Surprise trip out of town - what do I do with my reef tank?

Mkvc · 07/03/2013, 02:39 PM

I need some quick advice. There was a surprise emergency at work and I have to go out of town for about 4 days. What should I do with my reef tank? I am not worried about food, but I am not sure what to do in the way of lighting.

It is a 30g and has 3 white T5's, one actnic blue T5, and a few bars of blue LEDs. It contains some zoas, a sea whip, a handful of shrooms, a duncan, some pulsing xenia, and some lord acans in the way of corals. My tank is currently somewhat understocked (it just has one young oscellaris clown right now) and has been running for about 4 months. It has a 10g refugium.

Getting a timer is not an option. I actually have a controller (and an automatic feeder!) in the mail, but that doesn't help me now. I'd ask a friend to help, but my building requires you to register visitors and there's not enough time to do that... so security will not let anyone in.

I think I will leave the fuge light on, but what about the main ones? My only options are "off" or "on". I also can control every bulb independently, so maybe I should just leave the blues going? What is my best option?

Thanks!

Breadman03 · 07/03/2013, 02:42 PM

I'd turn them off. Many people go 3 days dark as part of an algae treatment.

SBGRAD24 · 07/03/2013, 02:43 PM

Leaving your lights off for 4 days won't hurt anything.

xrayjeeper83 · 07/03/2013, 02:58 PM

You should be fine with them off. I've left mine off for 5 days before trying to kill some algae and the corals where fine, a little ****ed but still health

Palting · 07/03/2013, 03:02 PM

Yes, lights' off for 4 days should be fine.

How about evaporation and top off? If your sump is deep enough with enough reserve then it's not an issue.

Skimmer? I would leave it on very dry setting.

ahmer1781 · 07/04/2013, 01:53 AM

I had too much cyano so I just finished 3 days without any lights, everything is doing just fine, id turn the skimmer off, just one less thing to worry about.

Fitz19d · 07/04/2013, 05:27 AM

Deep sump or not, evap is going to still cause salinity rise. I'd think you might want to top off right before you leave to the low end of salinity, so that by your return, it shouldn't be higher than the usual top end of salinity. (ex get it down to .23 and on return be at .25 or 26)

tallball158 · 07/04/2013, 05:40 AM

I run my skimmer dry, and keep it going. Is it possible to borrow an ATO from a friend while you are gone?

Gary Majchrzak · 07/04/2013, 06:00 AM

lights off, AC on, skimmer normal to low and fully topoff

DON'T DO ANYTHING NEW OR DIFFERENT BEFORE YOU LEAVE

ggsteve · 07/04/2013, 06:07 AM

As said above, lights off for a few days is not a problem. If you are really that worried about it, go to Walmart and buy an inexpensive timer just to get you through. I bought two grounded (3 prong) timers there yesterday for $5.47 ea. Top off is your biggest concern.

ca1ore · 07/04/2013, 08:33 AM

Why is a timer not an option? Can get one for $20 from Home Depot.

ca1ore · 07/04/2013, 08:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gary Majchrzak

DON'T DO ANYTHING NEW OR DIFFERENT BEFORE YOU LEAVE

Indeed, superb advice! It is one of the fundamental axioms of reef keeping that things are far more likely to go wrong when you are away. NEVER make any kind of substantial change to your tank withou giving yourself at least a month to ensure nothing goes amiss.

07/03/2013, 02:39 PM	#1
Mkvc Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2013 Location: Georgia Posts: 15	Surprise trip out of town - what do I do with my reef tank? I need some quick advice. There was a surprise emergency at work and I have to go out of town for about 4 days. What should I do with my reef tank? I am not worried about food, but I am not sure what to do in the way of lighting. It is a 30g and has 3 white T5's, one actnic blue T5, and a few bars of blue LEDs. It contains some zoas, a sea whip, a handful of shrooms, a duncan, some pulsing xenia, and some lord acans in the way of corals. My tank is currently somewhat understocked (it just has one young oscellaris clown right now) and has been running for about 4 months. It has a 10g refugium. Getting a timer is not an option. I actually have a controller (and an automatic feeder!) in the mail, but that doesn't help me now. I'd ask a friend to help, but my building requires you to register visitors and there's not enough time to do that... so security will not let anyone in. I think I will leave the fuge light on, but what about the main ones? My only options are "off" or "on". I also can control every bulb independently, so maybe I should just leave the blues going? What is my best option? Thanks!

