Feeding When on Vacation

[KenK]

What does everyone do when they go on vacation? How do the fish get feed? I would not trust anyone to feed them. I looked at various automatic feeders and wondered, do they work well? Does anyone have any recommendations for feeders? We are away most weekends in the summer so I need something reliable.

 

[flame82]

have you looked to see if your lfs store has stones like they do for fresh water fish? i know when i use have fresh they had feeder stones that would slow fall apart and float. i personnaly havent seen any in my lfs for saltwater but my stores dont carry that much of a selection?

 

[fishfreek]

If your only gone for a weekend then dont worry. Your fish wont suffer going from Friday to Monday with out being feed. Those feeder blocks can contaminate and foul the water.

Unlike FW in SW you need to be more concerned with evaporation than feeding unless your going to be gone for a period of 1 week or more. With SW as the water evaporates the SG increases so its important to try to maintan the water level. You dont have a neighbor that you would trust with the key to your house for the time your gone for a week or more? Pre measure the food into small cups and label them for the days they are to feed and you should have a good idea as to what your daily or bi-daily evaporation is that you can premeasure evaporation top off and place in jugs also labled for the day they are to add. Then all the person has to do is come in and feed the approprate labled cup and add the approprate amount of water. Hide the rest of the food so folks dont feel inclinded to give the fish more.

 

[ktolba]

there are no long term feeding stones for sw fish. i put my food in baggies and have a friend come over and give one bag every 2-3 days. I already have my fish on a every other day schedule so they deal with this very well.

 

[SsSarahsS]

I leave my fish without food for an entire weekend all the time and they do just fine. I went away for a week once and I made some frozen cubes and put them in a container, I just told a friend to give them one cube a day. They should be fine withour food during the weekends though.

 

[Guest]

I left for Canada for a week recently. I just placed 4 pyramid looking weekend feeders for marine tanks. Petsmart should have it (or even petco). I have a skimmer and two Wall Hung filters and an aquaclear powerhead with filter. When I got back they were alive but my skimmer cup is filthy, the water level evaporated, and my filter is filthy too.

I left the lights off for a week that time because I didn't have a timer. It's amazing how I came home with all of them alive. I think weekend feeders will do just fine.

 

[ashobson]

I dont undestand the evaporation worry. I maybe add 1 gal every 3 weeks for top off. I have the glass tops that pretty much seal it up the water flowing back form the skimmer and sump supply plenty oxeagon. As for the feeding my sister inlaw feeds them the food I have in daly bags for them. I wish I would have thought of that 20 years ago when a nebr over feed and wiped out my hole tank.

 

[steve r]

have you ever check your SG after three weeks of not topping off? it must be through the roof. the evaportion worry is that as water evaporates the salt doesnt. this raises your salinity ( or SG ). not only can high levels harm your animals but fluctuations can be very stressful and lead to unhealthy animals

steve