Going away and leaving your tank

[Chrisfish]

Ok I know this is probably a dumb question but does anyone worry about going on vacation or going away for whatever reason and having to leave their tank to the care of someone else?? I'm going on vacation and as much as I want to I'm a nervous wreck. As some of you know from reading some of my past post I am new to the saltwater aspect of this hobby and as all of you are I'm sure love every creature in my tank. Recently I lost one of my clown fish due to some fighting between him and my Blenny, found him on the floor the next morning. As I stated in that thread I do have a top and to long of a story as to how he was able to jump out. Anyway my husband will be home to take care of them but it's just not the same. I have everything set up for him and instructions with pictures for him to follow but ...... Any thoughts, suggestions would really be helpful.

 

[argue.oa]

I just went away for 2 day and was able to monitor my tank with and old iPod I use it as a stream camera with presence from the App Store

 

[TheEngineer]

I think we all go through that. Just make it clear to only do what you asked and have them ask you if they think something else should be done.

 

[Reefrookie220]

I never have fingernails by the time I get back in town.

 

[koifishy]

I worry about that with any of my pets during vacation. As far as saltwater tanks go, can everything be made automatic so that there's less worry?

 

[TheEngineer]

You can automate a whole lot, but not everything.

 

[koifishy]

What can't you automate?

 

[acesfull44]

1. Have a controller for automation (Apex, Reefkeeper, etc)
2. My LFS has a service department, in which you can hire them to supervise things while away!
3. Pray

 

[Waboss]

I just control as much as I can from my Apex and set up a camera on the tank and one for the sump. Then I can see pretty much everything. I can't do much when 1000's of miles away, but it's piece of mind that keeps me sane.

 

[TheEngineer]

Can't automate the power going out and staying out. You can have a battery backup, but they only last so long and automatic backup generators run out of fuel.

Can't automate removal of a large inhabitant that died and is fouling the tank.

Can't automate a short circuit that causes a fire.

There's a lot you can do for basic oversight of a tank, but it only goes so far.

 

[Chrisfish]

Well I'm back from my "vacation" to find my pajama Cardinal missing in action and no trace left, and bits and pieces of my sifting starfish behind some live rock, I'm so bummed!! Even if I had a camera set up not much I could do while I was hundreds of miles away. And as my husband was the pet sitter, he was really upset but not his fault, fed them turned the lights off and on just like I asked. I'm glad I'm not going anywhere soon.

 

[TheEngineer]

That stinks. It's always how it goes though. Things never go wrong until you aren't there. At least it wasn't something more severe.

 

[Chrisfish]

That stinks. It's always how it goes though. Things never go wrong until you aren't there. At least it wasn't something more severe.

Your right and thanks for saying that it's just that I feel as responsible for my creatures in my tank as I do for my puppies.

 

[Chrisfish]

I just control as much as I can from my Apex and set up a camera on the tank and one for the sump. Then I can see pretty much everything. I can't do much when 1000's of miles away, but it's piece of mind that keeps me sane.

I wish I could do half of the things that you do, but If was watching my tank with a camera and saw something " going down " :mad: I would probably have a nervous breakdown!!

 

[Chrisfish]

1. Have a controller for automation (Apex, Reefkeeper, etc)
2. My LFS has a service department, in which you can hire them to supervise things while away!
3. Pray

I think I'll check out number 2 & 3 that you listed if I ever get the nerve to leave again. Thanks for your reply.

 

[Chrisfish]

I worry about that with any of my pets during vacation. As far as saltwater tanks go, can everything be made automatic so that there's less worry?

Or is there a way to pack up the tank creatures and take them with us?

 

[Lionfish Lair]

And you can't automate someone feeding your fish!

Everytime you leave on a trip, you'll learn something new that you should or shouldn't do for next time. Hopefully you'll be in the hobby for many many years and you'll not want to be tied to your house by your tank. I've had some very sad things happen in my absence, but now I have it figured out and can totally enjoy vacations again.

 

[ReefBuzz]

Ahh vacation time is always challenging. I travel a bit for work so here is what I've come up with.

