[beachsidejuj]

I have a 12g Eclipse tank...I have 96w coralife 50/50 over it...the problem is that it has now cover on it since I had to take the custom cover off it when I got the lights...at least 2 gallons evapoates off it a week....I am thinking that I need some type of cover on it...any suggestions?

[glampka]

No cover - a cover will only give you a heat problem & hinders gas exchange between the water & the air - adding some water every day is not that much trouble. I add about 1/2 gal a day to my 30.

[beachsidejuj]

you I never even do a water change or add salt...is that a problem?

[120gallons]

No salt, it doesn't evaporate, just add ro/di plain water.

[beachsidejuj]

thats what I do...never any water changes>>>>just pour RO in it

[msbdiving]

Try to pour it in throughout the day especially with a smaller tank. If you pour too much fresh water in at once, your livestock will get stressed from the constant fluctuations.

[jimw369]

Hey Beachside! Good to see you here at RB!

You need to do water changes on a regular basis using a good salt mix with you RO water. When you do this it replaces the trace elements that are used up in the water already in your tank.

Top offs due to evaporation are done with plain RO water and shouldnt be a substitute for regular water changes.

[Alicamo]

on my lil' tank I'm going to make a top off that goes into the sump, you could do the same idea if you wanted something that you would only have to refill every once in awhile. There are a few ways but the way i was looking at doing is just to put the hose into the sump at the water line and attach it to a pressurized holding tank. easiest way to think about it is to imagine those 5 gallon drinking water dispensers.

if you wanted to get complicated you could do a float valve connected to a pump.

any rate, good luck bro

[exrader]

i just use an enema bag over my tank and let it drip slowly for the rest of the day..by night time its done and the stress isnt stressed at all...