What Do You Do When Your Gone

AquariumChicky

New member
In about 3 months we're going to Wisconsin for a few days. Last time we went out, we didn't have corals. I worried myself to death last time and i'm gona give myself a heart attack over the tank when we're gone this time.

So, what do you guys do when your gone for a few days and your worried?
 
I have automatic fish feeders and battery airpumps that come on if the power goes off. Other than that I don't worry.
 
have friends or relatives stop by, for three days, i would only have them come by once, i would feed before i left, have them come by the second day i was gone to feed a little and just call me if anything looks odd, and then i would feed the day i got back

as far as salinity goes, i would top it off to the point it was at around 1.024 and by the time i get back (assuming a three day trip) it should be right around 1.025-1.026, or i would ask them to pour a little distilled water in for me while feeding

i just set out all the stuff ahead of time so they dont have to find things (which means use the wrong thing) and have them call me if they are not sure

we were gone for a full week recently and did it this way, had my folks stop by twice is all
 
I'm hoping a kind mod will move this into one of the fish sections for you :)

I have auto-topoff and automatic feeders. Light timers are a must. For a short trip, you shouldn't even need to feed.
 
Don't trust anyone with feeding or any other maintenance chores. The fish will be fine for a few days. If your lights are on a timer, fresh water topoffs will be your main concern. Make a line on your sump and have a couple jugs of RO ready athen have a friend stop buy once or twice to pour one in while you're gone.
 
I went home from college for a month over christmas and left my tank with an auto top-off with plenty of water, auto feeder, timers on the lights, and on powerhead plugged into an uninterruptible power source. I had no problems even though the power did go off for a few hours. Other than having some algae to scrape off the glass when i returned, everything was very happy.
 
Get automated.
Controller for; (heaters, chillers, lighting, ph, online access and control if you want to get into that kind of stuff)
Auto Top-off
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12216485#post12216485 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by tkeracer619
I wouldn't worry about 3 days if you have ATO.

Ditto :) I wouldn't even worry about feeding the tank either.
 
I am going away for a week in Aug and I am planning on having my local LFS, that does marine service, come out to check on things once or twice, my dad will be cat sitting so he is going to take a crash course in skimmer cleaning, and I will rely on a auto feeder for the rest.
 
In addition to the above advice, I'd strongly suggest not changing anything in the 2-3 days before you leave. Don't clean pumps, don't switch to new types of top off or new addition methods, etc. All such things may go wrong. If you want to start a new process to tide you over, set it up and running at least a week ahead of time.

I've left my tank many times for 1-3 weeks, and only once did I have an issue, when there was a fairly long power failure on a 100 deg F day. Still, I lost some of the fish but nothing else.
 
when i go away for a week or more i do a 20%waterchange the night before, go and then top it off around to 1.023-1.024, then have the lfs matinance guys come 2 days later just to check my levels,feed,and top off if needed. the day before i go back i have them come back and do the same thing.Oh i also make sure my gnerator is working perfectly.
 
If it is only a few days, I feed my fish many small feeding throughout the day before we go, so they are nice and full. I clean things up in the tank and check all of the plumbing connections to make sure nothing is about to pop off. I check the light timers. And I put an airstone in the tank that is hooked up to a UPS I bought for the tank. I also make sure there is plenty of Ro/DI in the ATO reservoir.
 
For those that use auto feeders, what kind of food do you put in there? It seems you'd have to use food that sinks fairly quickly, unless you somehow synchronize turning your pump off with the auto feeder coming on.

Also, do you worry about having to feed the corals?
 
We travel quite a bit. If I am gone for 3 days or less I don't really do anything different. I may have someone stop by to topoff (don't have an ATO). If it is a longer vacation I will have someone stop in more often and I preportion out food for feedings. I've used those day of the week pill sorters to hold the right amount of food or those little 1-2oz disposable cups w/lids to have measured in and ready to dump into the tanks.
 
For those that use auto feeders, what kind of food do you put in there? It seems you'd have to use food that sinks fairly quickly, unless you somehow synchronize turning your pump off with the auto feeder coming on.


I use mostly flake with a floating ring in the water to contain it until it submerges. One was a DIY from tubing, and some others were hobby equipment for just that purpose. :)
 
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