Going out of town

The friendliest place on the web for anyone with an interest in aquariums or fish keeping!
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.

G1203

Aquarium Advice Freak
Joined
May 22, 2013
Messages
201
What do you guys do with your tanks while your on vacation/out of town???!!!
 
For shorter 2-3 day trips nothing. I have it on cruise controle with an auto feeder so I don't have to worry. If I go for a week or more I have a friend come in every couple of days and leave instructions on what to do each day.

Like

Day 1 - Feed fish, clean skimmer cup, top off fresh water to line ( I have a sharpie line on the glass) and clean glass with magnet.

Day - Feed fish, clean skimmer cup, top off fresh water to line ( I have a sharpie line on the glass) and clean glass with magnet. Add 25 mls calcium, 25 mls alk...ect

Give a lesson before hand too, they have to see the routeen.
 
depends on how long you plan on being gone

if it's only a few days 2/3 just leave your lights on a timer , and feed them a little extra before you leave and they'll be fine they will find enough to scavenge off of in the tank till you return

if it's a week or more you can still use the timer for your lights , but will need to find someone you can trust to feed fish , you can use a 2 week pill box to put the right amount of food in including frozen if you use it and just keep it in freezer, this way you know who ever you left to feed your fish don't over feed them , and you can do your normal maintenance when you get back. just remember to show who ever you choose to watch your tank everything you want them to do . best thing to do is have them come over 2 days before your go and let them go through the motions so you can be sure they know what there doing , knowing they can be dependable you can relax on your trip

I am not going out of town but understand your concern , I have been diagnosed with cancer , now since my kemo I'm weak and need to depend on someone to maintain my tanks ,
my biggest problem is I don't trust anyone not even my wife to touch my tanks ,
I hired a professional service to come in and maintain my tanks, even though I am here and see everything there doing and double checking everything they do I still don't trust them , but in my case I have no choice. don't think you need to go this route though ,
enjoy your trip and hope all goes well
 
Ok I'm going to be gone for 9 days so..... I better find someone I can trust!!!! Lol:)
 
Nice 54seaweed, we gotta protect those tanks of the month of ours eh...lol


When my tank was 3 months old I asked my mother to look after it for 9 days. I forgot to tell her about topping off the water and it was summer for the evaporation was pretty high. When I got home my tank was 1/4 empty, my salinity was THROUGH THE ROOF and all but 1 fish was dead. She didn't notice the water getting lower, she didn't notice I went from 6 fish to 1, she just dropped in food and left. My powerhead ended up half out of the water so it was spraying water all over the floor, it was a disaster.

That was the last time she looked after it...lol

Now I set up my laptop infront of it and stream video feed through Ustream. I have the app on my phone so a couple of times a day I can check on my tank in real time. Dorky yes but it works and eases my mind...:)
 
Just a water change the day before I leave. I have four one-gallon jugs for topping off the 40 and an ATO on the 75. Food is pre-measured (just flake and pellet) into a few Dixie cups labelled with the day they are to be used. Hide all other food unless your tank sitter is a fellow aquarist. My skimmers don't fill fast enough to worry about.
 
Back
Top Bottom