Why And How Can I Change My Water Evaporation Rate In My Tank?

[munoza]

I am flustered because the water in my tank evaporates so quickly. I'm losing about 1.5 inches in 5 or 6 days; my tank is only 5.5 gallons so it makes a big differance. What can I do to counter this? Am I doing somthing wrong?

 

[Mebbid]

I feel your pain. I'm losing tons of water from my tanks weekly. The only things you can try is adding a glass top, reducing surface agitation, and increasing the humidity in the room.

If you wanted to spend money you could buy an auto top off system but a dependable one is gonna cost around $100

 

[The Trooper]

I was loosing loads, until i added a well fitting serious of condensation trays, now i loose maybe half a cm a week (1/4 inch)

 

[GodFan]

I was loosing loads, until i added a well fitting serious of condensation trays, now i loose maybe half a cm a week (1/4 inch)

What are condensation trays?

 

[NYgiantsRP]

What's the big deal? Just add some more water. It's like doing tiny little water changes. Just add a little bit of water each day.

 

[ScotJudd]

Hi. I use a condensation tray on my QT as it has no lid. It is simply a clear plastic or glass lid that fits on the inner lip of your tank. Any vapour condenses on the tray and drips back into the tank. Downside is if the tray is between the lights and the water (as they normally are) then there is light lost unless the tray is kept very clean (no chemicals). Steve.

 

[GodFan]

Hi. I use a condensation tray on my QT as it has no lid. It is simply a clear plastic or glass lid that fits on the inner lip of your tank. Any vapour condenses on the tray and drips back into the tank. Downside is if the tray is between the lights and the water (as they normally are) then there is light lost unless the tray is kept very clean (no chemicals). Steve.

Huh. Never heard of that. Thanks!

 

[ScotJudd]

Pic of QT lid. Black spots are water droplets forming before dropping back into tank. Some evaporation does escape through the cut outs for the electrics but not much.

 

[GodFan]

Pic of QT lid. Black spots are water droplets forming before dropping back into tank. Some evaporation does escape through the cut outs for the electrics but not much.

Very cool. Lighting must be a pain though.

 

[ScotJudd]

It's a QT tank. Just natural light from a window above. The fish stay calmer that way. I have a spot light I need to look closely at the fish. Seems to work.

 

[GodFan]

It's a QT tank. Just natural light from a window above. The fish stay calmer that way. I have a spot light I need to look closely at the fish. Seems to work.

Ok I gotchya.

 

[munoza]

Thanks, I thought I was the only one with this problem.

 

[Mebbid]

I would be worried about oxygen exchange with that thing.. big time.

 

[ScotJudd]

Hi mebbid. If you have an air stone the gap between the drop tray and the water is constantly being refreshed. I currently use one on my QT and don't appear to have any problems. Steve.

 

[Mebbid]

Yeah, but without an airstone there will be almost no flow of air through it.

 

[flitabout]

I just top off my tank. In the winter when the heat is on it's always worse. I don't have a hood on either one of my tanks. If they start to make the peeing sound from the filters I just add a jug of water that I keep just for that purpose. Both tanks have their own weekly supply. If it's really cold and I turn the heat up a bit to much I can end up going through a gallon a day.

 

[Old Scales]

I have two tanks sitting side by side. One runs an air stone and the other one doesn't. The one with the air stone evaporates water about twice as fast as the one without. Both have lids but neither is completely airtight. The tank that does not have an air stone because it's running pressurized CO2. OS.

 

[Delapool]

I have sheets of Perspex cut to fit which sit on the tank and under the hood. There must be some light loss although usually the sheets have little condensation on them. I've also wondered if the light loss might be on a particular wave length. I have a floating plant that gets trimmed back each week so perhaps not too bad all up. I run it with an air stone and even at 30C (86F) the water level hardly drops over a week.

One thing I've always thought with evaporation is that mainly just water evaporates, thus concentrating anything else. Like a brine lake. I would assume that having to top off a lot means you should keep an eye on water specs more?

 

[Scottyhorse]

Very cool. Lighting must be a pain though.

No, not really. I have this type of lid on my betta tank and it works great!

 

[GodFan]

No, not really. I have this type of lid on my betta tank and it works great!

Thats pretty cool.