Vacation!

clownfreak · 02/08/2010, 09:41 PM

I will be leaving for a vacation in Mexico in 2 or so monthes. of course, I am worried about my tank. I will be in Mexico 7 days, during this time my brother will be home to keep an eye on the tank, but then after that I will be at a wedding for 4 days (I will be gone 11 straight days, with no one watching the tank for 4 days). Also, it is a 25g tank with 3 occ. clowns, 1 coral banded shrimp, a peppermint shrimp, a turbo snail, 2 hermit crabs, and an emerald crab.

I will set my brother up with premeasured food for the days, timers on lights, and 500 page crash course to tank care. The problem is, I don't feel my brother is 100% reliable. I don't think the tank will be in grave danger but I don't think he'll check it daily (even though we do live in the same house, he is 18 I'm 16).

First of all what I would like to know is:

What is the cheapest/best option for a tank webcam? I have a computer I can leave running within 5 feet of the tank, and will have wifi along with my ipod touch (there is an app that connects to a computer that you can remotely view a webcam through an account), but I don't have a webcam, so any recommendations for a webcam? This also gives me the option to see how the tank is doing.

For the unmantained 4 days, should I get an auto feeder?

What other things can I do to make the tank self-sustaining? By then I will establish a copepod population to help the livestock feed themselves.

Thanks!

divewsharks · 02/09/2010, 01:13 AM

do you have auto-topoff? skimmer with a mod to dump into something like a 2 liter bottle?
for a webcam, do you have an IP address that is static or at least doesn't change very often?

sanchoy · 02/09/2010, 01:33 AM

Ok after my disaster crash last vacation (2 weeks) I have learned a few things. Here is a couple of check list pointers i learned from experience.

-controller (is a must for all timers, make sure all alarms operate effectively)
-auto-top off- (can't rely on the tank sitter all the time to do it)
-power outage back up- (is a must for long vacations, more than likely murphys law will take place when you are gone)
-GET a RELIABLE tank-sitter (this one is one of the most important ones), my last tank sitter didn't visit my tank for 4 days. Wow, how reliable. Also, don't get someone who has a bad tank. Rather get someone who follows good directions. You don't want someone experimenting stuff on your tank while you are away.
-auto feeder- (if you have anthias, or tangs this will be a must for long get a ways)
-Fish/coral day-care (if you have a prize fish/coral, give it to a friend to baby sit)
-check all equipment throughly before you leave
-don't add/change anything before you leave.

the web-cam thing is neat, however you still need someone there to actually check things out the right way. I am now so paranoid to leave my tank for more than 2 days. My last tank crash happened during the summer. Most corals all dead, lost over 5 fishes in the deal. Preparation is key.

clownfreak · 02/09/2010, 06:03 PM

OK, the webcam is just my peace of mind so i can check out some of the tank, and notify my brother if I see a problem. I do have an auto-top off, it is just a gravity fed water bottle, but needs to be refilled every 3-5 days, pretty quickly here I'll upgrade to a more unsightly gallon milkjug that should last the whole trip, but I'll make sure my brother moniters it.
Thanks for the advice!

tkeracer619 · 02/09/2010, 06:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by clownfreak

500 page crash course to tank care.

Sorry to say it but this thought process is why peoples tank fails when they go away.

Look, your brother doesn't need to know how to take care of a reef tank. He just needs to know how to feed it.

When you make a 500 page book do you think he will read it? Probably not even the first paragraph because it won't have any useful info.

Do yourself a favor and stop putting your hand in the tank every day. Learn how to run the tank with minimal interaction. Leave him with a sheet of 10 or so things that are important but no more. One of those things being the contact number for a local who has agreed to come to your tank in case of an issue.

FWIW almost every tank I maintain doesn't have anyone around it with a clue. Most of the time they don't even know how to feed properly. With service once a week your worry is my norm. It is easy.

Show him how to feed and cut feeding down to half of what you normally feed while you are away.

Show him how to determine if he needs to call the fish person.

Any more detail then that and you just created your own crash.

I could leave for a month with someone just feeding and cleaning the skimmer on my own tank. I wouldn't worry at all. I did train my tank sitter how to identify and cut sps that has RTN =P

clownfreak · 02/09/2010, 06:57 PM

Ok thanks, its a 25g tank and I don't do much maintenance either, just the water changes which I'm not worried about, I'll change it 2 days before I leave and when I get back (5-6% changes). For food I was going to set him up with premeasured mysis in pill dispensers (the kind you put your pills for the week in). Any thoughts on feeding the four days no one is around to maintain it?

tkeracer619 · 02/09/2010, 07:30 PM

You can get an auto feeder but the fish will be fine with no (prepared) food for 4 days. They will be hungry by the time you get back.

