Tank recommendations for week vacation

[JCOLE]

Hello everyone,

Does anyone have recommendations for uninterrupted tank maintenance during a week long vacation? I am going on a cruise in a month and little worried. Last cruise I went on was 12 years ago for my honeymoon and came back to a completely dead tank.

I have an apex monitoring and controlling everything. Plan on installing a 20 gallon ATO. No filter socks, etc and already have a Neptune AFS for feeding.

Just wondering if I am missing anything.

 

[dwest]

Hello everyone,

Does anyone have recommendations for uninterrupted tank maintenance during a week long vacation? I am going on a cruise in a month and little worried. Last cruise I went on was 12 years ago for my honeymoon and came back to a completely dead tank.

I have an apex monitoring and controlling everything. Plan on installing a 20 gallon ATO. No filter socks, etc and already have a Neptune AFS for feeding.

Just wondering if I am missing anything.

Vacations are tough. Get the ato operational ASAP to fix any problems that may arise. I would also have a video cam. I got mine on amazon for about $30, even put a second one on the sump. I would have a neighbor, friend or family member to call in case you need to walk them through a problem as well. I don’t get a tank sitter when being gone 1-2 weeks. I find they sometimes create more problems unless they are experienced.

 

[jaxredsoxfan]

If you're dosing just make sure the containers are full as well, so they dont run out while your gone. Apex should let you know if anything goes wrong.

 

[JCOLE]

Vacations are tough. Get the ato operational ASAP to fix any problems that may arise. I would also have a video cam. I got mine on amazon for about $30, even put a second one on the sump. I would have a neighbor, friend or family member to call in case you need to walk them through a problem as well. I don’t get a tank sitter when being gone 1-2 weeks. I find they sometimes create more problems unless they are experienced.

I have a camera on the DT but I probably should get one for the sump. I currently have a 5 gallon top off than last about 2-3 days so a 20 should be good. I will attempt to train my father in law. At least he likes me so hopefully no bleach.... :-(

 

[JCOLE]

If you're dosing just make sure the containers are full as well, so they dont run out while your gone. Apex should let you know if anything goes wrong.

Only dose Kalk in my ATO at the moment and setting up a calcium reactor. If I cannot get the reactor dialed in before leaving then I will cut it off while I am gone. Hopefully Apex is great. I worry I will get an alert in the middle of the ocean and cannot get ahold of anyone then the trip will be ruined....[emoji29]

 

[JCOLE]

Ok so it has begun. I yesterday was the first day I was away all day and will not return until next Saturday. I believe I have backups for my backups. I mixed 30 gallons of top off with kalk and added another aqua lifter pump on a different apex outlet for redundancy. I have 3 cameras monitoring and recording my tank and fish room, etc.

Got an alert last night while at Disney. Easily corrected in 5 minutes through Fusion. Here goes nothing.

Wish me luck!!!!! I am going to need it.

 

[ZoWhat]

Looks like I missed the boat this time...but next vacation consider paying for LFS to come do a Service Call on your tank, mid vacation, to do a waterchange and put an eye on everything.

Avg service call varies but I would think $75 is fair.

LFS are struggling bigtime and I'm sure they would love the extra work.

Just make sure they are BONDED both ways:
1) they are bonded (insured) if their worker get hurt while at your house
2) they are bonded (insured) if their worker breaks anything in your house that's HIS FAULT.


Hth

 

[JCOLE]

Looks like I missed the boat this time...but next vacation consider paying for LFS to come do a Service Call on your tank, mid vacation, to do a waterchange and put an eye on everything.

Avg service call varies but I would think $75 is fair.

LFS are struggling bigtime and I'm sure they would love the extra work.

Just make sure they are BONDED both ways:
1) they are bonded (insured) if their worker get hurt while at your house
2) they are bonded (insured) if their worker breaks anything in your house that's HIS FAULT.


Hth

Thanks for the info. I will keep that in mind for the next one.

 

[JCOLE]

I just returned from a 9 day vacation. Everything looks great and I see growth on all of my SPS corals!!! However, not a big fan of the GHA I have over my rocks now. I am about to run some tests and I think I know where my phosphates will be at.