TheSaltwaterGuy's 10 Gallon build (pics added)

not a good idea, you will be shocking everything. I think the easiest method is to mark the level on your tank, or sump if you have one, and keep things at that level. You want to top of as often and in as small amounts as possible to minimize your salinity swing.

 

ok how about this: i put a small sticker at the point that i want to keep the water at. if it goes below it, i'll top off with as much ro/di water as it needs to keep it at the level. is that fine?

 

Thats what I do,I have a mark I keep my sump full too,then if you be sure to top off before doing a water change your salinity will stay the same for the most part.Theres salt creep loss but thats not much

 

so let me get this straight: i put like a mark in the DT and/or sump so i know where to keep my water at, and if the water falls below that mark, i top off with ro/di water until i reach my desired level. then if im gonna do a water change and the water is below the desired level, i top off and then do a water change...? Seems simple enough lol. by the way when i top off with ro/di water why does the water turn all liquidyish...? i mean i put the ro/di water in and it looks like some weird slime or something

 

thats exactly how to do it.the funny look of the water is just from plain water mixing with salt water.

 

I use the black trim of the tank as my ref. point. when it gets below it i add to it.

 

So I guess im gonna go with a percula clown, some kind of goby, and a cleaner shrimp. just gotta cycle this tank, sell this maroon, and then i can get started with maintenance and whatnot

 

I had a true nano tank for a little over a year before I got my larger tank that by the way has been a pain so far. People told me I couldn't do it and I would lose livestock... I never lost a fish and learned as I went alone. It was a 6 gal Fluval edge, it was very cool looking but a pain in the @## to clean. It was a cube and you couldn't get your hand or tools in it to clean it. Anyway, I measured my evaporation lose and salinity for a month about everyday. I got an average of what I added and then did that daily. I knew thought that when the season change it would change but it really didn't. I checked by water quality twice a week to start then after they leveled out I did it weekly. I did water changes once a month if whether it was needed or not and whenever it was needed, about 10 percent. Mostly I didn't over stock. I wish I hadn't have gone to the larger tank some days. People tell me its easier but I got a rocky start.

 

well that gives me some encouragement;D K to you, sir.

 

The funny look when adding water is the temp. diff. between your DT and top off water.