evaporation and water hardness

[martink]

so i realised my tank evaporates a lot in my conservatory. so im trying to work out what affect this has for increasing GH. so for every inch lost i lose 2.687 gallons of pure water so i start at 32.46 not including a lot of wood decoration and end up at 29.77 . if my GH is 2. so 32.45 ppm roughly. how will that increase with every inch lost? does anybody know? I can then off set with water changes. to keep a baseline level hardness.

 

[MacZ]

so 32.45 ppm roughly

And that's the problem here.

As you can only estimate the actual net volume and all the tests available to hobbyists are not very accurate you will not be able to actually calculate anything practically useful.

My recommendation from best practice: Keep the water level by topping off with RO or distilled water, then the TDS stay virtually at the same level. Otherwise if you have only access to tap, don't top off and simply do waterchanges refilling to a set mark periodically. If you top off with tap you will get a net increase of the TDS and even a waterchange will not change much about that increase as long as you use the same source water.

So in a nutshell:
RO or similar available: Top off.
If not available: Don't top off and do waterchanges.

 

[martink]

And that's the problem here.

As you can only estimate the actual net volume and all the tests available to hobbyists are not very accurate you will not be able to actually calculate anything practically useful.

My recommendation from best practice: Keep the water level by topping off with RO or distilled water, then the TDS stay virtually at the same level. Otherwise if you have only access to tap, don't top off and simply do waterchanges refilling to a set mark periodically. If you top off with tap you will get a net increase of the TDS and even a waterchange will not change much about that increase as long as you use the same source water.

So in a nutshell:
RO or similar available: Top off.
If not available: Don't top off and do waterchanges.

ok thanks. i use rain water off the roof so a little hardnes 1gh ish but i do have cheap ro unit ill set it up. thanks

 

[MacZ]

rainwater is just as good usually. But ask @dw1305 about that, I don't have access to rainwater, living in a bigger city.

 

[dw1305]

Hi all,

rainwater is just as good usually. But ask @dw1305 about that,

I've been a rain water user since the 1970s, without <"any major issue">. The main problems are you need a lot of storage (even in the UK where it rains / used to rain a lot) and your rain water may have some hardness and alkalinity, if you live in a limestone area.

I have five water butts, these three and another two at the front of the house.

cheers Darrel

 

[martink]

Hi all,

I've been a rain water user since the 1970s, without <"any major issue">. The main problems are you need a lot of storage (even in the UK where it rains / used to rain a lot) and your rain water may have some hardness and alkalinity, if you live in a limestone area.

I have five water butts, these three and another two at the front of the house.

cheers Darrel

yeah ill buy another one problem is only having on viable drainage pipe. but i could get two maybe three near it. I am not sure if its my roof but there is a little hardness to it 1gh. i live in fife scotland near the sea. I might buy another barrel from wilko they are quite cheap. nice garden by the way.

 

[dw1305]

Hi all,

only having on viable drainage pipe. but i could get two maybe three near it

You can daisy chain them together, it also helps with cleaning because you don't lose all your water.

but there is a little hardness to it 1gh. i live in fife scotland near the sea.

Perfect, have you got a conductivity (TDS) meter? I'm guessing that you will have very few ions of any description. You could potentially get some "sea spray" if you have a really big easterly storm, but that would be detectable by a rise in conductivity.

nice garden by the way.

Thank you. I've perfected <"not gardening">, just find plants that like growing in your garden and let them get on with it and all my <"weeds"> are now rebranded <"wild flowers">.

It is a similar approach to my fish keeping, don't keep the fish you "want", keep fish you like, but most importantly ones that enjoy life with you.

cheers Darrel

 

[martink]

Hi all,

You can daisy chain them together, it also helps with cleaning because you don't lose all your water.

Perfect, have you got a conductivity (TDS) meter? I'm guessing that you will have very few ions of any description. You could potentially get some "sea spray" if you have a really big easterly storm, but that would be detectable by a rise in conductivity.

Thank you. I've perfected <"not gardening">, just find plants that like growing in your garden and let them get on with it and all my <"weeds"> are now rebranded <"wild flowers">.

It is a similar approach to my fish keeping, don't keep the fish you "want", keep fish you like, but most importantly ones that enjoy life with you.

cheers Darrel

i too like this gardening philosophy its a good healthy garden. my letting agent has other ideas though lol