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What the?


pipsqeek

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I have seen this before but it is a very rare occurence. Rapid evaporation events occur when liquid superheats and violently boils. These events generate large volumes of vapor very quickly, which may alter liquid flow. It is a cataclysm of converging events such as an aquarium filter sticking and boiling the water hence high temperatures combined with low surface humidity , large surface area for evaporation to occur and prevailing surface winds (breezes) further enhancing the combined effect of evaporation with filtration and airation. With the addition of a sump the effect is further enhanced and exponentially increases due to even greater water movement, and expanded surface area allowing evaporation at several points and drawing the water out of the bottom of the tank (below the heater) and back in at a higher level allowing further heatting to occur. The truth is out there !!! woot.gif

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Sure the heater could have boiled it away and the sump would help it vaporize even faster. But that explanation doesn't explain how the water below the filter/heater went away. It was at night thus evaparation is almost negligable.

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Here's an update:

The tank has been refilled. Sadly, no fish ended up surviving. I put it down to stress. No air, no heater, no water circulating. They were probably thinking the same thing I was... "WTF?"

I've lost my fish. This is the saddest part.

The tank has been full of water for over 24 hours now. Not a single change in the level. No leakages anywhere. Though I'm not looking forward to that whole nitrite, nitrate process. Been so long since the tank has been established for over 7years. I've forgotten about it all.

I guess now it's time to stick some fish back into it. But I might go for a three footer or something else more interesting to sit in the corner. I'll see how I go.

Cheers

pips

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I hate starting all over again.

The quicker I get access to the trading forums, the better.

Latest update: The tank is still full. Everything is working fine.

The only activity is the air stone. sad.gif

pips

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There is no way 180 odd litres can evaporate overnight even if a heater did malfunction!? Even if it could, the house would be like a steam room! no.gif

Put it into perspective. If you put a 180 litre pot of water on a big fire and boiled it, how long would it take to evaporate? I would suggest at least 24 hours most probably a lot longer. Now compare that to a fish tank with a tiny little eletric heater element in it that would struggle to boil a kettle? blink.gif

It would almost have to be a filter issue? Maybe a split hose or lose connection? Is it possible the water seeped through the floor in a single spot instead of pooling in the carpet or something, and the small area that was wet, dried by the morning? confused.gif

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Hey

I am with hardboiled evaporation is out of the picture there is no way that 200 litres of water can evaporate that quickly of a night time. I dint think it could of a day. Even with all the hot weather lately my tanks have evaporated only 5cm or so.

It is one of these topics confused.gif

Cheers

Cameron

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How about some more info?

What sort of floor do you have?

How is the filter connected to the tank (under the tank in a cabinet, hang on etc)?

What sort of cabinet / stand is it?

Definitely not evaporation.

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The aquarium itself is on a wooden floor. Sitting on a pine cabinet.

We have a rug, right near the tank.

I checked the hoses for cracks, nothing. If that was the case, then this would have happened again, as I have refilled the tank three days ago.

Evaporation is highly unlikely as the weather at night was cool.

I went to bed at 2am, the tank was full. I woke up 2 hours later to the sound of the filter impeller motor running dry and screaming it's head off.

I doubt, even if it were during the day, even if it was as hot as NYE (where it hit 47°C at my place at 10am that day). I doubt that much water could disappear in such a short period of time.

It's just one of those mysteries that will boggle my mind for years to come.

Cheers

pips

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