The ehiem single chamber rotating feeder is a good one to get.

chilwil84 · 02/09/2010, 07:42 PM

make sure any thing you do to your tank is a couple days in advance to make sure that you are there in case something doesnt work out and fails the day after you leave.

02/08/2010, 09:41 PM	#1
clownfreak Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2009 Posts: 405	Vacation! I will be leaving for a vacation in Mexico in 2 or so monthes. of course, I am worried about my tank. I will be in Mexico 7 days, during this time my brother will be home to keep an eye on the tank, but then after that I will be at a wedding for 4 days (I will be gone 11 straight days, with no one watching the tank for 4 days). Also, it is a 25g tank with 3 occ. clowns, 1 coral banded shrimp, a peppermint shrimp, a turbo snail, 2 hermit crabs, and an emerald crab. I will set my brother up with premeasured food for the days, timers on lights, and 500 page crash course to tank care. The problem is, I don't feel my brother is 100% reliable. I don't think the tank will be in grave danger but I don't think he'll check it daily (even though we do live in the same house, he is 18 I'm 16). First of all what I would like to know is: What is the cheapest/best option for a tank webcam? I have a computer I can leave running within 5 feet of the tank, and will have wifi along with my ipod touch (there is an app that connects to a computer that you can remotely view a webcam through an account), but I don't have a webcam, so any recommendations for a webcam? This also gives me the option to see how the tank is doing. For the unmantained 4 days, should I get an auto feeder? What other things can I do to make the tank self-sustaining? By then I will establish a copepod population to help the livestock feed themselves. Thanks!

02/09/2010, 01:33 AM	#3
sanchoy Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Close to the ocean Posts: 1,026	Ok after my disaster crash last vacation (2 weeks) I have learned a few things. Here is a couple of check list pointers i learned from experience. -controller (is a must for all timers, make sure all alarms operate effectively) -auto-top off- (can't rely on the tank sitter all the time to do it) -power outage back up- (is a must for long vacations, more than likely murphys law will take place when you are gone) -GET a RELIABLE tank-sitter (this one is one of the most important ones), my last tank sitter didn't visit my tank for 4 days. Wow, how reliable. Also, don't get someone who has a bad tank. Rather get someone who follows good directions. You don't want someone experimenting stuff on your tank while you are away. -auto feeder- (if you have anthias, or tangs this will be a must for long get a ways) -Fish/coral day-care (if you have a prize fish/coral, give it to a friend to baby sit) -check all equipment throughly before you leave -don't add/change anything before you leave. the web-cam thing is neat, however you still need someone there to actually check things out the right way. I am now so paranoid to leave my tank for more than 2 days. My last tank crash happened during the summer. Most corals all dead, lost over 5 fishes in the deal. Preparation is key. __________________ 250 gallon.. tangs are the best.. the po po is not. Current Tank Info: 250 reef

02/09/2010, 07:30 PM	#7
tkeracer619 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Westminster, CO Posts: 17,289	You can get an auto feeder but the fish will be fine with no (prepared) food for 4 days. They will be hungry by the time you get back. The ehiem single chamber rotating feeder is a good one to get. __________________ Hobby Experience: 9200ish gallons, 26 skimmers, and a handful of Kent Scrapers. Current Tank: Vortech Powered 600G SPS Tank w/ 100gal frag tank & 100g Sump. RK2-RK10 Skimmer. ReefAngel. Radium 20k.

02/09/2010, 01:13 AM	#2
divewsharks Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: San Jose, CA Posts: 1,905	do you have auto-topoff? skimmer with a mod to dump into something like a 2 liter bottle? for a webcam, do you have an IP address that is static or at least doesn't change very often?

02/09/2010, 06:03 PM	#4
clownfreak Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2009 Posts: 405	OK, the webcam is just my peace of mind so i can check out some of the tank, and notify my brother if I see a problem. I do have an auto-top off, it is just a gravity fed water bottle, but needs to be refilled every 3-5 days, pretty quickly here I'll upgrade to a more unsightly gallon milkjug that should last the whole trip, but I'll make sure my brother moniters it. Thanks for the advice!

02/09/2010, 06:57 PM	#6
clownfreak Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2009 Posts: 405	Ok thanks, its a 25g tank and I don't do much maintenance either, just the water changes which I'm not worried about, I'll change it 2 days before I leave and when I get back (5-6% changes). For food I was going to set him up with premeasured mysis in pill dispensers (the kind you put your pills for the week in). Any thoughts on feeding the four days no one is around to maintain it?

02/09/2010, 07:42 PM	#8
chilwil84 Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: down the shore Posts: 780	make sure any thing you do to your tank is a couple days in advance to make sure that you are there in case something doesnt work out and fails the day after you leave.