Vacation while cycling?

maveric3444

New member
Do I need to do anything to the tank during cycling or is it a hands off process? I would like to set up my tank before I go on vacation for 2 weeks.

Equipment:

20H Tank
100W Heater
AC 70 HOB Filter (future fuge mod)
Koralia 1
150W SunPod

And I would like to use a 2-3" Arag-Alive sand bed with about 25 lbs live rock and maybe a pound or two of live sand from LFS. Thanks.
 
as long as there isnt anything living (fish, corals, inverts...etc..) then it will be fine. You'll find that whatever is on the rock already, it will survive through the cycle for the most part (i'm talking about pods, snails, other little hitch hikers...).

Also, if you're getting cured rock, there wont really be any cycle/cure to happen since its already done...it which case you wouldnt have to worry about anything at all ;)

With uncured (meaning you'll get a cycle) yes, some stuff can die off...but just pods and stuff as long as you dont have corals/fish. Nothing that wont bounce back right away anyways :)
 
Re: Vacation while cycling?

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9818934#post9818934 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by maveric3444
Equipment:

20H Tank
100W Heater
AC 70 HOB Filter (future fuge mod)
Koralia 1
150W SunPod

And I would like to use a 2-3" Arag-Alive sand bed with about 25 lbs live rock and maybe a pound or two of live sand from LFS. Thanks.

If this is your equip and the things you want to add before you leave, you should have no problem. It would be hands off for the entire time. I do second testing you timers and such too.
 
I know some people stay to start a cycle off with a short photo period and gradually increase it over a few weeks. Should I just go all out for 2 weeks with a 8 to 10 hour photo period?
 
HEY! I have a life! :D I know what you mean though. So shorter photo period... will probably stave off some of the algae I wont be around to combat. Thanks.
 
I've always found that the algae is all gonna come no matter what the photo period in the beginning is. When i start w/full light hours the algae comes right away, but goes away before the tank is even ready to put stuff in it. When i wait till its ready before putting lights in....well then i always get corals and fish but the tank looks ugly because of all the algae. I personally like running the lights normal(ish) hours in the beginning. But then you also get the downside of using more hours on your bulbs.

Congrats on graduating ;) Where are you going for vacation? I'm also graduating and i'm going to hawaii the day after school gets out :)
 
I guess algae is sort of an inevitable part of the hobby. But Ill stick with low to midish hours for the photo period.

Congrats on graduating to you too! Its kinda backwards but the 2 week vacation will be when I go back to school for graduation. So not really vacation per se but Im still excited. The tank will be at my parents house where I will be for most of the summer before packing up and moving to SC for yet more school. It never ends... :)
 
Back
Top