# evaporation!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!



## Dominateprimate (Aug 27, 2011)

okay, my water seems to be rapidly evaporating in all my tanks, so i know it's not a leak but it seems to be evaporating very fast. it feels like i hacve to top off my tank once a week.

is this normal?
does anyone know anything about this?


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## Aulonocara_Freak (May 19, 2011)

Tapping off a tank once a week mean's that you do a water change more then a week at a time which is wrong by itself. You should be doing weekly 30% or more water change's so there is nothing wrong. Now if you would just like to lower the evaporation amount get a full hood for the tank and it should do the trick.


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## brinkles (Jan 30, 2011)

I lose a 5 gallon bucket out of my 150 tall (48X24) every week. I occasionally go 10 days or 2 weeks after a 50% water change, but I cut back on feeding if I know they're going to go longer than a week.


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## BelieveInBlue (Jul 17, 2011)

Topping up once a week? pfft that's nothing... My 50L is open top and i have to top up every couple of days. If you don't already, get a hood on the tank. That'll reduce the evaporating.


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## pookie! (Sep 23, 2011)

I agree, you should be doing a water change at least once a week. I NEVER have to top off my tanks, because I vac them weekly and they dont have time to evaporate to the point of needing filling in that time.


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

Dominateprimate said:


> is this normal?


That's normal. You can reduce evaporation by covering the tanks. As Aulonocara said, since you are doing 50% weekly water changes, there should be no need to top off, you can just refill to the correct level.


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## Dominateprimate (Aug 27, 2011)

Okay, i have a 4ft strip light and a generic plastic lid from my LFS they don't match though, so theres about a 2" part all along the back top of the tank. I don't really know if it's really contributing to the evaporation but recently i've been worrying about them jumping? 
Should i be worrying? Are africans jumpers? Right now the tank is mixed malawis but it's soon to be strictly mbuna.


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## Andy Somnifac (Jun 1, 2005)

Water evaporates. If left long enough the tank will go dry completely. Humidity in the area you live will alter the rate at which it evaporates, but it will evaporate. The lid will help reduce it, but you will need to top off, or do water changes more frequently.


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

Dominateprimate said:


> Should i be worrying? Are africans jumpers? Right now the tank is mixed malawis but it's soon to be strictly mbuna.


Yes, worry. :thumb:


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## jd lover (Mar 11, 2011)

all fish jumps

if the water evaperates to the point where you need to "top it off" youre not doin enough water changes.

also how long do you let your lights run? it does contribute but not that much


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## Aulonocara_Freak (May 19, 2011)

jd lover said:


> if the water evaperates to the point where you need to "top it off" youre not doin enough water changes.


I have to agree to disagree on this one, I do weekly 30% or more water change's and I do need to top my tank's off, (but I don't). 

Saying that "your not doing enough water change's" isn't for sure as many factor's play a role in the evaporation process.


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## Dominateprimate (Aug 27, 2011)

i'm doing 20% water changes every 2 weeks! is this too seldom a water change??? and also what could i put across the 2 n strip spanning the entire back of the tank?


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## Aulonocara_Freak (May 19, 2011)

You should be doing 30% or more PWC's each week. I do about 50% each week on all my tank's. As for the strip, get a piece of plywood cut, get some foam and cut it, etc.


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## BelieveInBlue (Jul 17, 2011)

jd lover said:


> all fish jumps
> 
> if the water evaperates to the point where you need to "top it off" youre not doin enough water changes.
> 
> also how long do you let your lights run? it does contribute but not that much


Well I have an open top tank, so I have to top up daily >.>

And how much water u change really depends on your stocking level; no point changing 50% water a week for a 75g that's only got some tetras and cory cats. I do about 40% a week for a fully stocked 50L.


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## pookie! (Sep 23, 2011)

Aulonocara_Freak said:


> jd lover said:
> 
> 
> > if the water evaperates to the point where you need to "top it off" youre not doin enough water changes.
> ...


This is true. In my tanks I do my 50% weekly water changes and never have it get low enough for a top off, and I live in Arizona, dry as a mofo out here.

IMO if your going to get a jug and top off the tank, why not just do a quick vac, doesnt have to be 50% (unless its overstocked).. better for you, and the fish.

Also for the back opening, why dont you measure out the top area of the tank and go get a lid that fits, and if there is still a little area thats your worried about being open, get some tape or cut a piece of plastic and tape it over the area your worried about.
I filled the whole back opening of my tank with filters lol so there is no way anything is jumping out.


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