vacation advice

[pairustwo]

I've got a 20 gallon FW at home that has pretty heavy filtration on it A Fluval 204 and a HOB filter. It it also pretty heavily stocked -
4 neon tetras 1 inch
2 albino corys 1 inch
2 SAE 2 inches
2 Gourami 1 inch
1 Blue Ram 1 inch
1 Guppy 2 inches
1 Red Tailed Shark 2.5 inches
1 Zebra Pleco (Fake) 1.5 inches
1 Pit Bull Pleco 2 inches

Which is pushing the inch per gallon rule. The tank is clean never going above 5 ppm nitrates. I do a lot of water changes but the level doesn't seem to go up very quickly.

So I wonder: Can I add 8 tetras and 3 German Blue Rams (or angel rams) to this tank while I'm on vacation without poluting my tank? The extra fish are in my classroom and will be sealed in during spring break. I have a fish sitter who will feed each day at home.

Or should I get one of those vacation feeders? The last time I did that the fish ate each other instead of the feeder thing.

What do you think?

Pairustwo

[pitt420dude]

Hey teach!

It's overstocked as is, (which I am guilty of doing from time to time as well, so don't beat yourself up) so adding pretty much half of the existing bioload is inadvisable IMHO.

Have you thought about getting a timed feeder? They go for around $15-20 bucks. If they get locked in often (which, if kept in a school, I imagine is quite a bit) you would re use it. As another option you could buy the dissolving feeding things. Get more than before. You could even over feed them by double.

Regardless of what you do, I'd give either tank a good cleaning before you go. Get all the mulm and decaying food out.

Just my opinions.

[Jchillin]

It wouldn't be wise to add additional fish to the tank. I'd trust the fish sitter over an auto-feeder. How long will you be away?

[pairustwo]

I'll be gone ten days.
The fish sitter will be fine with the fish at home. It is the fish in the classroom That I'm concerned about.

The last time I got a dissolve type feeder I came back and it was all slimy and the fish were eating on each other.

I will look into a timed feeder.

Thanks.

[neilanh]

The thing I'd be most concerned with, moreso than the bioload (as it sounds like it's temporary during spring break) is that you can't monitor the situation during it. A fish sitter isn't going to be able to check ammonia levels and react properly. Plus, any time you move fish, you have to be concerned about ich and other diseases that stress can induce on a fish and potentially infect your entire tank.

I'd go with the timed feeder if it were me.

[Purrbox]

Definately skip adding the new fish before your vacation. I'd also recommend skipping the vacation feeder as they tend to just make a mess of the aquarium.

Since you're only going to be gone for 10 days, I'd probably just feed the extra well before leaving and not feed them during the vacation. You really aren't going to be gone that long, and the fish should be fine without being fed for a few days. I've heard of people ending up with their fish not being fed for much longer because the fish sitter messed up without a single loss.

[Jchillin]

Is bringing the school tank home an option? It seems that would be the best way to go.

[TomK2]

I completely understand the fears of using a battery operated automatic fish feeder. Failure to feed and overfeeding can result. So when I go away for a week (9 days gone), I just put a little food in it, say, just enoough to last 3 days. I figure that if it fails to feed, my fish will be OK for one week. If it over feeds, there isn't a huge amount in the feeder to totally foul the tank.

For a two week vacation (16 days gone), I just use a bit more food in the automatic feeder, and so far I have not had any issues. My tank pH is a little high, so the disolvable feeders don't work all that well for me either.

(Hi JC!)

[Jchillin]

I never thought of that, nice job Tom. I hope we did not miss the OP prior to departure.

(Hi Tom!)