Topping off - how to

[pairustwo]

So I've recently done away with my glass tank top as it was interfering with the quality of light getting to the plants.

Now I have more rapid evaporation to deal with. I usually fill my tank with a python during water changes. How do I go about topping off the tank with just a little water.

I don't want' to dose the tank with prime every day that I add a few quarts of water. So how do I de-chlorinate small amounts of water to to add to the 20 1/2 gallons already in the tank?

thanks.
pairustwo

 

[Fishyfanatic]

Buy a gal jug of water from the store. After you've emptied it into the tank, fill it up with tap water. Then just dose prime into the jug. Top off as needed.

 

[7Enigma]

If you want to do it the right way you want to purchase distilled water and top off with that. All the salts/minerals/waste (GH/KH) is being slowly concentrated if you just top off with tap water. With covered setups this isn't a problem but if you are evaporating 5% or more water a day (>1/2 gallon in a 10 gallon tank), I would think about using DI water. Less recommended would be to make sure you do a huge PWC once in a while to get closer to your tap water.

 

[Lepomis]

If you are the sort that messes with you're tank a lot then a slow drip line would help out a lot. Now if you don't spend time with your tank then go with an auto top off device. I have a 2 gallon container sitting near my tank with a siphon drip line. With a little observation and patience you can get it set so that it matches (or ideally slightly slower) than the rate of evaporation. I fill keep it filled with distilled or reverse osmosis water. An auto top off would be better but simple often is hard to beat. At some point I plan on installing a automated system with in the garage and pass the feed line to my tank.