Feeding - While on vacation feeding happens Monday, Wednesday, Friday. I have a Innovative Marine Gourmet Defroster. Food is pre-cut and placed into a weekly pill sorter. My wife just goes to the freezer with some tweezers, picks a food out and drops it into the Gourmet defroster. There is a seaweed clip that she can clip some too if needed but she usually avoids that.

ATO - I use a Tunze Osmolator for ATO. Normally I have a 5 gallon bucket hooked up. But if I'm going out of town for a bit I will pull in a larger container. My wife also knows how to switch out the ATO if I need it and if we are both out of town then my brother in law also knows how to change the ATO water and feed.

Supplements - I manually dose the tank... but you could use an auto doser. While I'm gone the tank gets a reduced dosing which is pre-measured and placed into these: http://www.vitalitymedical.com/basic-speciment-cups.html?gclid=CPj17OOT1ckCFYpffgod6tYEJQ
The wife and brother in law know how to open the lid and pour them in. Instead of dosing twice a week it gets one dose just to help eliminate issues.

Water changes - I don't trust people doing water changes for me... So I just hire this out to the LFS if I am gone for more then 3 weeks. If I'm going to be gone for a while I'll do a change the day before I leave and a larger change when I get back.

That's about it. Don't let them clean the glass unless they have experience. I've had someone stick their hands in a tank to clean it and they had just got done cleaning stuff... Not a fan of dirty hands in my tank.

If you really want to monitor your parameters grab an Apex and hook it up online so you can watch the temp and PH. AND always get a battery backup. I use this:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16842102048 and just have my vortechs hooked up. If your afraid of power going out you can also drop a heater in the display and hook it up to the battery backup as well.

BOOM... That's about it Happy reefing!

 

[Chrisfish]

Ahh vacation time is always challenging. I travel a bit for work so here is what I've come up with.

Feeding - While on vacation feeding happens Monday, Wednesday, Friday. I have a Innovative Marine Gourmet Defroster. Food is pre-cut and placed into a weekly pill sorter. My wife just goes to the freezer with some tweezers, picks a food out and drops it into the Gourmet defroster. There is a seaweed clip that she can clip some too if needed but she usually avoids that.

ATO - I use a Tunze Osmolator for ATO. Normally I have a 5 gallon bucket hooked up. But if I'm going out of town for a bit I will pull in a larger container. My wife also knows how to switch out the ATO if I need it and if we are both out of town then my brother in law also knows how to change the ATO water and feed.

Supplements - I manually dose the tank... but you could use an auto doser. While I'm gone the tank gets a reduced dosing which is pre-measured and placed into these: http://www.vitalitymedical.com/basic-speciment-cups.html?gclid=CPj17OOT1ckCFYpffgod6tYEJQ
The wife and brother in law know how to open the lid and pour them in. Instead of dosing twice a week it gets one dose just to help eliminate issues.

Water changes - I don't trust people doing water changes for me... So I just hire this out to the LFS if I am gone for more then 3 weeks. If I'm going to be gone for a while I'll do a change the day before I leave and a larger change when I get back.

That's about it. Don't let them clean the glass unless they have experience. I've had someone stick their hands in a tank to clean it and they had just got done cleaning stuff... Not a fan of dirty hands in my tank.

If you really want to monitor your parameters grab an Apex and hook it up online so you can watch the temp and PH. AND always get a battery backup. I use this:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16842102048 and just have my vortechs hooked up. If your afraid of power going out you can also drop a heater in the display and hook it up to the battery backup as well.

BOOM... That's about it Happy reefing!

Thank you so much for taking the time to provide all of your knowledge and expierence , it will be well used.

 

[Chrisfish]

And you can't automate someone feeding your fish!

Everytime you leave on a trip, you'll learn something new that you should or shouldn't do for next time. Hopefully you'll be in the hobby for many many years and you'll not want to be tied to your house by your tank. I've had some very sad things happen in my absence, but now I have it figured out and can totally enjoy vacations again.

Thank you, as you said I plan to be in this hobby for a very long time, I'm hooked!! And it's definatley the knowledge and expierence from you and others on R2R that really help all of us.