going away

[Teenreefer15]

I am going away for a few days around thanksgiving time. Will it be okay to leave my lights off while im gone. I have corals and am worried. Will they be fine?

 

[Clownfish Chris]

You can get a timer for cheep at a local hardware store. Another option is the power strip made by Coralife or one similar. As long as the power doesny go out, you will be fine.

 

[TangySushi]

The corals should be ok for atleast 3 days without light, not sure about longer than that. How long are you going to be gone?

If it's longer get yourself a timer for your lights, it's worth every penny and get the everyday ehiem fish feeder if u feed pellets. Works like a charm, I'm leavin for about a week and that's all I really need.

 

[rfgonzo]

Yes, you can go a few days but honestly there's no need too, you can get a cheap timer for around $10 and keep your lights going.

 

[billdogg]

IMHO, there is no reason not to have your lights on some sort of timer/controller anyway, so that really should not be an issue. Ever. If the tank is more than a few months old and otherwise stable, the fish and corals can easily go 3-5 days without food. There will be plenty of things for the fish to nibble on while you are gone. The biggest issue is water level. I, for one, don't trust ATO's. (just something else that can fail, and at the worst possible time (while you are away). What I do is a water change the day or 2 before I leave, then turn off the skimmer and overfill the sump so that it does not run dry. As long as your sump can hold the drain-down from the DT, even if the power does go out, there won't be a flood. When I get back, I feed well, do another water change, turn on the skimmer, and call it a day. Longer than 5 days or so and I get a trusted friend to come over to give a premeasured amount of food and to top off the tank every few days.

hth

 

[AirForceAquariu]

What I do is a water change the day or 2 before I leave, then turn off the skimmer and overfill the sump so that it does not run dry. As long as your sump can hold the drain-down from the DT, even if the power does go out, there won't be a flood. When I get back, I feed well, do another water change, turn on the skimmer, and call it a day.

hth

How would this deal with evaporation causing the salinity to rise?

 

[Teenreefer15]

IMHO, there is no reason not to have your lights on some sort of timer/controller anyway, so that really should not be an issue. Ever. If the tank is more than a few months old and otherwise stable, the fish and corals can easily go 3-5 days without food. There will be plenty of things for the fish to nibble on while you are gone. The biggest issue is water level. I, for one, don't trust ATO's. (just something else that can fail, and at the worst possible time (while you are away). What I do is a water change the day or 2 before I leave, then turn off the skimmer and overfill the sump so that it does not run dry. As long as your sump can hold the drain-down from the DT, even if the power does go out, there won't be a flood. When I get back, I feed well, do another water change, turn on the skimmer, and call it a day. Longer than 5 days or so and I get a trusted friend to come over to give a premeasured amount of food and to top off the tank every few days.

hth

fair enough, Ill probably just purchase a timer and the day before I leave lower the salinity so when I get back Its around normal.

 

[billdogg]

And that's exactly what I do. The water change before I leave I just mix the water at a slightly lower sg. - I usually run about 1.025 - so I mix it to 1.022-.023. IME the slight difference won't hurt a thing. With the wc when I return I just adjust as needed to get it back where I like it.

 

[Teenreefer15]

And that's exactly what I do. The water change before I leave I just mix the water at a slightly lower sg. - I usually run about 1.025 - so I mix it to 1.022-.023. IME the slight difference won't hurt a thing. With the wc when I return I just adjust as needed to get it back where I like it.

Sounds right, I don't have an ATO so everyday while I'm at school the salinity rises from evap so there used to it.

 

[edinphilly]

Sounds right, I don't have an ATO so everyday while I'm at school the salinity rises from evap so there used to it.

I waited a year to get an ATO and when I finally set up a Tunze Osmolator I wished I'd done it much much sooner. Between that and lights being programmed I was away for a week and everything was fine. It also means when I go away for business a couple days at a time I don't have to worry about having my wife top off.

 

[Sk8r]

I leave my tanks (one marine, one fresh) for up to 3-4 weeks at a go.
I have 2 Eheim autofeeders.
I have Avast ATO system with a 32 gallon reservoir with kalk for the marine tank (stony coral reef). My tank evaps about 1 gallon a day. For our freshwater tank, we asked a tanksitter to add a pitcher of fresh when it bubbles air, but this method cost us 300.00 worth of lights: the sitter poured water that took them out. Next time we're using a second ATO unit, same source and omitting the sitter handling water.
I have the sitter look at the tank to be sure nothing catastrophic is going on: he has a phone number. We're fortunate never to have had a power outage over 8 hours, and the system can handle that with no hiccup or consequences.