Sea MunnKey
Valuable Member
"Men ... ppfftt. They can't multitask" ... that's what my wife always say 
. But... but ... but ... ;Wacky
. But... but ... but ... ;Wacky
Devastated :(
- Thread starter CanadianReefer
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Rybren
Valuable Member
Sorry to hear about your issues. We do have a pretty awesome reefing community here in Ottawa, and many folks will lend a hand if needed. Not sure whether you're on them, but there are some good FB groups for the area.
Reach out if you need a hand getting back on track.
Reach out if you need a hand getting back on track.
It sucks leaving a tank for long periods of time. Things almost always look "off" when you get back. I'm about to leave for a 10 day trip this weekend and I've been nervous about it. Just stocked it with lot's of nice frags too.
Night Reefer
Active Member
When going away I break my food down per item in a closed plastic cup. Then each cup per feeding goes into a baggy. Each cup is labeled and so is the baggy. I leave an instruction sheet taped to the side of the tank. Also I would hook up a cam to view the tank. I know this doesn’t help now but when I do go away it helps to take some of the worry away. Things will get better good luck.
OP
OP
CanadianReefer
Active Member
Good luck! I'm sure it will be fine
rkpetersen
walked the sand with the crustaceans
Around 1989, I was single and living in a small 2 br apartment in Ann Arbor MI, with a 100 g custom acrylic reef tank and mh/actinic lights. I had to leave for 6 weeks (!), at attend a once in a lifetime course in Washington DC. The complex manager happened to live in my building, and was a good guy, and offered to do feedings and water makeups while I was away. And I drove home and back 2 weeks in and 4 weeks in, to do other maintenance. Still, lots of things suffered, some things died, and algae was a big problem to tackle when I finally returned after 6 weeks away.
If there had been an electrical outage, or a plumbing failure, it would have been a total loss.
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Sarah24!
2500 Club Member
I’m happy (yay) your tank is bouncing back, that is the beauty of larger tanks. Still is heart breaking when you lose something in your tank. Especially if your bad like me and since corals are little animals I name them all along w my fish. But we grow attached to them because we care about them. It’s sad this happened, but as well what ever the emergency was I hope that is better also now.
OP
OP
CanadianReefer
Active Member
Thank you
I am relieved that most of my tank has survived, and you're right - big tanks do have an advantage in this regard. I'm glad I took the plunge and amalgamated all my smaller tanks into this one. I used to have upwards to 8 or more running at the same time - there's no way a non reefer would have been able to keep those alive!!
its very frustrating and its a very delicate ecosystem.......sorry : (I had to go out of town for 3 weeks because of a family emergency, so I left my hubby in charge of taking care of the aquarium. He usually helps out when I do regular maintenance etc., so between that and the fact that he had called several times to get the "honey do" list, I thought my aquariums would be okay.
He tried very hard, but I just returned to find out that things have gone to ****. He forgot the cylopods in the food mix, so my filefish died (it was the only thing he would eat). I had a beautiful copperband in QT that was destined for my softie tank - he was eating when I left (small mysis) but the hubby kept feeding him jumbo mysis (it was a small juvenile fish) which he couldn't eat... He starved to death
... but there's more... my freshwater tank also suffered. I did a 50% water change, siphoned the substrate and cleaned the filters... my nitrates are still at 80 and 2 of my fish have disappeared.
How much food does it take to increase my nitrates and phosphates by this much?? Not only did he overfeed and not use the right foods, but an entire large bottle of reef roids is completely gone. So I ask how often he was feeding the corals... once every day or two... OMG :O
Since I can't yell at the hubby whatsoever (he thought he was doing a good job) I figured I'd come on here to vent... it's amazing how quickly downhill something can go when you aren't there to keep an eye on it
I'm going to have to do many water changes to fix these issues... I hate to do it to my reef since stability is key, but I can't afford to keep the nitrates this high for too long... now it's a matter of finding the balance... maybe a 45g water change every 2-3 days till I see better numbers??
Sarah24!
2500 Club Member
Wow really 8, as a dedicated reefer I would have gone crazy. Trying to keep tabs on all the little critters and what not is hard enough in one tank. Between work, school, I barely have time to eat sleep and manage my tank. In case your wondering I slack on sleep to make sure my tank is happy. Exspecially on those days where sleep is badly needed and well the tank is mad, sleep gets neglected.
TinyChocobo
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Really sorry to hear that... It sounds to me like you need to do a couple of things...
1. Write a very detailed guide/book/note on exactly what needs done, when it needs done, how it needs done, etc. Something you can hand over to somebody that doesn't even know what an aquarium is and they can maintain the system with the directions you've provided. Including pictures isn't a bad idea.
2. Train your husband better
.
Seriously though - I'm sorry for your losses.
