Leaving on vacation. How do you prepare?

[akdylpickles]

I am leaving for a month long vacation tomorrow. I was wondering what everyone does to get there tanks ready to be not touched for a while.

What I did was a 90 percent change on my tanks that didn't have shrimp then a 50% change on shrimp tanks and did a nice trim in all the tanks. I also cleaned all the filters.

So what do you do?

[CatB]

is anybody going to be taking care of your tanks? a month might be a bit long for some fish without food, i know two weeks is okay, but...
other than that, what you did sounds pretty good. are any of your tanks topless? if so, and nobody's taking care of them, then the water level will drop a LOT over the span of a month... i'd put a top (even saran wrap or something) on them to prevent as much evaporation as possible.

[DishyFishy]

Well for feeding, do you have a friend that could come over 2 or 3 times to feed them? They're usually ok for like 2 weeks but it would just be nice to feed them more than that. If not, you could try an auto feeder I guess.

Do you have a super specific dosing regime or anything? Or is it low-tech?

[gelbschnee]

I would not feel comfortable leaving any tank with fish alone for a month

[akdylpickles]

Oh haha my bad. My parents are staying home while I go visit my grandparents. They will be feeding the two fish I have and be doing the top offs. I was just wondering if there was anything I was missing to do.

I might do another water change on each tank if I have time tomorrow

[lbacha]

Evaporation is your biggest issue, if parents are feeding then over feeding is a concern a well make sure they realize less is better especially if you arn't doing water changes for a month.

Len

[robbowal]

do you add ferts or have Co2, is it heavly planted and require trimming?
if so shorten your photo period/raise the lights and trim before you go away.
as to ferts if you dry dose just add the amount for two weeks only and every thing should be fine with the lower light level.
i would either pre measure the food in pill containers or provide a small measure for it.

[stevenjohn21]

I have seperate tanks that are for Scuds and another for crayfish, i just get a net full of both depending how long im away and let the fish naturally scavange for the food. If you have canister filters then just lower the tubing further underwater and you will be ok even when the water evaporates.....make sure the heaters are well under also !

[akdylpickles]

I don't dose my tanks they're low tech eventually i would like to. So really all they have to to is top off and feed

[robbowal]

Then you just need to make sure the tanks are not over fed. (no matter how much the fish beg for food!!!!!!)

[DishyFishy]

Originally Posted by robbowal

Then you just need to make sure the tanks are not over fed. (no matter how much the fish beg for food!!!!!!)

+1. Sounds like you have everything else covered.

[InannaMoon]

Shackle any crabs to the scape? I just got home from a week away to find one of ours had gotten out of the covered tank and legged it from the living room and across the house only to die under one of my husband's shoes on the kitchen floor. Very sad.

Other than that I always ask a neighbour to feed and watch the CO2 level for me. I've had some really poor results with autofeeders and feeding blocks in the past so I'm just a bit over cautious.

[fusiongt]

If you could, ask them to do water changes. If that's too much work, then at least water topper offs. You may want to even prepare the water for them and just have jugs ready for them to put in. The less they have to do, the better.

[lbacha]

Originally Posted by InannaMoon

Shackle any crabs to the scape? I just got home from a week away to find one of ours had gotten out of the covered tank and legged it from the living room and across the house only to die under one of my husband's shoes on the kitchen floor. Very sad.

Other than that I always ask a neighbour to feed and watch the CO2 level for me. I've had some really poor results with autofeeders and feeding blocks in the past so I'm just a bit over cautious.

My fish live off an auto feeder I wouldn't have a tank without one it makes sure the tank only get a small amount of food daily.