Average water evaporation

dreamcatcherr9 · Jun 5, 2020

Just trying to calculate.

What is your average evaporation rate per size tank? Looking for the larger systems, 100+.

On my Nano (20g) I loss 2-3 gallons a week (judging by my ATO). Trying to estimate weekly loss for a 240g system.

highest_tides · Jun 5, 2020

My 55 with aybe 40 gallons in it only looses about a gallon a week if that. I run the AC right now all day, I'm not sure if that makes a difference.

AcroNem · Jun 5, 2020

This is going to vary drastically system to system. Variables like water temperature, air temperature, humidity, surface agitation, if there's a sump or not, a lid etc. But to give a few examples, my 150 evaporates about a gallon per day. I ran an 8'x4'x1' coral flat that lost about 3 gallons per day, sometimes more.

12gallonsofhex · Jun 5, 2020

I think it depends on surface agitation, himidity, and temperature. I noticed when I put a gyre on my 20 long my evaporation went from a little more than a quart of daily evap to almost 1/2 gallon.

BruceLeeroy · Jun 5, 2020

My lidless 28g in a dry climate loses close to a gallon per day.

Billdogg · Jun 6, 2020

What everyone else has said. My 120DT/40sump combo in the living room evaporates way more than my 60FT/100sump combo in the basement fishroom even though total volume is very close to the same. It also depends on time of year - in the winter with the furnace running pretty much nonstop it goes way up. In the summer with Central Ohio humidity it drops to about 1/2 of the winter usage.

YMMV!

Randy Holmes-Farley · Jun 6, 2020

Most tanks without a closed top evaporate 1-4% of the tank volume daily.

windemerejack · Jun 6, 2020

My reefer 425 uses 1-2 gallon per day

gallow3 · Jul 1, 2020

Very helpful insight - I am new to this with a 10g and i am finding about 16-20oz a day loss, which seemed like a lot compared to my freshwater experience. This makes me feel a little better, but still more than i expected

Everything Aquatics · Jul 1, 2020

I lose half a gallon a day on my 20

S2G · Jul 1, 2020

180 roughly 1-2g's. Lids with an open sump. No lids is easily double that or more.

ponyboy96 · Jul 2, 2020

Reefer 300xl (80gal total volume) loses about 1 gal per day.

Biglew11 · Jul 2, 2020

75 gallon dt. With sump 85 total gallons evaporates about 10 gallons a week.

Ippyroy · Jul 2, 2020

My 32 gallon cubes goes through a gallon or more everyday. Love my ATO.

Biglew11 · Jul 7, 2020

surface area and airflow will also affect evaporation. my 75 gallon 48x18 has the same footprint as a 90, 48x18. using the same equipment i would expect about the same evaporation rates.