Do you have a Contingency Plan in case you can't reef?

[revhtree Verified Admin]

Thanks to @reefiniteasy for the QOTD idea!

Stuff happens and the future is in question. People get sick, things come up, and unplanned absences can take you away from your tank. With that in mind what is your contingency plan in case you are unable to care for your tank? Do you have a plan? Let's talk about it!

1. Do you have a contingency plan in case you are unable to care for your reef tank?

2. Have you ever faced a situation where you couldn't take care of your tank?

image via @RandyC

 

[James_O]

1. Do you have a contingency plan in case you are unable to care for your reef tank?

Yes, I would probably sell the tank and fish, but keep some of the coral and make a pico tank or something similar.

2. Have you ever faced a situation where you couldn't take care of your tank?

Thankfully no, not yet.

 

[jfoahs04]

1. Do you have a contingency plan in case you are unable to care for your reef tank? Yes, sell/give away livestock to members of the local reefing club. Then sell the equipment I didn’t want to keep. My LFS will take breakdowns too.

2. Have you ever faced a situation where you couldn't take care of your tank? Yes. My last reef had to be broken down when my ex girlfriend and I split up and had to sell our condo. Far and away the worst part of the breakup.

 

[Glenner’sreef]

Yes, my wife would step in for as long as she could. She’s a trooper!
Just short vacations have been the only time away.

 

[kittenbritches]

I'm one nervous breakdown from being a shut-in, so I think I'm okay.

In the event of catastrophe, act of God, hospitalization, amazing vacation opportunity, etc, I'd have my son or my ex-husband step in. He hasn't entered my home in five years, but he'd know what to do.

 

[sixty_reefer]

My young ones are well trained on feeding and topping up water. Everything is kept simple in my system no degree on reefing needed to look after the tank.

 

[WVNed]

No, I do not. It's do or die.
So I built a system that can run itself with minimal upkeep and has fall back positions that are even simpler so an able bodied person can do it for me with a little direction. At least for a while.
I already have days when I cant do much and planned for the worst.

When I reach a point where I cant even preform maintenance intermittently I guess I will quit.

The thing about this hobby is it isn't like a special car or radio control models or a fancy motorcycle. You cant park it somewhere and reminisce while polishing it or tinkering with it for a bit once in a while.

 

[Billdogg]

I voted "Other"
Because my tanks are fairly self sufficient and stable (some of my live rock has been with me for 34 years), I can go quite some time between water changes if I have to. My normal is about every 4-6 weeks, and then I do ~ 30%. I top off every few days from a barrel in the basement plumbed up to the DT in the living room. It is controlled with a remote switch.

Case in point - At the end of June, my tanks were just about due. On July 4, I tripped over one of the dogs, but avoided doing a face plant on the patio by catching myself on the corner of the house. Unfortunately, my left pinkie finger decided to stay on the side yard side of the house, while the rest of my hand came around to the back. Surgery, 3 small pins, and a variety of splints until mid September.

I was able to do the top offs because I still had one useful hand to open the valve and push the on/off button on the remote. About the 3rd weekend of September I was finally able to do a much needed water change/cleanup in the tanks. My usual 1 hour routine turned into 6 hours, but I got it all tidied up, and nothing was the worse for wear.

 

[ScottJ]

I don't have any short term plan if I'm unable to take care of them. I really should work on that.

In case I become incapacitated or die, I told my wife to have our LFS that does home service to break them down and haul them off. I don't want her to have to deal with them because she only likes to look, not touch.

 

[Calm Blue Ocean]

Somewhat timely question. I have chronic back trouble that is occasionally debilitating. Doctors so far don't have a solution beyond "here's a round of steroids" so mostly I just try to be careful and not do things I know will set it off.

Yesterday I was not so careful. Sometimes you just have things that need to be done, right?

Anyway by 1am the pain was so bad I really started to think I could end up in an emergency room. And in spite of being flat on my back in misery all I could think about was that I still hadn't set up the ATO on the nano and it needs top offs multiple times a day.

My better half would definitely try to do all the things but that's not a real solution (I should probably at least have notes somewhere outlining daily routines in case I ever can't communicate).

This morning I definitely feel a bit more motivated to finish automating the basic daily needs of the tanks 'cause I suspect the day is coming where I'm going to need surgery and my critters deserve to have their home remain comfortable and safe if I'm out of commission for a bit.

 

[N.Sreefer]

Last few times I was hospitalized my buddy took care of my reef for me but we were roommates at that time, it would be alot more difficult now that I live on the other side of town. Worst case I may be able to bribe him into it but ATM I'm just hoping I continue to be seizure free and don't have to worry about it any time soon! I don't do vacations any excess income goes to the reef.

 

[ZoWhat]

My spouse swears the day after I drop dead she's listing everything on Craigslist for $1

Actually ran my entire tank for 16 days remotely from 750 miles away while on vacation. Used Apex and Wyze cameras. 100% successful

 

[mdb_talon]

1)yes

2) recently went through this due to health issues. My wife was able to do most things fine(fill rodi container,feed,etc). This worked out fine for my display tank. In my frag system is where there were issues. Frags growing into eachother, wrasse knocking things over killing other things, not having her check nutrient levels and nutrients bottoming out and dinos.

In other words the procedural things are fine. Some of the other things I did not think were necessary i should have asked her do do. Testing nutrients for example. I would have noticed pretty quick and resolved it before it became a big issue, but is not something she looks that close at.

 

[KrisReef]

Thanks to @reefiniteasy for the QOTD idea!

Stuff happens and the future is in question. People get sick, things come up, and unplanned absences can take you away from your tank. With that in mind what is your contingency plan in case you are unable to care for your tank? Do you have a plan? Let's talk about it!

1. Do you have a contingency plan in case you are unable to care for your reef tank?

2. Have you ever faced a situation where you couldn't take care of your tank?

image via @RandyC

 

[HB AL]

The wife

 

[smokin'reefer]

Sell my house and buy a sailboat and turn the carribean into my aquarium.

 

[cocoReefer]

My tank is 6 feet long so i figure.... just bury me in it

 

[Reef craze]

My wife can take care of the tank. Also my kids are learning to do things for the tank.

 

[BadAtThis]

No "plan" however, I know a couple of people I could probably bribe to help me out.

 

[MnFish1]

1. Do you have a contingency plan in case you are unable to care for your reef tank?

The LFS will take the livestock and coral.

2. Have you ever faced a situation where you couldn't take care of your tank?

No