# Salt water



## Trillion (May 10, 2004)

Is it me or does salt water evaporate quick as hell?

It seems like to me I have to lower my over flow box a little it more every day because it keeps getting so fuc+$ng low?

Am I missing something?

Can I do something to prevent this.

I don't like topping off with tap water though, just from a 1st time bad experience.
I'm sure u understand.
is there ay thing else I can do?


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## rchan11 (May 6, 2004)

Water will evaporate if you're using alot of wattage and open top. Only water will evaporate, not salt. I don't have auto top off, I add RO water daily to prevent salt buildup in the tank.


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## andiruleu (Jun 10, 2005)

have the top covered...


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## Trillion (May 10, 2004)

ok, sounds good I don't have my top covered ill cover it up tonight for sure.

But what is RO water?

Thanks guys that helps sooo much!


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## rchan11 (May 6, 2004)

RO water=reverse osmosis

If you cover up your tank, the water temp will rise during the day with lights on.


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## Trillion (May 10, 2004)

rchan11 said:


> RO water=reverse osmosis
> 
> If you cover up your tank, the water temp will rise during the day with lights on.


 cool RO, 
good advice guys I'm gonna cover my tank to night beforei turn of the lights

thanks

wish I had some ro water


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## rchan11 (May 6, 2004)

You can buy RO at LFS or get yourself a RO/DI unit and make your own.


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## Trillion (May 10, 2004)

rchan11 said:


> You can buy RO at LFS or get yourself a RO/DI unit and make your own.


 ill probably build my own cause I think the LFS price for the unit is like 165 bucks

what all would I need to build one, or would it be cheaper to just buy one?


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## rchan11 (May 6, 2004)

Trillion said:


> You can buy RO at LFS or get yourself a RO/DI unit and make your own.


 ill probably build my own cause I think the LFS price for the unit is like 165 bucks

what all would I need to build one, or would it be cheaper to just buy one?
[/quote]
I bought a 5 stage RO/DI on Ebay for $100.


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## Raptor (Jan 3, 2003)

Sorry trillion but youre not going to be able to build one.








You could buy each part and assemble it but it would probably end up costing ya more.


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## Trillion (May 10, 2004)

that's kool rap, ill buy one sooner or later probably anyway!

thanks


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## illnino (Mar 6, 2004)

theyre only $70 on ebay.


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## Guest (Apr 13, 2006)

Or just buy RO water from a water store...you know, the kind you put on on top of water coolers. It's like $0.25 a gallon.


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## Trillion (May 10, 2004)

Hell ill just buy it from the store then.

I'm sure in the long run it would be cheaper o build a diy, or buy the system though, but for now ill just use a tap water conditioner.

Y not?


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## rbp 4 135 (Mar 2, 2004)

you can't diy a rodi system. also lets figure this out. i assume that about a total of + or - fifteen gallons a week is going to evaporate form your systems, plus anoter 20 for water changes. 
so around 35 total gallons per week you will be using. so 35 x 4 is 140. 140 X .25 is obvioulsy 35. so around 35 bucks permonth for water. Plus the pain of going to the store and lugging around those jugs. In 2 months you water bill would have paid for a rodi, and saved you all those trips to the store.

i based your evaporation rates of of my tanks, they are nothig more than educated guesses. evaporation will vary according to tempature, lights being run and amount of flow. also humidity in the building will affect evaporation.


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## Trillion (May 10, 2004)

rbp 4 135 said:


> you can't diy a rodi system. also lets figure this out. i assume that about a total of + or - fifteen gallons a week is going to evaporate form your systems, plus anoter 20 for water changes.
> so around 35 total gallons per week you will be using. so 35 x 4 is 140. 140 X .25 is obvioulsy 35. so around 35 bucks permonth for water. Plus the pain of going to the store and lugging around those jugs. In 2 months you water bill would have paid for a rodi, and saved you all those trips to the store.
> 
> i based your evaporation rates of of my tanks, they are nothig more than educated guesses. evaporation will vary according to tempature, lights being run and amount of flow. also humidity in the building will affect evaporation.


damn dude your educated as hell on salt water huh?

All I know is I'm losing a lot of water every day and I don't want my sump to be low all the way down to a lil below the top of the return pump.

I may try turning down my heter a lil its on lke 78 degrees I may try I at 74 thin my lights make it like 5 or 6 dgrees hotter.

thanks man you know your stuff


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## rbp 4 135 (Mar 2, 2004)

here this will solve your evaporatin problems.
autotopoff


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## Guest (Apr 17, 2006)

Also, get a fan to blow the hot air from the lights away from the surface of the water.


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## rbp 4 135 (Mar 2, 2004)

that will help prevnt the light from rasing tank temp, but will increase evaoration.


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