1. Write a very detailed guide/book/note on exactly what needs done, when it needs done, how it needs done, etc. Something you can hand over to somebody that doesn't even know what an aquarium is and they can maintain the system with the directions you've provided. Including pictures isn't a bad idea.
2. Train your husband better
.Seriously though - I'm sorry for your losses.
We have cellphones. And messenger or Skype. Pretty easy fix. Each time ya plan on a feeding or anything else, facetime and eliminate these problems. I really hope your tank recovers. And I am sorry that you lost animals.
First, I hope you family emergency was not serious and everything turned our well. I’m also sorry to hear about your livestock losses!
There have been many great suggestion for future trips away from the tank(s) so I can’t offer anything other than having a good documented process in place and testing it with him/them while you’re home so you can observe and provide feedback. This has worked out great for me so far since I travel often for work. When I’m gone my GF feeds and keeps an eye on everything. If something comes up I can’t walk her through or fix via my Apex, I have a buddy on speed dial for major tasks like pump replacements or heater swap outs.
Regarding the nitrates/phosphates, have you considered extending the photo period of the Refugium to get the chaeto to burn through them quicker? I’m on the Triton Method and can’t seem to get my tank dirty enough right now so I’m considering shrinking the photo period while I get more fish through my QT process.
My timing in finding this post is interesting.... I’m actually typing this response as I’m flying out for vacation with my GF. I hired a pet sitter for the first time to feed the tank. I just started education them on the tank and what to look for.... I hope nothing goes sideways while I’m gone. :-0 It’s making me think I might want to add a layer of redundancy for my return pump and ATO in the near future before I start adding more corals and livestock. I’m also patiently waiting for Mindstream to release their monitor. If it works as advertised, I think it will really help catch issues before they get out of control and crash the tank.
Good luck with the come back!
There have been many great suggestion for future trips away from the tank(s) so I can’t offer anything other than having a good documented process in place and testing it with him/them while you’re home so you can observe and provide feedback. This has worked out great for me so far since I travel often for work. When I’m gone my GF feeds and keeps an eye on everything. If something comes up I can’t walk her through or fix via my Apex, I have a buddy on speed dial for major tasks like pump replacements or heater swap outs.
Regarding the nitrates/phosphates, have you considered extending the photo period of the Refugium to get the chaeto to burn through them quicker? I’m on the Triton Method and can’t seem to get my tank dirty enough right now so I’m considering shrinking the photo period while I get more fish through my QT process.
My timing in finding this post is interesting.... I’m actually typing this response as I’m flying out for vacation with my GF. I hired a pet sitter for the first time to feed the tank. I just started education them on the tank and what to look for.... I hope nothing goes sideways while I’m gone. :-0 It’s making me think I might want to add a layer of redundancy for my return pump and ATO in the near future before I start adding more corals and livestock. I’m also patiently waiting for Mindstream to release their monitor. If it works as advertised, I think it will really help catch issues before they get out of control and crash the tank.
Good luck with the come back!
OP
OP
CanadianReefer
Active Member
Yes, I totally understand your worries. I' contemplating the same in terms of redundancy.
As for the photo period, I've already done that
like you, I actually bottomed out the nitrates and was having a hard time getting my numbers up shortly before all of this happened. I had reduced the photo period on my refugium, which seemed to help, so I'm hoping the reverse also works!As for my family emergency, it is still ongoing so I may have to leave town on short notice at any time. I'm writing good notes and showing him things as we go along in hopes that if I do, the outcome won' be as bad.
Water change #4 tonight. Still no drop in nitrates. Hard to understand since it was about 180g of water so far. Such a long and drawn out process....
Things looks fine though and I'm still floored that I have absolutely no nuisance algae growing - not even in the softie tank that's registering around 80 No3. Insane, but knock on wood...
CenlaReefer
Active Member
I am very sorry about the losses. I hope things bounce-back fast. I was just telling a friend how my reef tank makes me very hesitant to want to go on vacation.
rosshamsandwich
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sounds like you need a new hubby.I had to go out of town for 3 weeks because of a family emergency, so I left my hubby in charge of taking care of the aquarium. He usually helps out when I do regular maintenance etc., so between that and the fact that he had called several times to get the "honey do" list, I thought my aquariums would be okay.
He tried very hard, but I just returned to find out that things have gone to ****. He forgot the cylopods in the food mix, so my filefish died (it was the only thing he would eat). I had a beautiful copperband in QT that was destined for my softie tank - he was eating when I left (small mysis) but the hubby kept feeding him jumbo mysis (it was a small juvenile fish) which he couldn't eat... He starved to death
... but there's more... my freshwater tank also suffered. I did a 50% water change, siphoned the substrate and cleaned the filters... my nitrates are still at 80 and 2 of my fish have disappeared.
