leaving the tank for 2 weeks?

[George]

Evening all, Long way off yet but been thinking! :rolleyes:

I'm going away for 14days in October and just wondered what others have done to keep the tank ticking smoothly?
I was thinking I could do a larger water change on the day we depart and ask someone to collect another lot for when I arrive home.
I'm a little nervous as left my freshwater tank in the hands of my neighbour and I was shocked at the state of the tank on return, (fish had been well overfed and everything was caked in algue. A few fish had disapeared to) :mad:
I know it's a while yet but I'm a worrier!

[GIBBO]

I went abroad last year and used a auto feeder.Only downside to this is you can only use dry food so i started about 3 weeks prior so the fish got used to it.
A top up system is the best bet also with a full container the day you leave.
I would do a water change a few days before as you might forget your passport:D
I get so stressed on the day so the last thing i need is something going wrong so i reckon prepare well before you depart.If your in Hull i can lend you the feeder.

[George]

Hi Gibbo, I would love to borrow your feeder if you don't mind?! :D Really don't want to ask anyone to come and feed them so that sounds perfect. I've started feeding alot more flake which doesn't seem to be going down to bad really, was feeding frozen everyday but was advised to replace with flake so now only every other day instead.
Not flying till lunch but as you say would be sods law something would go wrong if left till last minute!:o

[SteveS]

hi george, are you from the hull area? lots of us scattered all over the city...im sure you'll have a local friendly reefer who would pop round once a day to check on things, after all favours are returned ;)

steve

[MR Teee]

You don't want to be messing with anything before you go, if it has been running fine then leave be . A loose hose or overflowing skimmer will bring disaster whilst you are away.

what are you going to do in the event of a powercut? Are you going to leave a list of instructions with anyone for emergencies?

[George]

Hi Steve,
I live in East Hull near the B&Q, I've noticed alot from Hull on here. Think Chris at Marine Tech's been speading the word.

Just been looking at your web page, you've some lovely pictures. Love your dog!

[George]

A power cut? didn't even cross my mind. (feel silly now) Maybe best I do start thinking and organising sooner rather than later:o

[Blue]

Hi Goerge. Looks like you have got most of the answers you needed ;)

[SteveS]

Hi Steve,
I live in East Hull near the B&Q, I've noticed alot from Hull on here. Think Chris at Marine Tech's been speading the word.

Just been looking at your web page, you've some lovely pictures. Love your dog!


thanks george,

pictures are decieving, the dogs a nightmare, would you like him? :D :D

maybe we shall see you at the m/tech meet up on the 29th then, get to know a few reefers, im sure you'll have no probs finding a sitter

steve

[GIBBO]

I was just saying to George in PM that it would be a good idea to get a family member to check out the tank and if there are any problems,a contact number of any member in here could be left and good advice given.
Be careful not to give too much info on a website as you will have a nice marine tank but no TV,DVD,Furniture when you get home:eek:

[SteveS]

I was just saying to George in PM that it would be a good idea to get a family member to check out the tank and if there are any problems,a contact number of any member in here could be left and good advice given.
Be careful not to give too much info on a website as you will have a nice marine tank but no TV,DVD,Furniture when you get home:eek:


gibbo, do you know me?? :D :D only kidding, yer echo your concerns but i dont think george has put himself at too much risk there!

personally if i were george i'd get to know a few reefers, and make my own choice for a tank sitter, a friend/neighbour/relative wont spot a problem brewing like a reefer would imo.

just on a side note, my mother got the shock of her life last time we were away, she came to check our house and found ray cleaning my skimmer cup in the kitchen. i laughed for days when i found out :D

steve

[Pinkfish]

Im going away for 3 weeks in September ARGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!

Need to come up with a plan asap !!!

[GIBBO]

:D :D :D That sounded bad from my post.I meant to say do not give details of address,date your going etc:D not info about the hobby.....OKAY ILL GO TO BED...:D :D :D

[SteveS]

:D :D :D That sounded bad from my post.I meant to say do not give details of address,date your going etc:D not info about the hobby.....OKAY ILL GO TO BED...:D :D :D

phew, thought youd sussed my side line for a minute then :D :D

steve

[GIBBO]

phew, thought youd sussed my side line for a minute then :D :D

steve

No Steve did not suss:D

[SteveS]

Need to come up with a plan asap !!!

sell up! :D

[Reefer]

sell up! :D

Excellent plan, that'll do it!

