Automatic Feeders / vacation food

blackandyellow · 10-27-2009, 01:21 AM

I´m leaving home for 4 days and I´m thinking about alternatives for the fish, would appreciate your opinions:

Alternative A. Do a big water change before leaving, feed well the fish all these days and leave nothing for them to eat for 4 days (most likely alternative) This way the water won´t pollute at all and I won´t risk anything while out.

Alternative B. Leave a vacation block in the water. I´ve never fed one of these so it might be ignored and not eaten and my water polluted, risking an ammonia spike

Alternative C. Buy and automatic feeder and leave enough for them to eat something, but less than what I usually feed. (risk is the food won´t be eaten because they come like crazy when they see me, and I won´t be there).

Lights are on a timer, so they will be left on it, PH contoller will be left on and trust him.

This is for the 100 gal tank with the angelfish. For the 60 gal tank with the silver dollar and red eye tetras I was thinking on just leaving some plant cuttings for them to eat.

I also have 5 neon tetras and 3 rummynoses on a 10 gallon quarantine. What do you think about those? just leave them?

Thanks for any advice and experiences...

**legomaniac89** · 10-27-2009, 01:30 AM

Avoid those vacation blocks like the H1N1 virus. They're nothing but crud that will mess up your tank. My fish go 4 days without food all the time with no problem, and they can go a couple weeks if need be. I'd say do a water change the day before and just feed a little heavier than you normally do before you leave.

**jjp2** · 10-27-2009, 01:35 AM

turn lights down or raise if possible.. feed normally... do a water change 1-2 days before and things will be good.

markstanfill88 · 10-27-2009, 02:25 AM

Buy a daphnia culture and just dump the whole thing in before you leave. Ive dumped tons of them in when I leave and the fish just take a snack when they feel like and it doesnt muck the water because the daphnia are live.

Darkblade48 · 10-27-2009, 04:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by legomaniac89

Avoid those vacation blocks like the H1N1 virus. They're nothing but crud that will mess up your tank. My fish go 4 days without food all the time with no problem, and they can go a couple weeks if need be. I'd say do a water change the day before and just feed a little heavier than you normally do before you leave.

+1. Don't use those vacation blocks at any cost. Feed a little heavier a few days before you go, and do a water change before you leave. Your fish will be fine for 4 days.

blackandyellow · 10-28-2009, 02:30 AM

Thanks, I will just leave them with no food, it will only be 3 days because I can feed them the day I leave and then feed them back sunday night when I come back. I`ll change the water tomorrow in all 3 tanks. plants should be fine without fertz for 3 days...

Logan's Daddy · 10-28-2009, 03:41 AM

A good alternative to the vacation blocks is the new "gel feeders" Basically the same idea, but instead of a chunk of plaster with food in it they are an inert gel that the fish have to "forage" through to get the food. They don't dissolve on their own.

I've used them several times with very good results.

blackandyellow · 10-28-2009, 09:15 PM

Thanks I will take a look at those. Can those be taken away if not eaten or do they dissolve in the water?

Tsartetra · 10-28-2009, 09:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by blackandyellow

Thanks I will take a look at those. Can those be taken away if not eaten or do they dissolve in the water?

They get picked apart if you leave it in. There might be a few small pieces of gel to remove by the time they are finished with it. These work fairly well--much better alternative than the plaster blocks... Although an automatic feeder might be your best bet (if you're gone a week or more).

fibertech · 10-29-2009, 05:46 AM

I bought auto feeders for all of my tanks. I also have a timer for the lights. On my days away I will shorten the time the lights are on to 4 hours. Never had a problem and have been gone for over a week.

blackandyellow · 11-05-2009, 01:30 AM

Thanks all. Fortunately everything went fine with both plants and fish in both of my tanks and also on the quarantine tank. I fed well before leaving on thursday, added fertz and left the tanks with the lights on their timers as usual.

Fed them back on sunday night and did a large water change on monday on each tank. The neons on the qt tank were moved to the planted tank and now look gorgeous!

