How do you prepare for a vacation?

[bigdaddydz]

Hey all! How do you guys prepare your tank(s) for vacations?

 

[Dave1993]

you stay home

 

[FurrierTransform]

automatic feeder, top off water. Unless you can get someone to come by to do all that for you.

 

[MoshJosh]

Call the airline and cancel the flight, call the hotel and cancel the reservation, tell your family "tough luck", and stay home. . . your reef will thank you.

 

[Dave1993]

Call the airline and cancel the flight, call the hotel and cancel the reservation, tell your family "tough luck", and stay home. . . your reef will thank you.

This

 

[RedoubtReef]

pre-prep the food quantities for each day and set a bucket of top off water next to the tank for the sitter. Make no changes to the system within a week of leaving.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Hey all! How do you guys prepare your tank(s) for vacations?

I have someone very experienced to stop by daily after work.

Option:
Auto feeder
Unplug heater - never gets stuck until we go away
Clean tank a week before - allows you time to monitor tank prior to departure
Consider turning off dosers- Seems to keep pumping when we are gone on vacation

See if a trusted hobbyist or LFS could stop 1-2 times to feed and check on tank
Install a wyze camera where you can view tank while away

 

[doubleshot00]

Pre portioned food for tank sitter and wc 1 week before leaving.

Also having an apex helps to.

 

[fish farmer]

Why do you need to go on vacation? You have a beautiful reef in your home.

Since we have other animals I have a coworker who thankfully moved back into her old apartment complex so she can swing by and check on the cats and reef tank. The dog goes to doggie day care now.

I have most of my set up with ATO for weekly dispensing, kalk dosing for longer, controller for heaters, pelleted feed for easy feeding. I only have three easy to keep fish.

I have an upcoming trip in May by myself, so will leave basic instructions with the wife. I will only be 5 hours away, but will do all my maintenance this weekend and next so I can skip one WC while I'm away.

 

[ScottB]

Make no changes to the system within a week of leaving.

I'd like to reiterate this comment.

 

[bradreef]

I just did a week away and it was very successful.
The night before i
- filled Ato reservoir
- checked auto feeders
- tested parameters
- cleaned the tanks
- extra feedings the day before

 

[DivingTheWorld]

I wrote this up on what I do with my tank:

Build Thread - Diving The World's 80g Acro Wonderland!

I wrote this up in the question of the day, but thought people in this thread might find it helpful as well. What do I do when I leave for vacation? If I'm gone 5 days or less I don't change a thing. A week or more and I get my tank set up for the trip. A few of the things I put in place...

www.reef2reef.com

 

[Js.Aqua.Project]

I have someone very experienced to stop by daily after work.

Option:
Auto feeder
Unplug heater - never gets stuck until we go away
Clean tank a week before - allows you time to monitor tank prior to departure
Consider turning off dosers- Seems to keep pumping when we are gone on vacation

See if a trusted hobbyist or LFS could stop 1-2 times to feed and check on tank
Install a wyze camera where you can view tank while away

This.

I have an Apex, but I also ask a favor of a fellow local hobbyist familiar with my tanks to be on speed dial in case something goes wrong.
Will set up a camera to also be able to keep a visual, will double check things are full that are safe to be and things are low that are not safe to be overdosed.