[George]

Sell up? Not sure I want to go to that drastic step! Could cancel the holiday but think my daughter would be alittle upset.
Laid in bed last night thinking, I have a close friend who I think will live at my house for the two weeks I'm away. And as mensioned above a list of numbers for any emergencies (fingers crossed she wont need them!:rolleyes: ) Think that would be the best step, get the house and the fishes looked after at the same time.

[George]

Said to my other half about the meeting but decided I'm far to inexperianced to attend,:o think I'll carry reading all the posts on here and someday I may be able to answer a question myself:rolleyes:
I'm sure I'll be able to read all about it on here the following day:D

[Mantis147]

Im going away in July so Ive just bought the Aquamedic Top-up System off ebay and will get a autofeeder for the fishies!!

[Tangman]

Hi George. I did mention this on the site a few week ago, about having tank sitting m8s who can look after tanks when others go away. I have a very good neighbour who knows nothing about marines but he comes in and feeds them once a day, i give him a friend of mine telephone number just in case there is a problem and he can talk him through what to do. If the problem cant be solved over the phone he will come over and sort it out for my neighbour. It would be a good idea if all you reefers who live in the Hull area to take it in turns to look after each others tanks when your away :D Eric

[George]

Hi Eric,
I think that would be a brilliant idea, deffinately would be a weight off peoples minds knowing help is at hand if needed.;)
As I said my neighbour fed my tropical tank last time I was aware but really overfed them and caused alot of problems! :eek: Neadless to say I'll be asking someone else this year!

[course-its-reefsafe]

As per Erics post :D

I have a neighbour (non-fishy) who just feeds the exact amounts I specify, then he has the phone number of a good friend (fishy) who pops in once or twice a week :)

I also set up a 200l water butt with an eheim 1060 pump as a top-up to last the fortnight, and it just made it :D


As Mt Tee says, don't make any changes just before you go. I've read too many horror stories of people coming home to a wipe-out because of some small "improvement" they made as they were packing their suitcase.


Friendly local reefers are worth their weight in Gold, it does pay to help each other out.:)


Cheers

Chris :)

[George]

Hi Chris,

Sounds like it runs like clockwork whilst away. Think I'll be leaving EXACT amounts of food this time! Hopefully I'll have a few of my own fishy friends by October who'll offer a help in hand! :D :D

[course-its-reefsafe]

Hi Chris,

Sounds like it runs like clockwork whilst away. Think I'll be leaving EXACT amounts of food this time! Hopefully I'll have a few of my own fishy friends by October who'll offer a help in hand! :D :D

I wouldn't tempt fate though :D


If good old Sods law can get a hand in, he will :D just try to cover everything you can do which is obviously what you're doing by thinking about it nice and early :)

Cheers

Chris :)

[Tom2006]

One of the biggest problems of all in the hobby...what to do when you go away. I'm away in June for 5-7 nights and I'm not sure what to do. If you invite a non-marine keeper to look after things they can/will do more harm than good. Then, if you invite someone you don't know all that well, there is the trust issue. Other option is to make plenty of small water changes leading up to departure day, check and re-check everything. Get someone to call round just to make sure the fish are swimming and the pumps are on etc and keep everything crossed. Not sure what I'm going to do :confused:

[George]

I know it's hard knowing what to do for the best:confused: . Think the safest option would be a neighbour say, feeding the fish and asking another marine keeper to kindly pop a few times a week to give everything a closer look. :) . As you say trust could be an issue however you wouldn't be giving them a key to the house so to speak.;)

[TerraC]

just on a side note, my mother got the shock of her life last time we were away, she came to check our house and found ray cleaning my skimmer cup in the kitchen. i laughed for days when i found out

she scared me to bloody death too! :D

[boshank23]

a quick tip if your trusting your tank to neighbours (i have done this many times) get a pill box from boots, holds just enough food for 1 days feed, and set up a tub of pre salted water, just under tank salinity. get said neighbour round and show them the jug with the fill line and the pill box with food in.

fill the jug to this line from the tub of water, defrost food in the jug and pour into the tank.

feeding and top up done in 1 fowl swoop. noww to teach them how to empty the skimmer cup............