Vacation and feeding

Mr31415 · 03/11/2007, 05:19 AM

What is the recommended way of looking after your fish when you are on a 9 day vacation? My problem is skimmer cup and feeding - I have topoff etc. Those two are the only issues I can think of.

My skimmer cup fills in about 3 days - so it will need to be cleaned 3 times. And feeding - I only feed frozen food so automatic feeders won't work.

I do not have access to someone with reef experience closeby so I cannot really ask a friend..

scrmbld33 · 03/11/2007, 07:22 AM

you could train sombody to take care of, or does any of your lfs watch tanks? , for feeding i would say try and get a automated feeder.

virginiadiver69 · 03/11/2007, 07:34 AM

Do you have a lfs near by? As a last resort I would try to "hire" a competent lfs employee to come in a few times and do these minor chores.
I would advise against training a well meaning friend to do this. At the very least your fish will be WAY over fed.

llama72 · 03/11/2007, 07:49 AM

could the skimmer be turned off for the trip? I am going on a 7 day vacation in 2 weeks and this crossed my mine.

csb · 03/11/2007, 07:59 AM

I feed a mix of frozen and dry foods (formula 1/2 pellets, flake, etc.). On vacation, I mix up a variety of dry food in the feeder so the fish get a mixed diet, and all is well.

The sacrifice you'll need to make for 9 days is to just auto-feed a variety of dry foods. I doubt it'll be detrimental to your take... at least less dangerous than having someone else feed.

--csb

dmack · 03/11/2007, 08:02 AM

I went away for 3 weeks! I turned my skimmer off, and used an eheim automatic feeder. When I came home, everything was great! (Just needed to clean the glass). I think that if you have the time, you should try to get your fish acclimated to eating some dry foods so that the auto feeder will be an option.

dmack · 03/11/2007, 08:04 AM

I should add that I use an auto top off device (tunze osmolator), and a controller.

Mr31415 · 03/11/2007, 09:10 AM

I also have everything automated except the skimmer cup cleaning and the feeding. I tried some time ago to get my fish to eet dry food but they completely ignore it...

llama72 · 03/11/2007, 09:16 AM

convince your fish that they need to fast for religious purposes for 9 days.

Scuba_Steve · 03/11/2007, 10:56 AM

If you do use a friend, i would just turn the skimmer off, or drill the cup and run it into a milk jug. You could make pre made portions of frozen for them to feed, and only have them come by every other day as fish are fine being fed that far apart. they will just love you more when u get back home and they get on their old schedule!

Frick-n-Frags · 03/11/2007, 11:52 AM

I would feed them a little extra for a couple days prior to leaving then starve them. fish can go a month+ without eating, they will be fine. this also eliminates a bunch of things that can or can be screwed up

03/11/2007, 05:19 AM	#1
Mr31415 Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Surrey, Canada Posts: 1,926	Vacation and feeding What is the recommended way of looking after your fish when you are on a 9 day vacation? My problem is skimmer cup and feeding - I have topoff etc. Those two are the only issues I can think of. My skimmer cup fills in about 3 days - so it will need to be cleaned 3 times. And feeding - I only feed frozen food so automatic feeders won't work. I do not have access to someone with reef experience closeby so I cannot really ask a friend..

03/11/2007, 07:22 AM	#2
scrmbld33 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: south jersey 08050 Posts: 2,394	you could train sombody to take care of, or does any of your lfs watch tanks? , for feeding i would say try and get a automated feeder. __________________ a left over shrimp shedding is not "a sicilian message meaning luca brasi sleeps with the fishes" fish are friends, not food Current Tank Info: 90gal salt, 2 250mh 14k hamiltons 2 110 actinic, 127lbs LR,50lbs tonga 70lbs indonesia 7lbs tonga branch asm g3

03/11/2007, 07:34 AM	#3
virginiadiver69 Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Va. Posts: 4,400	Do you have a lfs near by? As a last resort I would try to "hire" a competent lfs employee to come in a few times and do these minor chores. I would advise against training a well meaning friend to do this. At the very least your fish will be WAY over fed. __________________ Semi-aggressive mixed reef w/ shallow sand bed 96x30x27 310gal custom acrylic w/ ext. "fail safe" overflow 125gal sump/cryptic fuge w/ 6" DSB 3 400w Plus Rite 20k MH in Lumembrights 2 250w Plus Rite 20k MH in spider reflectors VHO actinic supplementation 2 Tunze wave boxes 2 Tunze 6060 in Tunze Rocks 2 Tunze 6125 Reeflo 250 skimmer Hammerhead return on OM 4 way Aqua controller lll Leviton power panel Deltec Eco-Cooler Randy's Two part 6.5 kw generator

03/11/2007, 07:59 AM	#5
csb Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: New Hampshire Posts: 541	I feed a mix of frozen and dry foods (formula 1/2 pellets, flake, etc.). On vacation, I mix up a variety of dry food in the feeder so the fish get a mixed diet, and all is well. The sacrifice you'll need to make for 9 days is to just auto-feed a variety of dry foods. I doubt it'll be detrimental to your take... at least less dangerous than having someone else feed. --csb __________________ Winter ski bum, summer reef bum. Tank pics at http://picasaweb.google.com/snojrnl Current Tank Info: 30g mixed reef

03/11/2007, 11:52 AM	#11
Frick-n-Frags Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: north central OH Posts: 10,740	I would feed them a little extra for a couple days prior to leaving then starve them. fish can go a month+ without eating, they will be fine. this also eliminates a bunch of things that can or can be screwed up __________________ Only Dead fish swim with the current. Current Tank Info: 2 50 gal tanks, sump, still BB

03/11/2007, 07:49 AM	#4
llama72 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: hokes bluff, al Posts: 511	could the skimmer be turned off for the trip? I am going on a 7 day vacation in 2 weeks and this crossed my mine.

03/11/2007, 08:02 AM	#6
dmack Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Baltimore Posts: 464	I went away for 3 weeks! I turned my skimmer off, and used an eheim automatic feeder. When I came home, everything was great! (Just needed to clean the glass). I think that if you have the time, you should try to get your fish acclimated to eating some dry foods so that the auto feeder will be an option.

03/11/2007, 08:04 AM	#7
dmack Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Baltimore Posts: 464	I should add that I use an auto top off device (tunze osmolator), and a controller.

03/11/2007, 09:10 AM	#8
Mr31415 Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Surrey, Canada Posts: 1,926	I also have everything automated except the skimmer cup cleaning and the feeding. I tried some time ago to get my fish to eet dry food but they completely ignore it...

03/11/2007, 09:16 AM	#9
llama72 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: hokes bluff, al Posts: 511	convince your fish that they need to fast for religious purposes for 9 days.

03/11/2007, 10:56 AM	#10
Scuba_Steve Premium Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Pooler, Ga Posts: 1,342	If you do use a friend, i would just turn the skimmer off, or drill the cup and run it into a milk jug. You could make pre made portions of frozen for them to feed, and only have them come by every other day as fish are fine being fed that far apart. they will just love you more when u get back home and they get on their old schedule!