Vacation and feeding Question

shanet1975 · 06/28/2010, 05:36 AM

We are going away for the week next week and I only have someone to comes check on/feed my fish every other day. I currently feed on the morning and at night. I ahve 3 clowns. 2 green chromis, a flame angel, a hippo tang and a yellow watchman goby. Should I double what I normally give in a feeding if it is only once every 2 days? It's only for 6 days.
Any help would be greatly appreciated. Or, anyone have any luck with the auto feeders?

billdogg · 06/28/2010, 06:02 AM

IF you let someone feed your tank, they almost certainly will overfeed. I would let them feed once, midweek. Unless this is a very new tank, there will be plenty of stuff for them to forage from. For just a week, all I have my pet watcher do is add water to the sump as needed. Otherwise, no touchy please. I usually leave the lights off, or at least reduced on time, as well.

HTH

shanet1975 · 06/28/2010, 06:08 AM

Wonder if I am overfeeding myself then. I give them a mix of 1 block of mysis and 1 block of brine on a regular basis twice a day. On occasions I'll thow in some fresh brine or some seewead stuff. Never really thought about it though. As they look hungry when I feed them and they consume all of it. Or maybe some gets stuck in rocks and such. It is a 92 corner. About 60 lb's of rock (I know I need more, just moved from a 50 to this).
And on the lights, I was just going to leave them how I have them on the timer. Is there a reason to leave them off or reduced. Is leaving them off OK?
Thanks again for the imput. Reallt really appreciate it..

travis32 · 06/28/2010, 07:05 AM

I don't know if you have FOWLR tank or Mixed reef, etc, if you have corals. Lights off would not be o.k.

AndyH5512 · 06/28/2010, 07:50 AM

If you are worried about feeding, you could leave pre-portioned amounts for whomever is looking after tank. I wouldnt leave the lights out for one week either.

Miasma_F · 06/28/2010, 09:52 AM

I'm sure many will disagree, but if you are going to be gone less than 7 days I wouldn't have anyone feed the tank. I don't see any hard to keep fish in your list that couldn't make it.

If someone is willing to feed the tank. Make sure you have froze cubes on hand. Don't give them any special instructions about thawing or anything else. Just a simple "pop one cube into the tank."

FWIW, yes I think you are currently over feeding. Fish always look hungry, it's what they do. I have 10 fish in my 90 and they get two or three cubes a day and I often skip every 3rd or 4th day on purpose. For a while, I only fed every other day.

Floowid · 06/28/2010, 11:11 AM

Just have them pop in every other day. Tell them to throw in one cube, check the water level/top off, and that is all. Don't mess with your lights if they are on a timer, and don't make any special changes. You do sound like you feed a little too much, but if you are keeping up the water changes then I'm sure the fish appreciate it. One cube every other day would be a good "maintenance" feeding while you are gone.

JeF4y · 06/28/2010, 02:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Miasma_F

I'm sure many will disagree, but if you are going to be gone less than 7 days I wouldn't have anyone feed the tank. I don't see any hard to keep fish in your list that couldn't make it.

I would second this...

I generally feed twice a week, sometimes 3x and I'm STILL overfeeding them (based on the amount of algae I'm getting, chaeto growth and sponge population).

shanet1975 · 06/28/2010, 02:09 PM

Thanks for all the help...I will definitely slow down on my feeding habits.

gweston · 06/28/2010, 02:59 PM

While on trips I usually feed 1x a day with an Eheim auto feeder (quality flake variety mix I toss together). My brother usually checks up every few days (3-4). I have him thaw and toss in a half cube of mysis boosted with vitamins, and a 1/2 cube of frozen coral food.

I boost my top-off water a bit with 2-part solution, so some calcium/alkalinity is being supplemented during that time too.

I then track the tank remotely with an Apex controller. If I see something off I just pick up the phone and call my brother. A reefer friend is 'on call' in event of an emergency... my brother isn't up on reef tank maintenance.

