Leaking Power Steering Fluid

Leaking Power Steering Fluid on 2000 Altima GXE:
I found the power steering fluid below the MIN level about a month back and I topped it off to the MAX level. I have noticed that the fluid is again below the MAX level and soon will be below the MIN level. So there is obviously a leak.
The end of the small hose that connects to the reservoir is my suspect. It always remains wet and shiny with the fluid. I dabbed a tissue into the wet end of the hose and it was the same colour as the fluid. The other end of this hose that goes into the engine or the pump is dry.

Q1. So is it safe to assume that the end of the hose near the reservoir is leaking? The reservoir could itself be leaking but I doubt that. You people can help me figure it out.

Q2. If it is the hose, how do I replace it? As soon as unhook the hose thwe fluid will start leaking from the reservoir. I can drain that out and top off with a new fluid. But what about the pump? How do I make sure no air gets in the system? When I unhook the hose from the pump end and hook a empty hose and pour fluid, there will surely be some air going into the pump. What is the right procedure?

Thanks a lot.

You are on the right track. Is the hose clamp tight? On my 97 Altima the hose is about 8" long and connects the p/s reservoir to a pipe leading to a cooler. It is the low pressure return line. If you plan to replace the hose the first thing you should do is find new hose. The correct size is 11mm, same as 7/16". Not a common size and it must be multi-purpose and flexabile enough to make the sharp bend. Purchasing the OEM molded hose from a Nissan dealer could be a problem and expensive. The dealer wouldn't use a molded hose if you took your car in to replace it. When you remove the hose, oil is going to run out onto the body. Put your drain pan under the car where you predict the oil will drain. If they are convienient, two diapers could be the answer to catching all of the oil and preventing the mess. That idea costs less than paying $2 to go and wash it. Replace the hose useing new hose clamps. A box cutter works well to cut thru the old hardened hose. Bleeding the air from the system isn't a big deal. It is unlikely that any air will enter the pump by replacing any of the low pressure hoses. The direction of oil flow is from the pump back into the upper reservoir. Any air bubbles will bleed back into the reservoir thru the larger hose that connects the smaller reservoir attatched to the p/s pump. Recheck the oil level after you test drive. Hopefully the hose is your only leak. The right procedure of bleeding the system if you replace the pump or steering gear is to start the engine with the car on jack stands and turn the steering wheel from side to side w/o turning all the way to the stops.