your tank in? Its also possible you have a slow leak, you should check all around your tank and make sure it is well sealed

 

[Tokis-Phoenix]

Buy a condensation sheet for your tank, condensation sheets are basically a clear plastic corregated sheet that you put over your tank under the hood and they trap all the condensation from the tank preventing it from getting out, so you don't keep on losing loads of water .

 

[SarahBravo]

Does your water outflow come out above the water level? I found that when I fitted a spraybar to a filter and had it above water level to get lots of oxygen in I lost loads of water through evaporation. I moved the bar down so the outflow was underwater and the water loss just about stopped!

Sarah

 

[yvez9]

several factors alter evaporation


The drier the air in the room is the more water will evaporate
the difference in temperature between the room and tank water will alter evporation too. The bigger the difference, the more evaporation

like tokis mentionned, they do sell condensation sheets that will trap water and make it drip back in the tank

 

[Monte20]

i just think of evaperation as a timer to remind me when to do a water change. maybe this is dumb, but it works for me. lol. I heard that a too much airation contributes to escalated evap. because of the mist created by the popping bubbles at the surface.

 

[Tokis-Phoenix]

i just think of evaperation as a timer to remind me when to do a water change. maybe this is dumb, but it works for me. lol. I heard that a too much airation contributes to escalated evap. because of the mist created by the popping bubbles at the surface.

How often do you do water changes and how much do you take out?

 

[Monte20]

20-25% every 7 days. the tank is only 2 weeks old.

 

[Tokis-Phoenix]

I'd advise you do water changes more often since the tank is so new you'll be experiencing water quality issues due to the cycling, the problem with evaporation is that TDS(total disolved solids) become alot more concentrated as the water evaporates, in the short term this usually doesn't pose any issues but it can do in the long term.
Buy a test kit for ammonia, nitrites and nitrates, everytime nitrites or ammonia rise above 0, do a water change- this is the best way to avoid water quality issues in new tanks, unless of course you are doing a fishless cycle, either way though test kits for these stats are still highly valuable whatever point in maturity your tank is at.

 

[phoenixfire]

hey sorry guys i took so long to respond i had marching band practice...loooong day...but anyways my room is a very comfortable temp i keep it air conditioned...but do not worry i have two heaters so if one dies the other will keep it steady...i have a hangover filter...lol cant think of the name so pardon the expression...and i have no air stones for i have plants in the tank...also there are no leaks...the tank is very far from any sort of window as well and the lights are on a timer...8 in the morning to 10 at night...but maybe thats what it is...because the air in my room is a lot colder than 78 degrees...but would that work the same as if you had hot air and cold water...but in this situation hot water and cold air...because condensation is when the water gets hot and the molecules move faster which form vapor...but the molecules are staying the same speed because its a constant temp...hmmm what do u guys think...lol if i completely lost you or messed up somewhere let me know!!...i think all of that was correct lol

 

[Griz]

How much evaporation are you getting over the course of one week?

 

[Dubby]

hey sorry guys i took so long to respond i had marching band practice...loooong day...but anyways my room is a very comfortable temp i keep it air conditioned...but do not worry i have two heaters so if one dies the other will keep it steady...i have a hangover filter...lol cant think of the name so pardon the expression...and i have no air stones for i have plants in the tank...also there are no leaks...the tank is very far from any sort of window as well and the lights are on a timer...8 in the morning to 10 at night...but maybe thats what it is...because the air in my room is a lot colder than 78 degrees...but would that work the same as if you had hot air and cold water...but in this situation hot water and cold air...because condensation is when the water gets hot and the molecules move faster which form vapor...but the molecules are staying the same speed because its a constant temp...hmmm what do u guys think...lol if i completely lost you or messed up somewhere let me know!!...i think all of that was correct lol

I like your explanation You are correct in a way... thats what causes all the rain in the UK... warm gulf stream etc...

The simplest way to reduce evaporation is make sure the lid is quite tight fitting. Otherwise you can get a condensation tray like Tokis mentioned.

 

[yvez9]

as i said, the warmer your water versus the air is, the more water will evaporate

 

[Inchworm]

Hi phoenixfire

By any chance do you have a cat?

Mine drinks from any tank she feels like, but seems to prefer one tank in particular. She's just a small cat, but she drinks enough water from it that over the course of a week, the water level in that tank is about an inch lower than it should be.