How much food does it take to increase my nitrates and phosphates by this much?? Not only did he overfeed and not use the right foods, but an entire large bottle of reef roids is completely gone. So I ask how often he was feeding the corals... once every day or two... OMG :O
Since I can't yell at the hubby whatsoever (he thought he was doing a good job) I figured I'd come on here to vent... it's amazing how quickly downhill something can go when you aren't there to keep an eye on it
I'm going to have to do many water changes to fix these issues... I hate to do it to my reef since stability is key, but I can't afford to keep the nitrates this high for too long... now it's a matter of finding the balance... maybe a 45g water change every 2-3 days till I see better numbers??
Newb73
Valuable Member
You have lived my worst nightmare.
I am gone 2 weeks a month.
Wife feeds a couple cubes of prepacaged mysis a day and auto feeder gives a couple turns a day of apex crossover. Ive even gotten her to add a little extra zoo and phyto every day.
Tank always looks better after a trip than it does w me home once i clean the glass.
I think my tank likes the lack of fesh filter socks when Im gone....
Even if she forgets and misses a day here and there the fish aren't going to starve.
There is a little beep from the apex when it's time to fill the ato and its just a valve in the garage. (I get an email, and 3 different safteys to shut it off).
I have 40 to 90g mixed for water change that i can do with my cell phone from anywhere.
2 part runs via apex outlets, almost impossible to stall in on position, but i only filll just enough in the resovoirs just in case they do it will run dry pretty fast.
Apex monitors everything. I run chaeto in a fuge, uv, ozone is hooked up but only run intermittently...i can flick that on whenever i want if my ORP drops. and a sulfur denitrator runs continuously.
Back up batteries run vortechs, thinking of getting a whole house generator with auto on for those outlets.
ATO resovoirs are small, if one sticks on it wont flood....so long as mains stay on. Leak detectors do the rest.
I do not let anyone test or touch my dosing supplies. If a dose pump dies...it wont drop enough to kill anything in 4 or 5 days...it will just slow growth.
I over feed my system as a matter of routine till I get cyano...the nittrates wont spike....i have the wife feed about 2/3rd to 1/2 normal when im gone as a saftey net...cyano is usually gone and corals happy so it's their "lean weeks".
Wife won't help with anything on the tank but she will put food in, i feel pretty lucky to have her as well.
I am gone 2 weeks a month.
Wife feeds a couple cubes of prepacaged mysis a day and auto feeder gives a couple turns a day of apex crossover. Ive even gotten her to add a little extra zoo and phyto every day.
Tank always looks better after a trip than it does w me home once i clean the glass.
I think my tank likes the lack of fesh filter socks when Im gone....
Even if she forgets and misses a day here and there the fish aren't going to starve.
There is a little beep from the apex when it's time to fill the ato and its just a valve in the garage. (I get an email, and 3 different safteys to shut it off).
I have 40 to 90g mixed for water change that i can do with my cell phone from anywhere.
2 part runs via apex outlets, almost impossible to stall in on position, but i only filll just enough in the resovoirs just in case they do it will run dry pretty fast.
Apex monitors everything. I run chaeto in a fuge, uv, ozone is hooked up but only run intermittently...i can flick that on whenever i want if my ORP drops. and a sulfur denitrator runs continuously.
Back up batteries run vortechs, thinking of getting a whole house generator with auto on for those outlets.
ATO resovoirs are small, if one sticks on it wont flood....so long as mains stay on. Leak detectors do the rest.
I do not let anyone test or touch my dosing supplies. If a dose pump dies...it wont drop enough to kill anything in 4 or 5 days...it will just slow growth.
I over feed my system as a matter of routine till I get cyano...the nittrates wont spike....i have the wife feed about 2/3rd to 1/2 normal when im gone as a saftey net...cyano is usually gone and corals happy so it's their "lean weeks".
Wife won't help with anything on the tank but she will put food in, i feel pretty lucky to have her as well.
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2Wheelsonly
Valuable Member
Pretty much this; sorry I would have treated him very different had this situation happened. Nothing makes me more annoyed than when I see two couples completely tune out each other's hobbies...
Sorry to hear! Hope you rebound, this hobby is very rewarding but can really get you down sometimes too!
Like it's common sense to just look at the reef roids and say to yourself "you know for $30, surely this is meant to spread out over time...but hey let's dump the entire thing in like a mongoloid". I'd be raging at him not using simple common sense; then i'd make him take an IQ test and if he scored lower than 110 i'd dump him.
terri_ann
Well-Known Member
Way to go Jer (@Rybren )
@CanadianReefer, Rybren is trustworthy. He's been in the hobby for years...I would trust him with my systems and I am a retailer
As far as not seeing any algae growth with the high increase in your nutrients, that is not surprising to me. Please watch Richard Ross MACNA presentation as Richard has great ways of handling his tank while away
:https://www.bulkreefsupply.com/video/view/richard-ross-the-right-kind-of-lazy-macna-2017/
@eyecandycorals, Bill- go on vaca! Your GF is out of the picture. I'm sure there is someone who can tank sit.;Playful
