May be locked away from tank

[Mr.Asbury]

Hello!

My reef tank is in my classroom at school. Like the rest of the country, we are currently closed for the Corona Virus, and are doing lessons virtually. We have access to the school now for short periods of time, but I was told if my state increases from a level 2 to a level 3 response, the school's electronic key entry pad will be deactivated and I will not be able to get in until it's lifted. Based on other states that are in more serious lockdown restrictions, this will last 3 weeks.

I have a 32g brute trash can full of RODI water that I can use for my ATO to handle that end. I currently feed frozen misis, and don't know what I will do about feeding if/when this increased lockdown occurs. I am unable to bring my tank home (180g + 40breeder sump), and am not sure what to do about feeding while locked out.

Livestock:
2x Ocellaris clownfish (Amphiprion ocellaris)
1x Diamond Watchman Goby
2x Banggai Cardnialfish (Captive Bred)
2x Orchid Dottyback (Captive Bred)
Melanurus Wrasse
Clown Fairy Wrasse
Coral Banded Shrimp
Snails & hermits


I'm also worried about my coral, but there's really no way for me to do water changes during this time. Hopefully most of them survive & I can do some large WCs when it's lifted.

Any ideas/suggestions to not lose everything over this time out?

 

[Florida Sunshine]

See if you can get an automatic feeder and some flake or small pellet food.
That will help for a while. Can you talk to whoever is in charge and ask that you be made an exception and are allowed to at least stop by once a week or something to re-load the feeder.

 

[CindyKz]

That isn't a huge amount of livestock, and none of those fish requires a large tank. Is there any way you can set up a smaller tank at home and move just the fish? A 55 gal tank with a powerhead, heater and HOB filter would work. If you could take some of the rock from the school tank you wouldn't have much of a cycle.

I know this doesn't help the coral out.

 

[Wolf89]

Find a local reefer to help out

 

[Cell]

I'd try to bring the livestock home. Shouldn't cost too much to set up a 20 gallon tank for the fish and coral. You can probably even find free equipment on your local forums, especially for this cause.

 

[Miller535]

That isn't a huge amount of livestock, and none of those fish requires a large tank. Is there any way you can set up a smaller tank at home and move just the fish? A 55 gal tank with a powerhead, heater and HOB filter would work. If you could take some of the rock from the school tank you wouldn't have much of a cycle.

I know this doesn't help the coral out.

I second this

 

[fish farmer]

That isn't a huge amount of livestock, and none of those fish requires a large tank. Is there any way you can set up a smaller tank at home and move just the fish? A 55 gal tank with a powerhead, heater and HOB filter would work. If you could take some of the rock from the school tank you wouldn't have much of a cycle.

I know this doesn't help the coral out.

I agree with this as well. I would leave the corals at school and let that tank run on it's own, unless you have lighting at home for a smaller tank.

 

[Copingwithpods]

Throwing ideas out here if the above advise is not possible. Get the biggest container you can for the ato (60g brute can or larger) as long as the Salinity stays stable the fish and corals will do OK. For feeding if you can get a bottle of copepods (live) you can dump that in the tank and that should feed the fish for a few weeks.

Obviously this would be last resort but It should be OK.

 

[ScottR]

I wouldn’t worry about the coral, assuming your lights are on a timer. An automatic feeder will help the fish but I doubt the cardinals will eat pellets. Can you ask someone to take some of the fish? I had an auto feeder fail when I was on vacation for 10 days. The fish actually did ok.

I’d also look into perhaps getting pods for a live food snack just in case.

 

[laverda]

I would do as others suggested I would try to bring the fish home. I don’t see this ending in 2 weeks or even a month at this point. If you can’t than an auto feeder set to feed a small amount each day. Eheim makes a decent feeder that holds enough to last a while if your not feeding too much. Most fish can go a while without food.

 

[Halal Hotdog]

Great ideas in this thread so far. You could bring them home if you wanted to setup another tank. You could lend it to a LFS and they can watch the livestock for you while the school is closed. You probably want to act sooner rather than later.

 

[Camaro Show Corals]

@Mr.Asbury how are you and the tank doing?

 

[sprungson]

I wouldn’t worry about the coral, assuming your lights are on a timer. An automatic feeder will help the fish but I doubt the cardinals will eat pellets. Can you ask someone to take some of the fish? I had an auto feeder fail when I was on vacation for 10 days. The fish actually did ok.

I’d also look into perhaps getting pods for a live food snack just in case.

I didn't feed my Cardinals for over a month once and they loved off copepods and worms in the tank. I saw them attacking them at night.