Evaporation - what is a reasonable amount
 

I'm noticing that I'm losing almost a gallon of water a day to evaporation out of my tank (55gl).

I've got a DIY HOB refugium, which is throwing a lot of bubbles back into the tank, causing some splashing, nothing on the floor or anything like that, a bit up on the lights. I've got the pump turned as low as possible. I was thinking about grabbing a filter and directing the water into the filter, then back into the tank to see if this will help. Any suggestions or ideas or is this acceptable water loss?

I'd say that is normal. It really depends on the open surface area of open water. I have a 30 gallon 24 X 24 with a completely open top and I loose that much easily in a day.

If you had glass tops, they help with evaporation, but then oxygen exchange gets lowered as well.

Yup mucho mucho water. Im a 5G pail every 4 - 5 days, 28G with open top.

Thanks for the replies! Seems like its more now than it was in the summer, the HOB fuge has made a difference. Won't worry about it for now. Guess I should test the salinity swing though, but I would think it shouldn't be too much. I topped up this morning, so will wait until tomorrow.

Your best investment will be an auto top off.

It's the best thing I ever did.

It is soooo dry here in Calgary, evaporation is going to be pretty quick. I lose nearly a gallon a day out of my FRESHWATER tank I keep upstairs. It drives me nuts that I have to do the bucket brigade on this tank whereas in my basement where I keep my salt tanks the topoff is all nicely automated. Family won't let me get rid of the freshies though, they consider that "their" tank (even though I seem to be the one carrying the buckets.. I'm not sure what's up with that, but I guess I digress.)

Anyhow I would agree that your evaporation losses sound pretty normal to me.

My 77 with open top evaps about a gallon/day, so your numbers are comparable. How's the humidity in your house? If dry, which is typical in many colder regions of our fine land in the winter, that will contribute to a bit more evap from your tank. Also if you have any fans blowing for lighting, that will contribute to additional evaporation. I doubt that adding a filter will change the evap rate that much.

On a hot day in the summer on my 125 I have font through 3G in one day bud! I have a 125 with a open top and a 60g sump open top! I just added a 30g frag tank with a 400w de mh with a open top aswell and I'm going through a 6L a day..

+ One Hundred Million

The house is not humid at all and with the onset of winter, my skin says its dry in the house. No fans on the lights, guess I'll be making a ton of water....ah well.

I'll set up an ATO when I get a bigger tank set up. For now, not a lot of effort in maintaining the water levels, but I'm sure that will change once I go bigger hopefully sometime in the next year :lol:.

Funny how family tanks, pets, etc are manditory, but no likes to help with the maintenance...same in my house....thankfully my ro unit is in the kitchen 5 feet from the tank so not a lot of hauling to do.