vacation; can a tank survive?

[tomkal]

I'll be out on vacation for 7 days. I've got a 46G tank with two small tomato clowns, a bunch of turbo snails, and 10 hermit crabs.

I'm guessing that the snails and crabs will be just fine if I abandon the tank, but am concerned about the clowns. Maybe I will feed them extra in the days leading up.

My concerns are with the skimmer too, so I think I might turn off the skimmer (CPR Bak Pak) for the week and cross my fingers.

There's a chance I can get a non-aquarium friend/neighbor to stop by and do something simple.

I'm sure a bunch of you have faced this before; so my questions are:
Will the clowns survive a week without food?
Can I shut the skimmer down for a week?

All help appreciated.

 

[lessthanlights]

clowns will be mighty hungery in a week but should be fine. and i've never ran a skimmer in 3 years so no skimmer you should be fine too. i would be more concerned about water top-off. get your buddy to come over and do water tops offs and some feeding.

 

[GSMguy]

why turn the skimmer off?

 

[xenon]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9486549#post9486549 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by GSMguy
why turn the skimmer off?

I wouldin't turn it off, I would drill the collection cup and plumb it into a 5g bucket.

You can also setup an auto-top-off system to deal with evap.

 

[tomkal]

skimmer off

skimmer off

I was thinking that I didn't want the skimmer to overflow while I was out. Right now, the tank fills up half-way every couple of days. If I was out for 7 days, I'd have a bunch of stinky stuff all over my floor.

 

[Shagsbeard]

I'd worry a lot more about evaporation than the skimmer. 80 degree water evaporates quite quickly. I'd lose over 15 gallons from my 75+30 system if I left it for a week.

 

[drummereef]

Try to automate the tank as much as you can. Auto top off is most important. Second would be your alk/calcium supplimentation imo. If you can get a friend, or better yet a fellow reefer, to come over and do your regular maintenance. For a nominal fee your LFS should offer a service to watch the tank.

 

[jimrawr]

I think if you can get someone to just feed them and top off in the middle of your vacation you will be fine. I mean if you can get someone to feed/topoff on a daily basis thats ideal, but once in 7 days will get you through i *think*

 

[fish 511]

Tomkal,
If you drill your skimmer collection cup, LMK how u did it. I am interested in how to do this. I may do this to my remora. If anyone can easily DIY this, please LMK...

Sorry Tomkal, did not mean to hijak your thread

 

[sjj80]

I would reccommend writing out a log of the feeding amounts and times, additive schedule and top off info and have a friend over to demonstrate how you take care of these things and leave the log book out for their reference. You never know, you may just end up with a new reefer friend.

 

[stevebla]

bakpac

bakpac

your back pack should just blow bubbles out of lid liquid will not rise above center bubble chamber. try it i have on a backpack. Also raise your collection cup up a bit less but thicker skimmate.

 

[Icefire]

get an automatic fish food dispenser.

I would stop the skimmer. You never know.

 

[CrystalAZ]

I would have a friend come over at least twice to feed and top off if possible. Once would be ok, but twice would be better. I've read plenty of "I came back and everything was dead" posts, so the more you can have someone maintain it while you are gone, the better.

Crystal

 

[dkh0331]

I also would suggest having a friend come over. Pre-package the food and if possible skim a bit drier than normal. Show them how to empty the skimmer cup, then have them actually do it while you are watching. Then leave detailed written step by step instructions. We just got back from a week in the Bahama's and just went thru all of this with my step daughter. Evidently she is proud of her time because a case of beer and a bottle of Grey Goose were emptied while we were gone.

 

[Icefire]

dkh0331 small price to pay

 

[dkh0331]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9491162#post9491162 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Icefire
dkh0331 small price to pay

I know, I know.... But an entire bottle of Grey Goose....

 

[uscharalph]

I have an automatic food dispenser and timers on my lights. I left my skimmer on for my last 4 day vacation. Evaporation would be my problem on a longer than 4 day vacation.