Going Out of Town

[Andos99]

So here's the deal: I have to leave for Minnesota for 3 weeks on business and I'm not sure what to do about my fish. I'll probably be able to line up someone to feed them once a day while I'm gone, but my concern is the water quality.

I typically do a 20% pwc once a week. Even after one week, I'll vacuum a considerable amount of poop from the tank, not to mention plant particles, etc. I'm pretty anal about the quality of care I deliver to my fish so I'm concerned about how they will fair in the same water for three weeks. I wouldn't really trust anyone to do a pwc and I don't know anyone who even has fish.

Any advice or suggestions would be great! Thanks guys.

 

[Andos99]

One more thing: would it be a bad idea to consolidate my neon's into the 50 gal so the person feeding them would only have to worry about one tank or would that throw off my bioload too much and/or be a snack for my adult rainbows?

 

[Toirtis]

Inj my city there are a couple of pet-sitting services that have aquarium-saavy people on staff for just such occasions, perhaps you have something similar there?

 

[krap101]

i think it should be fine.. just seperate the food into seperate containers so the feeder will know how much to feed.

err i guess they'll do fine in 2 tanks. just make sure they know how much 2 feed, or you could get an autofeeder. ive heard of those putting alot of food in before though

 

[penpitt]

Just have them fed once every 3 days or so. Most fish should be able to go up to a week before needing to eat. Also do a large water change,50% or more, the day before you leave. I've left for up to 2 weeks at a time and my fish did fine.
For the feeding I just premeasure the food and put it in little tupperware type containers and stick them next to the tank that it is meant for.

 

[Guest]

you can go about a month without doing a partial water change, My LFS even suggests doing the water changes on a monthly basis. I would just vacuum it out good before you go and do a large water change, and do the same when you get back. Should be fine.