Tank Sitter Advice

CStrickland

CStrickland

New member
Hey all,
I'm gearing up for a summer internship, so I will be away from my tank for about 2 1/2 months. My husband has promised to really do his best to keep up the husbandry :p while I'm gone, but I not sure how to best support him?

My tank is a 55g with a chalk bass, some chromises (chromii?), a Randall's pistol and next week a yellow watchman. I might add a blenny, I didn't think all the chromii would survive the trip but saltwaterfish.com seems to have bucked the chromii reputation as fragile fish so I think I'll hold off on additions as long as they hold off on fratricide. I tried a torch coral but it brown jellied, I think it got banged up shipping so I'm gonna iodine the next one. I don't have a good lfs or reef club so I'm at the mercy of UPS.

It's 6 months old, but the first couple was the same rock in a little tank with a big sump, then I switched to the current one. I've been lucky so far with algae, just a few tufts of a soft kind that I can suck off the rock with a baster (like a golf ball size clump each week) and some hardier stuff that only grows right in front of the power heads. I got about 2/3 of my sand (2") from a beach, thats when I got some green but I don't mind it. Some diatoms still, but my snails are keeping it in check.

I made a C2C and a eshopps-style overflow, but I just run a filter sock in a 5g bucket right now. I was planning for more, and have plenty of room in the stand for whatev. I just haven't expanded cause things seem ok, I figured by now I would be needing at least a skimmer. I made a cool ato that I had on the little tank, but because I only run the overflow when I'm home so the sock isn't nitrating everything up, it's just been easier to add a gallon everyday when I turn it on.

Wow, that's a lot of info :wildone: I guess that'll do. Let me know if there's anything else that's important. I'm mostly wondering if a few easy corals would make the tank more interesting to hubs so he takes better care; and if I should add equipment to make it easy, or KISS and just disconnect the overflow until I get back. I asked him what he preferred but he didn't know what to say and when I tried explaining it his eyes glazed over. I don't want to come home to a disaster, but I want it to be fun for him too.

All advice appreciated!
 
Plural of Chromis: Chromis. There is a chromis in the tank. There are a lot of chromis in the tank.

I'd suggest instructional videos for your husband. If you show him exactly how much salt and RO/DI water needs to go in the bucket, how EXACTLY to do a water change, and how to do absolutely everything (dosing, testing, etc.), then you MIGHT come home to less of a disaster than you expected. Get a skimmer, it will literally save your fishes lives while he's forgetting to do water changes, as well as provide oxygen for them.

Keep it as simple as possible. If you have a skimmer, then use it. But don't bother getting high tech equipment in the hopes that he'll find it easier. The best way that you may be able to keep everything alive in the tank, is quite possibly calls at least once a day. "Have you fed the fish? Did you do the water change? How was your day?" That kind of thing.

Don't add corals. That just sounds like a complete disaster in the making. As for equipment, if possible, stick a reversible (both HOB and sump mode) skimmer on the tank. I'm going to blatantly advocate the Coralife Super Skimmer since it can be HOB and sump ready, as well as having a small attachment that acts as a sponge filter that removes micro bubbles.

Ask him what would make the tank fun for him to take care of. He might be completely enamored with macroalgae if he likes to garden, or with the shrimp/goby if he does architecture, etc. If he likes chemistry, then try to explain to him the exact chemical composition of the water, and why it's important for him to keep nitrogen cycle products down as much as possible by decreasing the molarity in the water via water changes or something.
 
I think its alot of pressure to put on your husband. Not knowing you or him, but based on what im reading, I'm assuming he's not into your tank the way u are. That said, dumb it down for the poor guy - if something dies or wipes out your tank, it could be resentful.

Other than feeding, I wouldnt make it a job for your sitter.
 
I was gone for 3 months last summer. Hired a 'pro' to come by once a week and had my son do the daily chores. I came home to a lot fewer corals and a lot more algae that I left.
I would try to get the tank on 'cruise control' before you leave. No new additions, new equipment, or new processes for at least a month prior to going away. Document what you do daily, and then see what is actually required vs. what you do because you care.
You want your tank sitter to have as little stress as possible, so eliminate anything not 'critical' to the tank survival.
He is likely not as enamored of your tank as you are and may view this as an extra burden in addition to your being gone.
Have a printed schedule of feeding, top offs and WCs.
Be sure you leave enough food to last the entire time you are gone.
And try to do pics/video on a regular basis so you can spot trouble before it becomes a real issue.
 
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+2 NO major changes, especially a skimmer, they can be a challenge to get started and are notorious for overflowing.

KISS method, I like the frequent video idea so you can spot trouble.

Get hubby a bunch of filter socks so he does not have to wash them all the time. That is one job I would not be interested in if I was not so into my tank.
 
Get a bunch of pee jars, us plastics sells them cheap. Use these to get food ready for a while so he doesn't under/overfeed.

Try to keep your maintenance list less than 10 line items. Going beyond that will cause problems.
 
I only went away for five days but my husband tried his very best because he knows how important my tank is to me. I typed out instructions and stuck them on the fridge, and walked him through everything the night before I left.
 
When I went on vacation, I had a buddy (who doesn't nor ever had a fish tank) come by almost every night while I was away. I made individual daily portions of food and made a lot of RODI and salt water, and left multiple containers of marked fresh water ready for top off. Made a simple checklist of various things like check thermometer etc. Walked him through it a few times before I left, and all went great. Tank was actually doing quite well when I came home.
Definitely agree with no additions before you leave, and the KISS method is best.
 
Thanks guys!
He does like the tank, just in a normal person "whoa, that fish is chill" kind of way. He doesn't care that nassarious are carnivores, while ceriths and nerites eat algae but Nerites like diatoms more lol. We've always had a lot of pets, it's weird to just have the fish, so he's got his head around it a little and i think he's looking forward to it somewhat. He likes feeding clams, and I have flakes too for when I'm in a rush.

Also, it's not like I have a peppermint angel in there, if he does his best and everything dies it will be sad but I'll understand.

I do think putting in a new skimmer will overwhelm him, and I won't be able to help cause it'll be new to me too. I guess it's a risk either way. I started last week with having him pay attention when I change the water, and explaining how the sand vac works and stuff. Over feeding is deff a concern, but idk how to preportion for such a small fish load. Maybe tell him that one clam should last 3 days instead? We'll be skyping a lot too so that will compliment my lists. Maybe if I find some warning signs to look out for I could give him pics, idk, like a YouTube video of a gasping fish?

Good call on the extra filter socks! I'm still not sure whether to disconnect the overflow...
 
Will you be not be coming home at all during the 2 months?

If you are just do a bigger water change once a month when you visit, and show him how to make RODI water and fill your ATO system. That and a skimmer and you should be fine. Might not thrive but you should be able to maintain for two months.
 
I think the visits will be more him to me than vice versa.

I have my heart set on a reef octo sro3000int when I build out the sump cause I think I'll be grown out of the 55 in a year or two. I guess I could cut the overflow and slap on an hob for the summer. But I'm worried about getting it tuned in and stuff
 
Well this is what a Reef club is about. I watch many members tanks or they give someone my phone number. You should be a member of a local Marine society.
 
There's one local club, but they aren't taking new members or something. I've tried about 6 times to join since September last, no response from the emails to the club or the sites IT support, nothing from the Facebook account either which is not very active. I found their subgroup on a forum too and posted in it, but no one answered. Idk if they are even still meeting but I've kinda given up on joining.

Lol racer! I thought it was a typo :)
 
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