Vacation?

[Supra]

IM going away memorial day for 4 days. I don't know anyone else in my area that would have any idea how to watch my tank. my biggest concerns are salinity ( I could set an ato soon and make sure it works in the next two wks) , heater, overflow ( I have a single ghetto over flow, that I plan on updating when I go bigger, but for now I just watch it and make sure it doesn't clog up) , hammer coral ( it falls out of its spot now and then and I have to re-install it) I was thinking of hiring a company possibly to watch it while away, or am I just over thinking this? Should I just get a friend to feed and I'll set up ato?
Thanks supra

 

[Flreefer]

I'd get a friend to help out.
Last time I went on vacation, I wrote everything down, for our house sitter.
Tell them how much to top off, or draw a line, Fill to here.
Separate out your food into little compartments, like a pill holder thing, one compartment per day or every other day. To avoid over feeding.
I also made a trouble shooting guide. If this happens, this is what to do.
I also labeled all switches.
With the skimmer, I set it to a really dry skim, to be safe.
I would make a daily checklist, check overflow, top off, feed, etc..
It's def nerve wracking, but doing all this made me feel much better. I went to Jamaica for 8 days, and returned to the same tank I had left.

 

[Supra]

1 problem! All my friends are idiots, it's also memorial day weekend, and they will most likely be either hung over or drunk! Lol
Supra

 

[Flreefer]

Yeah... Well that could pose a problem.
That's hilarious!!
Try to make it as idiot-proof as you can.
A service would prob charge you like $100 or so, don't know, and they could be almost as bad.

 

[Supra]

Ya I was thinking, for the price of the service, I could throw a couple hundred more on and get an apex or rkl.

 

[Flreefer]

Yeah, but you'll still need an ATO, and have to have it all dialed in.
Feeding would still be a prob too.
Maybe someone from a LFS, could help you out. Anyone you've developed a trust with that way?

 

[Supra]

No unfortunately, I'll probably set up the ato this week and keep an eye on it. Just rely on someone to feed

 

[Supra]

I set up the ato, it was working great. I messed with my return and intake, now I have a siphon problem.( sump fluctuates up Nd down messing up my ato, I know its a siphon issue) so I set up a drip ato. If I can't get it dialed in by thur. ( the day I leave) should I set salinity low (.024) just to be safe? I'm only going away for 4 days
Supra

 

[leftyfish]

When I recently went away for four days, I used the tunze ATO and the eheim dual auto feeder. My ATO has a 5 gallon bucket that I filled to the rim. The feeder I use daily anyway to feed the fish 3 different times. I told the house/dog sitters they did not need to do anything to the tank and if anything died,take it out but don't buy a new one as everything new needed to be quarantined.

I measured out the food for the fish in the QT, and labeled them for each day. Had the lights on QT on a timer.

 

[Animal-Chin]

I'd go with the top off and auto feeder with some good quality food. 4 days isnt that long they'll be fine with whatever dry food you put in.

 

[54seaweed]

I told the house/dog sitters they did not need to do anything to the tank and if anything died,take it out but don't buy a new one as everything new needed to be quarantined.

Why would the house sitter/ dog sitter buy a new fish

it's not there responsibility ,

I could see pull out dead one ,

sorry that was just left wide open

your salinity will be fine for 4 days
timers on lights
auto feeder
they will be better of on auto pilot than trusting them to someone who don't know nothing about your system ,
and your fish will be safer without someone 1/2 plastered into the next world

 

[leftyfish]

Why would the house sitter/ dog sitter buy a new fish

it's not there responsibility ,

I could see pull out dead one ,

sorry that was just left wide open

your salinity will be fine for 4 days
timers on lights
auto feeder
they will be better of on auto pilot than trusting them to someone who don't know nothing about your system ,
and your fish will be safer without someone 1/2 plastered into the next world

My house sitters are just the kind of people that would think to replace a fish if it died. If I had not told them, something surely would have died and they would have put a new one in.

 

[54seaweed]

Wow those are some good house keepers
But I still say your better off on auto pilot
either way wish you and your fish the best
I have left tanks on auto pilot 7 days no fatality s just a bit dirty tank and cloudy water but all was good , thats when I lived on east coast and had to evacuate , due to hurricanes Bertha and Fran Glad I had a battery back up