what to do with tank when i gone for the weekend

[revhtree]

I have someone come ever two days and feed the fish! I have the ATO and controller taking care of the rest.

 

[BSchlecht]

Reminds me, I need to go fill up the ATO

 

[Jonn]

Make a list of possible problems and what to do and all the numbers you can be reached at. Also if you can label as many things (pipes/valves/equipment) as you can. I can tell you from personal experience when something goes wrong and your trying to talk to someone over the phone and explain things they never get it. But have a few labels that you can have them find or a picture or written shutdown procedure is priceless.

 

[shred5]

Not much for just a weekend...
Maybe make sure the ato has enough water reservoir and the skimmer cup is empty...

 

[BSchlecht]

About the same as what I do. I have to say though, labeling the pipes is a great idea if you are going to be away for any length of time. I hadn't thought of that myself. I can't imagine trying to explain to someone which pipe or valve they are looking for.

 

[Vpham]

Set up a auto feeder for ur fish, hope they all eat pellets and/ or flakes...Rev
IME, I DO NOT TRUST ANYONE TO FEED MY FISH...LOL...OVER FEEDING.

 

[cdness]

Weekend is easy... A week on the other hand is a little more intensive.

Here's what I normally do:

Weekend:
- Fill ATO
- Feed well before leaving
- clean skimmer cup
- Close house windows and blinds

Week or More
- Fill ATO before leaving
- clean skimmer cup
- Haul buckets to next to tank
- Fill dosing containers
- Verify controller internet connectivity and test email setup
- have a friend/family member stop over to "check" on the tank every couple days. Feed pre-determined amount and top off ATO when they are there
- Close house windows and blinds

 

[zesty]

Not much for just a weekend...
Maybe make sure the ato has enough water reservoir and the skimmer cup is empty...

This, but with a little extra. I will (try to remember) clean my skimmer cup 2-3 days in advance so I can make sure it's not going crazy.
Make up extra top-off water and have it in jugs by the sump.
Fill up the ATO

of and close all windows and check to make sure the weather won't go nuclear. Wisconsin summer has went from 50º to 85º in one day. so I'll turn the air on, but set it to 78º. So if it does get hot, it won't get too hot.

 

[EZMAC114]

I'm going to England for a week at the end of the month and I am terrified because my girlfriends friend is staying at the house and taking care of the fish! I'm attaching my veggie clip to a piece of fishing line so she doesn't put her hand(probably covered in lotion) in the tank

 

[Jonn]

If you want to get really paranoid and OCD set up a few web cams. I have 2 cheap ones I picked up and have placed outside and under the tank. They include mics so I can hear and see what is going on from my phone at any time I'm away. Its a small investment for great piece of mind. Also helps when explaining to someone what to do over the phone...

 

[Munch]

Which cam did you use?

 

[Daniel@R2R]

Weekend is easy... A week on the other hand is a little more intensive.

Here's what I normally do:

Weekend:
- Fill ATO
- Feed well before leaving
- clean skimmer cup
- Close house windows and blinds

Week or More
- Fill ATO before leaving
- clean skimmer cup
- Haul buckets to next to tank
- Fill dosing containers
- Verify controller internet connectivity and test email setup
- have a friend/family member stop over to "check" on the tank every couple days. Feed pre-determined amount and top off ATO when they are there
- Close house windows and blinds

+1 except for the controller connectivity...mostly bc I don't have a controller.

My thought is that our tanks are fine for a few days (like a weekend) with no attention. In fact, mine would probably be fine for a week (with a little extra attention to extra water for the ATO or overfilling a little to account for evaporation). Btw, my favorite thing about going off is that I notice growth a lot more bc if not looking at the tank for several days.

 

[ritter6788]

Bad things happen to tanks when someone inexperienced is the tank sitter. I'd rather not feed the fish for a couple days than have someone else do it. I just make sure the Calcium/Alk dosing containers are full and ATO is full. I've left my tank for a week (multiple times) without issues.

 

[mike007]

Worry the whole time!!!!

 

[zesty]

Worry the whole time!!!!

Haha! You're not the only one!

 

[DrBoxedWine]

Does no one use an auto feeder? I have an eheim for my cichlid tank that I plan to use on my new reef tank soon. I'm surprised no one else has mentioned this.

 

[Aqua fire/medic]

Does no one use an auto feeder? I have an eheim for my cichlid tank that I plan to use on my new reef tank soon. I'm surprised no one else has mentioned this.

I use the eheim also. Only when on vacation though.

 

[Pimentinha1987]

Two weekends I have been gone this summer. Two dead corals...
Call it coincidence.
People don't know what to look for. Last weekend a gorgeous darth maul favia that I had JUST bought for a pretty good chunk of money fell on top of my acan...
Anyone want to guess what happened??

 

[racin2438]

2--3days no big deal...auto feeders take care of tank, any longer and we have our fish guy watch the tanks, We have a booklet with the plumbing, electrical, lighting, heating, diagram to direct anyone.

But the Apex, program we have on our phone/tablets where we can do parts of those things from anywhere we have wifi..

Rest someone has to do thru the booklet and guidance with us on the phone.

 

[skidrow52]

I'm out for two days every weekend , I don't feed the fishes those two days and everything works fine , I've a key as backup with a colleague who can come if I request him to go home, I've a live camera and an apex controller to monitor , if it's more than 2 days like now I'm out for a 9 days then I use auto feeders, rest like auto top off is there