How do you leave instructions for your tank sitter?

Rmckoy · Dec 28, 2021

I really never go that far away .
I had one person watch my tank years ago for a weekend and came home to a huge mess .
Lights were not on a timer so
They were turned on and left on for the entire weekend .
everything was fed the first day after leaving and expected “ that’s enough food for 4 days . It should be good ?

so now I do a water change ,
Make sure skimmer is running a little on the dry side .
make sure sump is at max level and fill the ato container

G Santana · Dec 28, 2021

Woodyman said:
I use something similar to these for my dosing, supplements, and feedings. This way they aren't measuring anything out, it's already pre measured and just needs dumped in, and I don't need to worry about a pinch of food being a glob.

I've got 2ml, 5ml, 15ml, and 25ml tubes.

GBSTORE 50 Pcs 5ML Plastic Lab Test Tube Vial Sample Container,Centrifuge Tube with Graduated and Snap Cap,for Sample Storage Container Fragrance Beads Liquid

Those are pretty cool, going to pick up a set for things I manually dose!!!

bitwise · Dec 28, 2021

Liking the idea to video record a complex step.

Also +1 on having the LFS come once per week when you’re gone. It costs $100+/hr to get that done for me (been years since I’ve had to do this), and usually requires less than an hour of work - but it can be a big help to catch an alk spike or some other major issue. There’s no replacement for seasoned eyes IMO.

homer1475 · Dec 28, 2021

Food pre portioned is a 100% must, fish always look hungry.

Everything else is apex automated. If anything goes wrong, the apex will notify me.

Only thing I have them do is feed the fish once a day(pellets in the AM from an autofeedeer), empty the skimmer overflow container(i'll get a message if it's full), and fill the ATO if need be(I'll also get an alert if it's empty).

I did recently make an emergency trip to florida for 5 days, just added another cycle to the auto feeder, and made sure the ATO was full. Came home and everything was just fine.

Woodyman · Dec 28, 2021

G Santana said:
Those are pretty cool, going to pick up a set for things I manually dose!!!

They work for that as well. You can pre measure weeks worth of you wish and pull them out as needed.

shakacuz · Dec 28, 2021

i just literally write what i do, as simple as i can. and have them come in and show me sometime prior to me going out or leaving to ensure they know what to do. if anything else comes up i have them face time me for any troubleshooting.

really all they need to do is feed the tank, make sure i have enough water in the ATO, and dose my daily supplement (chaetogro, iron, iodine, AFR). i am usually back to do my weekly water testing, so that never has been a concern for me.

FIN&BONEZ · Dec 28, 2021

Dont touch anything. AS long as we dont spring a leak all is good in the hood. I like to not feed for a couple days anyway and let my spoiled brats go natural. It works and great for the tank.

Lbrdsoxfan · Dec 28, 2021

JCONNOR77 said:
Dont touch anything. AS long as we dont spring a leak all is good in the hood. I like to not feed for a couple days anyway and let my spoiled brats go natural. It works and great for the tank.

My thoughts!

revhtree · Dec 28, 2021

I always make videos!

AJsReef · Dec 28, 2021

Travel often, sometimes for weeks at a time. The only note I leave “do not touch the fish”.

These days with all the different methods of automation there really isn’t a need to introduce the risk a tank sitter could pose.

GaryE · Dec 28, 2021

bitwise said:
I put this together over the last day or so for my wife, including making per day food rations and putting them into the freezer in separate containers.

Do you folks have any tips to share to make things easier for your sitter?

I knock on his bedroom door and tell him...

vetteguy53081 · Dec 28, 2021

I have a very experienced reefer tend to tanks in my absence. he knows exactly what to do.

vetteguy53081 · Dec 28, 2021

This was for my previous tank caretaker- he's not around anymore as he couldnt follow instructions:

onlyfans · Jan 5, 2022

Establish and maintain a very large copepod population. Get an auto feeder for any macro algae eating fish or grow macro, like red ogo, for them to munch on as it grows. Have a dosing pump for phytoplankton and dose that daily in the evenings; this should be good for about a week with room temperature live phyto. Shouldn't really need to do much else unless you have a very large SPS collection. If you do then I assume you already dose for that. So you're all set and just have the sitter come by and make sure it's all still working and nothing has mysteriously died.

Paul B · Jan 5, 2022

If I am going away for a week, I put 7 plastic film containers (google them) in the freezer with a days supply of frozen food in each. Then I tell her to throw one in each day whenever she likes and don't touch anything else.

If you forget for a day two or three, don't worry about it. If you want to elope with your boyfriend or some one else's boyfriend to France or Bangelegssh, Just go and have fun.

They are fish, not my first born child.