I know in a saltwater aquarium the salt doesn't evaporate with the water. What about nitrates, and ferts? The reason I ask is because with an open top tank I have to replace over a gallon a week. Am I effectively doing a 10% water change or am I leaving that stuff behind?
What goes out with evaporation?
- Thread starter SWerner13
- Start date
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I am replacing around 6G a week with mine and as far as I know all of the bad stuff is staying in the water, minus what you are taking out by emptying the protein skimmer. What the skimmer gets out still is not enough to skip water changes. All that you are doing by replacing evaporated water is ensuring that the salinity is staying correct.
SWerner, just refilling the evaporated water in your freshwater tank is not good - you will want to do water changes on it. Just topping it off means the nitrates and other elements will stay behind and build up over time. This will lead to a massive increase in TDS in your water, and could easily become lethal. My suggestion would be instead of just topping off the 1 gallon or so each week, take another 2-3 gallons out with your gravel vac, and refill with fresh water (I assume we are talking about the 10g tank).
Don't worry I'm still testing and don't allow any lethal levels. I was just curious more for my dosing schedule that I'm trying to get the hang of. What is TDS? I already do about a 30-40% at the very least every two weeks.
newfound77951
Aquarium Advice Addict
I have to top off my tanks without glass covers in between water changes too, otherwise I'd perpetually be looking at the waterline, which I don't like. My 55g with 2x96 watts of PC and electric heat in my house burns through about 3 gallons a week. And fort is correct that only the water evaporates. Everything else stays in.
jim692
Aquarium Advice Freak
Total Dissolved Solids
Basically all the junk suspended in a liquid, usually water. Think silt, metals, particles, salts, organics, inorganics, etc. I think that 500mg/L is the threshold for drinking water.
http://www.aquariumadvice.com/forums/faq.php?faq=acronyms#faq_acronyms_list
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