ghostface Posted August 9, 2005 Report Share Posted August 9, 2005 Anyone have any thoughts on covering sumps to avoid evaporation? I was losing a bit of water from my old sump, but have just installed a new one with an open water surface area of 600x400mm. I have my display tank covered, but the sump is currently lidless, so I am losing alot of water in to the air. I am thinking of covering it, but i dont want to limit the amount of surface O2 transfer by limiting airflow over the surface of the water. I also worry about where all of that water is going... my computers are in the same room as my tanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gregb Posted August 9, 2005 Report Share Posted August 9, 2005 I would put a cover glass over it & just cut the corners off for air. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wasp Posted August 9, 2005 Report Share Posted August 9, 2005 Evaporation is a function of gas exchange at the surface. Limiting evaporation will also limit exchange of Co2, O2, and other gases. Personally I would leave it all open. Evaporation is going to happen, the important thing is using quality water to replace it with. What temperature are you running at? If there is room to drop the temperature a few degrees this will help. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
suphew Posted August 9, 2005 Report Share Posted August 9, 2005 Two main problems with covers on tanks, firstly you block some of the light that your paying so much for (not really a big problem on the sump), and secondly overheating. There is no problem with O2 transfer, just keep a close eye on the temp (and more importantly the changes in temp over the day). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ghostface Posted August 9, 2005 Author Report Share Posted August 9, 2005 Running at 24 deg. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brianemone Posted August 9, 2005 Report Share Posted August 9, 2005 thats pretty low i wouldnt drop it anymore. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pies Posted August 9, 2005 Report Share Posted August 9, 2005 24 is not low, leave it alone. Pie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chimera Posted August 9, 2005 Report Share Posted August 9, 2005 thats pretty low i wouldnt drop it anymore. low? what do you run your tank at?! 25 is the norm, plus or minus a degree wont matter. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wasp Posted August 9, 2005 Report Share Posted August 9, 2005 Ghostface some people put gallons of top up in their tank daily. Probably all you can do is ensure the room is ventilated, and set up a good top up system. Despite the evaporation, you don't hear much about it causing people problems. Our Auckland air often already carries a fair bit of moisture. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brianemone Posted August 9, 2005 Report Share Posted August 9, 2005 27, its hard for me to keep a constant lower temp with my lighting and no sump, will have 25 on the new tank as the sump will help alot and the lights wont effect my temp as much. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chimera Posted August 9, 2005 Report Share Posted August 9, 2005 to put it in comparison, i top up about 3-5 litres of RODI/kalk a day on a 1,000 litre system (and thats in winter). i would imagine others such as pies would be at least double that. put your computers in another room or add a ventilation system. please dont tell us you're running a dehumidifier in the same room because of all these frosty mornings brian, 27 is fine too. just have more evaporation is all and higher temperatures are a better breeding ground for bad algaes. cookie extreme runs his at 27 and his tank is sharp. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brianemone Posted August 9, 2005 Report Share Posted August 9, 2005 i top up 3 litres pretty much every day and my tank is ony 88 litres. my tank at work get about a cup every other week as it has a lid and temp is very stable as its in an office building Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chimera Posted August 9, 2005 Report Share Posted August 9, 2005 i top up 3 litres pretty much every day and my tank is ony 88 litres 3.5% evaporation seems alot! must be the 27 degrees. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wasp Posted August 9, 2005 Report Share Posted August 9, 2005 My 250 litre main system uses daily 2 liters winter, and 4 plus in the summer when there is a cooling fan. The frag system total 700 litres currently using 6 liters daily, hasn't been through a summer yet. All running at 25 degrees. My sons FO with totally enclosed hood, around 1 liter daily, it's just over 200 liters. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wasp Posted August 9, 2005 Report Share Posted August 9, 2005 Chimera how is your PH? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pies Posted August 9, 2005 Report Share Posted August 9, 2005 I evap 13 litres a day from approximatly 2500 litres of water. Pies Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chimera Posted August 9, 2005 Report Share Posted August 9, 2005 Chimera how is your PH? why's that wasp? it's 8.21 (pinpoint) i think i dont evaporate massive amounts because of the sump room (huge amounts of cold air/o2 flow through the room) even so heaters are hardly on at all. seems to remain constant at 25 degrees (or 24.8 to be precise ) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pies Posted August 9, 2005 Report Share Posted August 9, 2005 Its interesting, I don't belive my heaters have been on since I insulated the last wall in the sump room. I would be surprised if they have been on once. I have connected my extraction fan up to the 'chiller' part of the temprature controller, which comes on frequently. Good news for the power bill. Doesn't fare well for summer though I pray I don't have to buy a chiller. Pie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chimera Posted August 9, 2005 Report Share Posted August 9, 2005 I pray I don't have to buy a chiller :lol: yeah not a cheap purchase. my chiller is just sitting there, unused since prior to last summer. in fact i didnt even get a chance to hook it up last summer, the tank got up around the 28 degrees. more plumbing and another pump... :roll: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wasp Posted August 9, 2005 Report Share Posted August 9, 2005 why's that wasp? Just interested in the gas exchange angle, as I think you guessed Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pies Posted August 9, 2005 Report Share Posted August 9, 2005 I will be happy if I can get the tank to stay under 30. However if I see it trigger 30, it will be time for a chiller, 29 I can live with. Pie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wasp Posted August 9, 2005 Report Share Posted August 9, 2005 more plumbing and another pump... :roll: Ha Ha more plumbing :lol: Chimera I've read your threads. It is now obvious! You secretly wanted to be a plumber, the tank is a vehicle to fulfill that :lol: :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chimera Posted August 9, 2005 Report Share Posted August 9, 2005 Just interested in the gas exchange angle, as I think you guessed yup! Chimera I think you secretly wanted to be a plumber, now the tank is a vehicle to fulfill that if my closed loop plumbing isnt a sight for sore eyes, i dont know what is. even a professional plumber would probably cry at the sight of it. i know how much pain and frustration i went through getting the bitch plumbed (as well as crap from the wife). very happy with it though hang on... i still get crap from the wife... with what plumbers charge these days, ($60+/hr) it might be a good money earner on the side! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jetskisteve Posted August 10, 2005 Report Share Posted August 10, 2005 Another pump :roll: GRAVITY Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chimera Posted August 10, 2005 Report Share Posted August 10, 2005 Another pump GRAVITY to feed the chiller? i dont think so. the chiller has a minimum flow rate throughput, gravity just wont suffice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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