Maintaining Salinity

[sen5241b]

My salinity keeps fluctuating, usually because it is difficult to replace evaporated salt water with precisely the same amount of fresh water. The BC29 water level can be affected by the presence of a carbon/floss filter and other factors. So its not as simple as replacing water up to the same level after evaporation.

How much does the evaporation rate change with the temperature, a lot? How do others manage this problem? Automatic Top off (ATO)?

 

[cthegame]

ATO is a great way to maintain stable salinity. But, being off a little here and there is not going to make much of a difference. By the time the whole tank is mixed with the fresh water, the fish will get adjusted. Its really not that big of a deal if your off a tiny amount. As long as you gont get above or below the acceptable salinity range, you will be ok. I dont have a ATO and when i add fresh water, its never the same. The difference in freh water is not even going to be a half a gallon so its not going to be harmful.

And yes, temperture affects evaporation a great deal.

 

[Bifferwine]

You should be okay if you are topping off daily. What kind of differences are you seeing? ATO will help greatly.

 

[Rcpilot]

I top off daily with RO

I put a little piece of tape on the back corner of my tank. Thats where I fill up too when changing water. I know that when water evaporates, all I have to do is top up to the tape line and it's good to go.

Every other day, I add a teaspoon of SeaChem Reef Buffer to my top off water. Thats how I dose my Alk and pH. Keeps my tank very stable.

 

[NewbReefer]

An auto top off will make keeping your tanks level the same alot easier and should help stabilize your salinity.

 

[sen5241b]

Its changing by no more than 0.021 to 0.021 in a few hours. Some times it will change more than that over a few days. I thought some inverts were sensitive to salinity changes?

 

[NewbReefer]

i believe inverts tend to be a bit more sensitive to salinity changes.

 

[fatman]

Evaporation changes with temperature as the air is able to hold more moisture when warmer generally. Plus, when the water molecules are hotter they become more excited at a moleculaer level meaning they can break free from each other easier and then enter the air. The exception is in humid climates where here is more water in the air when its warmer because the air has already picked up its load of moisture, typically from the Ocean. As in the gulf areas of the US. Typically in a home, unless the shower has been running, hotter room air can increase evaporation. Evaporation losses can be huge in the arid south west.