Evaporation

[swampfox25]

I am posting this in the plant form because my tank is planted and I think the lights may be causing quick evaporation. I have PC lights (65watt 67k) in a 29 gallaon tank. My temp stays around 80 which I think is a little warm. Is there any good ways to slow the evaporation down? (cheap =-))

Also I have a small hood from my old 10 gallon which had a 17watt daylight spectrum from Eclipse (duno the k) Would it be much of a difference if I was to some run it with the 65 watt?

65 watt =2.24 wpg

65+17=2.83wpg Is this much of a difference?

Thanks!!

[carpguy]

The glass cover you should have on top will help dampen evaporation. The lamps will encourage evaporation. They also need to be protected from it.

If you think the tank is a little warm evaporation is a good think -- natural cooling. I spent most the summer with the hinged piece propped open in the hopes of encouraging evaporation. Kept the tank liveable (with a little help from the AC).

Top offs as needed are the cheapest way to go.

As for the extra lamp… Its not much of a difference, but its a difference. Try it and see.

[swampfox25]

I have the glass(plastic) thing under the light strip. I also have the feed door open for the past 3 days because I am moving my 10 gallon to my girlfriends house I drained the water out (left about 5% and threw some food in there to keep the bactiria going and I put the power filter on my tank so it wouldnt dry out.


If I want to add the 17 watt it is going to be a task. I will have to cut the old platic pice that the light strip sat on while it was on the 10 gal. with my dremel tool and once you cut you can go back. I measured and I think it will work . I was just asking if 17watt is worth the time?

[carpguy]

I'm running at 2.4 wpg… 72w on a 30. I wouldn't mind it being a little brighter but its plenty of light to grow most plants. So far I've only had one that species that failed to thrive. The extra 17w isn't going to make a big difference. Personally, I wouldn't bother.

You don't mention CO2. CO2 will make a big difference. Definitely worth the bother.

[djlen]

With weekly water changes I don't even think about evaporation.
Even when I was running an open top it seemed relatively unaffected.

Len

[resk]

my open top does evaporate quickly

37g show tank/w 2 x 65w PC canopy

there is a ceiling fan which stays off except when i paint

its enough to make me want to buy my own r/o filter.

at first i liked to make trips to get my r/o, now it is just annoying

[125gJoe]

Originally posted by resk
my open top does evaporate quickly
... ...its enough to make me want to buy my own r/o filter.
at first i liked to make trips to get my r/o, now it is just annoying Link: Aqua FX (http://www.aquariumwaterfilters.com/)

[swampfox25]

I have the Hagen C02 system. It works quite well and since I started using it and addind ferts many of the plants have begun pearling nicely.

[Pink Pat]

Having the aquarium in an air-conditioned house/room also encourages evaporation. But that ain't a bad thing.

PP

[anonapersona]

Be aware that ignoring evaporation will cause the GH to increase.

If you lose 1/4 inch a week, but replace it with the weekly water changes, you will have a slow increase in GH over the tap water level.

I don't have time to work through the math but the things that make up GH remain in the tank after evaporation takes off pure water. You subtract a portion of the concentrated solution, replace with tap water, the result is still more concentrated thatn the tap. It builds up.

Better to add a bit of distilled water or RO when you notice the evaporation.

[RTR]

More of my tanks are open-topped than closed, and the concentration of all dissolved minerals anona mentioned is quite real. I have considered RO as make-up water, but I tend to larger than average changes anyway, and do monitor GH/KH, so to date using tap has not been an issue for me.

[swampfox25]

The tank is in an air condintioned room. My temp is a steady 82 in the tank which to me is a bit high. Not only for the fish but from taking chemistry I learned that with higher temp some gases have faster disolution. In otherwards I think with a lower tempature I could be taking in alittle more c02. Any ideas on how to cool this baby down or is the 82 ok? THanks