Long Vacation - What to do? Need prep tips.

[Daniel91]

I have two nano tanks, stable and pretty independent systems; ATO, Auto Feeder, efficient CUC etc.


The only maintenance related work I do would be changing filter floss and my weekly waterchange(s)


Here comes the fun part - I will be going on vacation for 19 days meaning the tanks will be without water changes for 20.


This is currently my only form of nutrient export and I have nobody trustworthy to perform these. The water changes are also my only way for parameter replenishment.


So what do I do?

- Cheato Reactor / Mini Fuge

- Skimmer

- Leave for 20 days


Please help, got ~2 months to prep.


Thanks,

Daniel

 

[GlassMunky]

use the 2 months to find someone who you can trust. either a friend who you can teach, or a company that you pay, whatever it is.

 

[Daniel91]

use the 2 months to find someone who you can trust. either a friend who you can teach, or a company that you pay, whatever it is.

Let’s go ahead and assume this not a possibility or worst case scenario.

 

[GlassMunky]

no skimmer or cheato will be able to do what your WC's do.
If you cant find someone to watch it, then your only option is to leave it be.
although i find it very hard to believe that in 2 months preparation you cant have SOMEONE be able to come by at least 1 time a week to check on things.

But i will say this, DO NOT make any changes to the tank right before you leave, or even in the couple weeks before you move. making any changes brings about the possibility of new issues that you haven't had to deal with while you were around.

 

[saintsreturn]

Dosing pump for an automated water change? Set up buckets on both sides and have the doser run incremental changes out and in? test for a couple weeks prior.

 

[cancun]

I say if you have no other option just leave it......your tank should be ok for 20 days. Do I large WC before you leave and when you come back. I don't trust anyone but me to do any water changes or maintenance.

 

[Daniel91]

I say if you have no other option just leave it......your tank should be ok for 20 days. Do I large WC before you leave and when you come back. I don't trust anyone but me to do any water changes or maintenance.

Yeah, this is where I am at. I have people that could swing by, no problem and even do minor stuff, as needed. But considering how crucial WC are on my tanks, I have a hard time trusting someone with that responsibility.

 

[GlassMunky]

Yeah, this is where I am at. I have people that could swing by, no problem and even do minor stuff, as needed. But considering how crucial WC are on my tanks, I have a hard time trusting someone with that responsibility.

are there no other local reef keepers in your area?
my local reefing club basically negates these issues as i fully trust some of them with my system, as my system is much easier than some of theirs, and they understand the reefing hobby.

 

[Daniel91]

no skimmer or cheato will be able to do what your WC's do.
If you cant find someone to watch it, then your only option is to leave it be.
although i find it very hard to believe that in 2 months preparation you cant have SOMEONE be able to come by at least 1 time a week to check on things.

But i will say this, DO NOT make any changes to the tank right before you leave, or even in the couple weeks before you move. making any changes brings about the possibility of new issues that you haven't had to deal with while you were around.

It’s not so much about finding a person, it’s more about trusting a person to follow all the guidelines to the tee - making water, mixing to correct salinity, heating water, turning off applicable electionrics, water change, meeting system water levels etc etc.

Some of this can ofc be avoided by prefixing, but still so many things to potentially go wrong

 

[cancun]

It’s not so much about finding a person, it’s more about trusting a person to follow all the guidelines to the tee - making water, mixing to correct salinity, heating water, turning off applicable electionrics, water change, meeting system water levels etc etc.

Some of this can ofc be avoided by prefixing, but still so many things to potentially go wrong

Yeah I am the same way....I don't even trust my LFS....which I have great LFS around me. I never go on vacation for more than a week. My mother n law stays at my house to dog sit, all I have her do is feed my fish...I only feed frozen so I put cubes into baggies for each day. I also have her put seaweed in the grazer once a day. I don't have her do any kind of maintenance or anything!

 

[Tautog]

Don’t worry! Large WC before and after vacation. Having anyone fool with your system is silly and will usually not end well. I had someone do that, just take a look, make sure everything’s fine, but if there’s a problem, like No power or something, What would you do? Fly home! I wouldn’t, and would rather not know until I get home. I do feed less while away, just in case, therefore, adding less to be removed

 

[cancun]

Don’t worry! Large WC before and after vacation. Having anyone fool with your system is silly and will usually not end well. I had someone do that, just take a look, make sure everything’s fine, but if there’s a problem, like No power or something, What would you do? Fly home! I wouldn’t, and would rather not know until I get home. I do feed less while away, just in case, therefore, adding less to be removed

Absolutely!!!!

 

[ccurnick]

I am approaching this same issue, but for 14 days. I switched my tank to an AWC and worked out the kinks ahead of time so now its running smooth with no intervention. I also use an auto feeder, and have cameras pointed at my sump and tank so I can watch it. I also have (non-reefer)friends who can stop by my house and I can facetime with them to walk them through fixing issues in an emergency.