07/03/2013, 02:43 PM	#3
SBGRAD24 Registered Member Join Date: May 2002 Location: San Diego, CA Posts: 873	Leaving your lights off for 4 days won't hurt anything. __________________ Those that make peaceful change impossible, make violent change inevitable. John F. Kennedy Current Tank Info: 90g reef with mostly softies. 40g Firebelly Toad terrarium.

07/03/2013, 03:02 PM	#5
Palting Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Ohio Posts: 6,912	Yes, lights' off for 4 days should be fine. How about evaporation and top off? If your sump is deep enough with enough reserve then it's not an issue. Skimmer? I would leave it on very dry setting. __________________ Anything I post is just an opinion. One of many in this hobby. Believe and follow at your own risk of rapid and complete annihilation of all life in your tank :) Current Tank Info: Incept 3/2010, 150 RR, 50g sump, 20g fuge, 150w 15K MH x3, T5 actinics x8, moonlight LED x6, 1400gph return, Koralia 1400 x4, 300 g skimmer, 4 tangs, 2 mandarins, 2 perc, 6 line, 3 cardinals, 2 firefish, SPS, LPS, zoas, palys, shrooms, clam

07/04/2013, 01:53 AM	#6
ahmer1781 Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Quincy, MA but work in Tewksbury, MA Posts: 71	I had too much cyano so I just finished 3 days without any lights, everything is doing just fine, id turn the skimmer off, just one less thing to worry about. __________________ starting up a 90 gallon with a 30 gallon sump

07/04/2013, 06:00 AM	#9
Gary Majchrzak Team RC Member Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: Rochester, NY Posts: 41,560	lights off, AC on, skimmer normal to low and fully topoff DON'T DO ANYTHING NEW OR DIFFERENT BEFORE YOU LEAVE __________________ over 24 years experience with multiple types of marine aquarium systems see Upstate Reef Society Forum on RC and FB GOOGLE JUNIOR'S REEF Current Tank Info: 84x24x30 265g reef past TOTM honors

07/03/2013, 02:42 PM	#2
Breadman03 New Old School Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: Luzerne County, PA Posts: 3,293	I'd turn them off. Many people go 3 days dark as part of an algae treatment.

07/03/2013, 02:58 PM	#4
xrayjeeper83 Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2013 Location: Orange Park, Fl Posts: 619	You should be fine with them off. I've left mine off for 5 days before trying to kill some algae and the corals where fine, a little ****ed but still health

07/04/2013, 05:27 AM	#7
Fitz19d Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2012 Location: Frederick Colorado Posts: 475	Deep sump or not, evap is going to still cause salinity rise. I'd think you might want to top off right before you leave to the low end of salinity, so that by your return, it shouldn't be higher than the usual top end of salinity. (ex get it down to .23 and on return be at .25 or 26)

07/04/2013, 05:40 AM	#8
tallball158 Registered Member Join Date: May 2013 Location: South Carolina Posts: 456	I run my skimmer dry, and keep it going. Is it possible to borrow an ATO from a friend while you are gone?

07/04/2013, 06:07 AM	#10
ggsteve Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2013 Location: North Central MA Posts: 372	As said above, lights off for a few days is not a problem. If you are really that worried about it, go to Walmart and buy an inexpensive timer just to get you through. I bought two grounded (3 prong) timers there yesterday for $5.47 ea. Top off is your biggest concern.

07/04/2013, 08:33 AM	#11
ca1ore Grizzled & Cynical Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Stamford, CT Posts: 17,319	Why is a timer not an option? Can get one for $20 from Home Depot.