Joe-Hamilton
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How do people cope with holidays whilst owning a reef tank? I mean a two plus week vacation.
Reef keeping and holidays
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That's easy. All our money goes into our tanks so we can't afford a vacation;Hilarious
But best bet is to get someone you trust to watch your tank while you're gone. Yes you can do apex and remote monitoring and stuff like that, but if something happens there isn't much you can do to correct it till you get home.
Automation and Internet-based monitoring as best as possible (APEX/Neptune and the like) combined with a local resource who can feed the tank on-schedule (if not using an auto-feeder) and get eyes on the tank.
Some LFS will offer "sitting" services - which is usually better than just having a friend do it (unless, of course, they are reefers as well), but they will (hopefully) charge more as well...
I also do a big water change the night before we leave, change out all the media (carbon/GFO, CO2, etc.), empty the skimmer, and remove filter socks (which I condition my tank for even when home).
Some LFS will offer "sitting" services - which is usually better than just having a friend do it (unless, of course, they are reefers as well), but they will (hopefully) charge more as well...
I also do a big water change the night before we leave, change out all the media (carbon/GFO, CO2, etc.), empty the skimmer, and remove filter socks (which I condition my tank for even when home).
I am coming up on this predicament in a few months myself.
Just moved to the area so don't know anyone that I can have watch my tank.
My tank is pretty automated. Apex, camera stream, ATO, auto feeder, dosing pumps, etc but still worried
Going to have to get a big bucket to use for my ATO while I am gone. My 3 gallon bucket only lasts about 5 or 6 days before it's empty.
Just moved to the area so don't know anyone that I can have watch my tank.
My tank is pretty automated. Apex, camera stream, ATO, auto feeder, dosing pumps, etc but still worried
Going to have to get a big bucket to use for my ATO while I am gone. My 3 gallon bucket only lasts about 5 or 6 days before it's empty.
This is a tough one.
The best answer to this question meant buying equipment of the highest quality when setting up. This is harder after the fact.
I keep my tank as simple as possible with no ATO or Controller - who would know besides me what they are doing and how they work when they break? Return pumps, skimmer, heaters & heater controller, lights, etc. are all top quality from Europe or US and designed to last decades. Calcium Reactor needs nothing for months at a time. I leave buckets of RO in front of the tank so that any idiot can check that the level is "between the lines" in the sump and pour some in when needed. Fish are on auto feeders.
I have a friend who makes sure that my fish are swimming, lights are on and checks the water level in the sumps. We trade it out in other things...
The best answer to this question meant buying equipment of the highest quality when setting up. This is harder after the fact.
I keep my tank as simple as possible with no ATO or Controller - who would know besides me what they are doing and how they work when they break? Return pumps, skimmer, heaters & heater controller, lights, etc. are all top quality from Europe or US and designed to last decades. Calcium Reactor needs nothing for months at a time. I leave buckets of RO in front of the tank so that any idiot can check that the level is "between the lines" in the sump and pour some in when needed. Fish are on auto feeders.
I have a friend who makes sure that my fish are swimming, lights are on and checks the water level in the sumps. We trade it out in other things...
What you need is a website or forum filled with people from all over the world who have reef tanks of their own. If you could find a site like that, you might be able to find someone local to you... :-D
