What to do on vacation?

[Owen Hipps]

I have gone on vacation and explained to the caretakers what to do in the situation of evaporation, food, dosing, etc. Sadly every time I come back to the corals unhappy and fish hiding pale in the rockwork. Just recently the pumps went out becouse of evaporation and before the caretaker could do anything all the coral and fish were dead. I am just wondering what you guys do to help prepare and keep your tank healthy when you're not there.

 

[Old Fritz]

I had a similar situation to you. I went on vacation to Maine for 2 weeks. My neighbor took care of the fish and I when I came back all but one fish was dead she also just straight up fed the wrong food to the fish.

If it's a short vacation just have them top off. If you assign a bunch of tasks more things are likely to be messed up. Longer breaks I would put masking tape on bottles and writing instructions.

 

[immortl]

Not cheap but hire a professional tank sitter? I was gone for six months and used a combination of a very understanding neighbor (written instructions, everything labeled) for feeding, and a professional company who came in to double check and do periodic maintenance every week or 2. Still had some cleanup and recovery when I got home, but it was six months and most everything was still alive and functional. Professionals were paid per visit, neighbor received full day passes for entire family to local amusement park, still don't feel like that was enough of a thank you but they insist it was way above what was necessary.

 

[Old Fritz]

Not cheap but hire a professional tank sitter? I was gone for six months and used a combination of a very understanding neighbor (written instructions, everything labeled) for feeding, and a professional company who came in to double check and do periodic maintenance every week or 2. Still had some cleanup and recovery when I got home, but it was six months and most everything was still alive and functional. Professionals were paid per visit, neighbor received full day passes for entire family to local amusement park, still don't feel like that was enough of a thank you but they insist it was way above what was necessary.

Didn't think of that. Paying them per visit can be cheaper than losing an entire tank. Around Chicago it can range from 100-200 dollars per visit. Not sure what it ranges else where.

 

[sharpimage]

step one. Get an ato.
premake the food for the care taker so they just dump it in. put it in writing and tape it to the tank.

 

[AllSignsPointToFish]

I label all bottles and food locations, write detailed instructions, and go over it with them before I leave. I keep in contact with them even while on vacation. The Apex also helps. I have put a camera on the tank when I was away.

 

[piranhaman00]

You need an ato for sure, I dont feed when on vacation, fine for the week!

 

[ArnoldosAquariums]

I have 11 tanks in combination with salt water and freshwater… So I know how you feel. Luckily all of mine eat frozen for the most part so we label everything and I write very detailed instructions.
My corals obviously would not get the reef Roids while we are gone, so I have reef frenzy for that

 

[Super Fly]

I have 11 tanks in combination with salt water and freshwater…

11 tanks!!! , I can barely keep up with one...lol

 

[DivingTheWorld]

You need to set it up assuming that your caretaker knows absolutely nothing, which is usually the case. Automate as much as possible, ATO, Auto Feeder, Alk Monitior, Apex (hard wire your Apex while away), etc. Make sure your ATO reservoir has plenty of water for the time period you will be away. For any manual feeding, such as frozen, place in individual marked bags for each feeding. A camera facing the tank helps so you can walk someone through an emergency if one should occur.

 

[sfin52]

All my food is presorted and measures. I than put into plastic baggie. I label food and put what day to feed.
Top off water is also labeled and what day to add.
Instructions are at first grade level. Simple is the best

 

[Han]

I have my lfs come over every other day, and leave detailed instructions taped to each tank and pre-portioned food in the freezer in labeled bags.

 

[DivingTheWorld]

Yep, label EVERYTHING. I put labels on my Auto Top Off Reservoir, Protein Skimmer, even operating water levels in my sump.

 

[GJak]

- Give detailed instructions
- Install a wifi camera to check in on the tank and to monitor that the sitter is actually doing what they were asked to do
- Put a metal plate on the floor in front of the tank and run a stripped down extension cord to it from your apex. If it looks like they are dumping too much food in in the tank, turn on that outlet on the apex remotely and give them a nice shock. When they come over the next day to feed the fish they will do it correctly.

 

[immortl]

Lots of good info here. Keep in mind the duration of your absence and what do you really need to do to keep things healthy for that period? Automation helps a lot, but if we're talking a week at a time here... ATO is good and really, you probably may not need anything else. Maybe a single feeding in the middle, but hey, 7 days without food isn't going to kill much in our tanks in my experience (some particular species may vary, use your knowledge of your tank and its inhabitants).

 

[ScottB]

I will only add one more thing to what has been said already...

Don't do any significant work, changes, modifications, equipment changes, water changes, APEX programming, doser revisions, repairs etc the day of -- or even the day prior to departure. No last minute stuff at all.

Oh, one more thing. Get an APEX.

 

[piranhaman00]

- Give detailed instructions
- Install a wifi camera to check in on the tank and to monitor that the sitter is actually doing what they were asked to do
- Put a metal plate on the floor in front of the tank and run a stripped down extension cord to it from your apex. If it looks like they are dumping too much food in in the tank, turn on that outlet on the apex remotely and give them a nice shock. When they come over the next day to feed the fish they will do it correctly.

I kept reading not knowing where you were going haha

 

[Tastee]

If you can afford it, automate what you can. Like a lot of others have done all my house sitter needs to do is feed my piscine pets daily (and as per other comments even that isn’t critical). Even feeding is easy for them - ‘Alexa, tell Apex Fusion to feed the fish’. That starts the cycle and they then drop in the thawed frozen food.

I could also just program the AFS but my fish prefer frozen and our house sitters like feeding them!

 

[Owen Hipps]

Thanks for all the awesome tips!