06/28/2010, 05:36 AM	#1
shanet1975 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: N Brookfield MA Posts: 154	Vacation and feeding Question We are going away for the week next week and I only have someone to comes check on/feed my fish every other day. I currently feed on the morning and at night. I ahve 3 clowns. 2 green chromis, a flame angel, a hippo tang and a yellow watchman goby. Should I double what I normally give in a feeding if it is only once every 2 days? It's only for 6 days. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Or, anyone have any luck with the auto feeders?

06/28/2010, 06:02 AM	#2
billdogg Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Grove City, Ohio Posts: 10,806	IF you let someone feed your tank, they almost certainly will overfeed. I would let them feed once, midweek. Unless this is a very new tank, there will be plenty of stuff for them to forage from. For just a week, all I have my pet watcher do is add water to the sump as needed. Otherwise, no touchy please. I usually leave the lights off, or at least reduced on time, as well. HTH __________________ I'll try to be nice if you try to be smarter! I can't help that I grow older, but you can't make me grow up! Current Tank Info: 120 mixed reef with 40b sump, RO 150 skimmer, AI Sol Blue x 2, and a 60g Frag Tank with 100g rubbermaid sump. 2 x Kessil A360w lights, BM curve 5 skimmer

06/28/2010, 09:52 AM	#6
Miasma_F Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Michigan U.P. Posts: 384	I'm sure many will disagree, but if you are going to be gone less than 7 days I wouldn't have anyone feed the tank. I don't see any hard to keep fish in your list that couldn't make it. If someone is willing to feed the tank. Make sure you have froze cubes on hand. Don't give them any special instructions about thawing or anything else. Just a simple "pop one cube into the tank." FWIW, yes I think you are currently over feeding. Fish always look hungry, it's what they do. I have 10 fish in my 90 and they get two or three cubes a day and I often skip every 3rd or 4th day on purpose. For a while, I only fed every other day. __________________ -Matt I didn't do it. If I was supposed to, well, sorry about that. Current Tank Info: Nada

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06/28/2010, 06:08 AM	#3
shanet1975 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: N Brookfield MA Posts: 154	Wonder if I am overfeeding myself then. I give them a mix of 1 block of mysis and 1 block of brine on a regular basis twice a day. On occasions I'll thow in some fresh brine or some seewead stuff. Never really thought about it though. As they look hungry when I feed them and they consume all of it. Or maybe some gets stuck in rocks and such. It is a 92 corner. About 60 lb's of rock (I know I need more, just moved from a 50 to this). And on the lights, I was just going to leave them how I have them on the timer. Is there a reason to leave them off or reduced. Is leaving them off OK? Thanks again for the imput. Reallt really appreciate it..

06/28/2010, 07:05 AM	#4
travis32 Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: West Fargo, ND Posts: 2,161	I don't know if you have FOWLR tank or Mixed reef, etc, if you have corals. Lights off would not be o.k.

06/28/2010, 07:50 AM	#5
AndyH5512 Moved On Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Lake County, Florida Posts: 703	If you are worried about feeding, you could leave pre-portioned amounts for whomever is looking after tank. I wouldnt leave the lights out for one week either.

06/28/2010, 11:11 AM	#7
Floowid Registered Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Centerville, UT Posts: 712	Just have them pop in every other day. Tell them to throw in one cube, check the water level/top off, and that is all. Don't mess with your lights if they are on a timer, and don't make any special changes. You do sound like you feed a little too much, but if you are keeping up the water changes then I'm sure the fish appreciate it. One cube every other day would be a good "maintenance" feeding while you are gone.

06/28/2010, 02:09 PM	#9
shanet1975 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: N Brookfield MA Posts: 154	Thanks for all the help...I will definitely slow down on my feeding habits.

06/28/2010, 02:59 PM	#10
gweston Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Gardner, MA Posts: 961	While on trips I usually feed 1x a day with an Eheim auto feeder (quality flake variety mix I toss together). My brother usually checks up every few days (3-4). I have him thaw and toss in a half cube of mysis boosted with vitamins, and a 1/2 cube of frozen coral food. I boost my top-off water a bit with 2-part solution, so some calcium/alkalinity is being supplemented during that time too. I then track the tank remotely with an Apex controller. If I see something off I just pick up the phone and call my brother. A reefer friend is 'on call' in event of an emergency... my brother isn't up on reef tank maintenance.