10-27-2009, 01:21 AM	#1 (permalink)
blackandyellow Planted Member (View User Tanks) PTrader: (0/0%) Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Mexico Posts: 226	Automatic Feeders / vacation food I´m leaving home for 4 days and I´m thinking about alternatives for the fish, would appreciate your opinions: Alternative A. Do a big water change before leaving, feed well the fish all these days and leave nothing for them to eat for 4 days (most likely alternative) This way the water won´t pollute at all and I won´t risk anything while out. Alternative B. Leave a vacation block in the water. I´ve never fed one of these so it might be ignored and not eaten and my water polluted, risking an ammonia spike Alternative C. Buy and automatic feeder and leave enough for them to eat something, but less than what I usually feed. (risk is the food won´t be eaten because they come like crazy when they see me, and I won´t be there). Lights are on a timer, so they will be left on it, PH contoller will be left on and trust him. This is for the 100 gal tank with the angelfish. For the 60 gal tank with the silver dollar and red eye tetras I was thinking on just leaving some plant cuttings for them to eat. I also have 5 neon tetras and 3 rummynoses on a 10 gallon quarantine. What do you think about those? just leave them? Thanks for any advice and experiences...

10-27-2009, 01:30 AM	#2 (permalink)
legomaniac89 Cryptocoryne Addict (View User Tanks) PTrader: (47/100%) Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Elkhart, IN Posts: 2,177	Avoid those vacation blocks like the H1N1 virus. They're nothing but crud that will mess up your tank. My fish go 4 days without food all the time with no problem, and they can go a couple weeks if need be. I'd say do a water change the day before and just feed a little heavier than you normally do before you leave. __________________ Proud Member of the Michiana Aquarium Society "Halcyon" - 20g long 'scape --- Low Tech 20H --- Cacti and Succulents 10G Carnivorous Plants Terrarium --- 10g in the works --- 20g Crypt Setup

10-27-2009, 01:35 AM	#3 (permalink)
jjp2 Planted Tank Enthusiast (View User Tanks) PTrader: (9/100%) Join Date: May 2008 Location: Cape Coral FL Posts: 607	turn lights down or raise if possible.. feed normally... do a water change 1-2 days before and things will be good. __________________ John http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/ta...nbow-tank.html

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10-27-2009, 02:25 AM	#4 (permalink)
markstanfill88 Algae Grower (View User Tanks) PTrader: (0/0%) Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Dallas, TX Posts: 118	Buy a daphnia culture and just dump the whole thing in before you leave. Ive dumped tons of them in when I leave and the fish just take a snack when they feel like and it doesnt muck the water because the daphnia are live.

10-28-2009, 02:30 AM	#6 (permalink)
blackandyellow Planted Member (View User Tanks) PTrader: (0/0%) Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Mexico Posts: 226	Thanks, I will just leave them with no food, it will only be 3 days because I can feed them the day I leave and then feed them back sunday night when I come back. I`ll change the water tomorrow in all 3 tanks. plants should be fine without fertz for 3 days...

10-28-2009, 03:41 AM	#7 (permalink)
Logan's Daddy Algae Grower (View User Tanks) PTrader: (0/0%) Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Oregon Posts: 40	A good alternative to the vacation blocks is the new "gel feeders" Basically the same idea, but instead of a chunk of plaster with food in it they are an inert gel that the fish have to "forage" through to get the food. They don't dissolve on their own. I've used them several times with very good results.

10-28-2009, 09:15 PM	#8 (permalink)
blackandyellow Planted Member (View User Tanks) PTrader: (0/0%) Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Mexico Posts: 226	Thanks I will take a look at those. Can those be taken away if not eaten or do they dissolve in the water?

10-29-2009, 05:46 AM	#10 (permalink)
fibertech Planted Member (View User Tanks) PTrader: (0/0%) Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Dallas Posts: 154	I bought auto feeders for all of my tanks. I also have a timer for the lights. On my days away I will shorten the time the lights are on to 4 hours. Never had a problem and have been gone for over a week.

11-05-2009, 01:30 AM	#11 (permalink)
blackandyellow Planted Member (View User Tanks) PTrader: (0/0%) Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Mexico Posts: 226	Thanks all. Fortunately everything went fine with both plants and fish in both of my tanks and also on the quarantine tank. I fed well before leaving on thursday, added fertz and left the tanks with the lights on their timers as usual. Fed them back on sunday night and did a large water change on monday on each tank. The neons on the qt tank were moved to the planted tank and now look gorgeous!

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