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View Full Version : leaving my tank in someone else's hand for a while :(


Chipie
08/31/2008, 12:06 PM
Hi,
I would really like to know what you guys(and girls ;) ) would do if you were in my shoes.

I'm leaving for a month long trip and it's my brother who will take care of my tank when i'm gone.

He has a few tank of his own but he's into freshwater. So he doesn't know much about saltwater reefs.

I know i can depend on him to do what i ask of him. But i'm wondering if i should ask him to do water changes or can my tank make it ok for a month without a water change without anything suffering too much. I have fish and corals(sps,lps, softies, a bubble tip anemone)


I usually do a 10% water change every week.

My test are usually always at Nitrates 0.5
Nitrite 0
Ammonia 0
Calcium 400
AlK 2
PH 8
It's a 65 gallons tank with a small sump and a hob refugium with marco algea in it. I've got a Aqua remora Pro skimmer too.


Would you go a month without water changes?

LUVSPS
08/31/2008, 12:19 PM
Has your brother ever done a water change on your reef before or are you just leaving him detailed insructions to walk him through it?
I don't know If I would let him or not. I wouldn't let my brother:)

suasponte2/75
08/31/2008, 12:28 PM
I wouldn't try to complicate it for a tank sitter. The only thing I ask of my tank sitter is to feed the tank every other day (just in case they over feed) and do top offs (even better to just automate it). I subscribe to the KISS (keep it simple stupid :D ) method when it comes to a tank sitter. The more complicated instructions there are the more easily they get confused.

I've heard of people never doing water changes, sometimes only do annual or even bi-annual (I used to before on a softie tank). You'll be more than fine if you do a large water change when you get back. Also, I label all my wiring just in case they call me with a problem and I can tell them to unplug something. Just try to keep it simple.


HTHs,

Minh

Chipie
08/31/2008, 12:30 PM
Hi,
Well i intended to let him do a water change while i watch and show him how to do. He's more than willing to learn and he's very dpendable and smart.

But i still hesitate because he doesn't have any experience with top offs, sumps overflows etc.
I must add that he's 45 years old and a lawyer. So he's no rebelious kid... lol
But stil......

Chipie
08/31/2008, 12:47 PM
Well , i already have an auto top off system on my 2 tanks so he'll only have to add fresh water to the 5 gallons jug i'm using for it. I'll have lots of RO/DI water prepared for him. And we have a company selling ro/di water with 0 tds here so he can always buy some more if needed.

As for labeling the cables, i'll do that for sure. Thanks for reminding me.

Well maybe i should just do a large water change before leaving and one when i get back.
But i'll still have to at least show him how to do a wc in case something goes really wrong and he really has to do one.

As for calling me if something goes wrong, he won't be able to. I'll be deep into the woods and cel phones don't work there. I'll have to come out of the woods once in a while and drive up a mountain to be able to call him to check if everything is ok.

I'm only leaving in 2 months but i'm already stressing over it :(

I was wondering about the feeding of my fishes. I usually feed twice a day.
Would they be ok being fed only every 2 days? Even the corals beauty? Maybe he could at least put a piece of algea sheet for him maybe. I wouldn't want him to start eating my corals. He's never touched them.

Kannin
08/31/2008, 01:21 PM
Just walk him thru your routine and leave a detailed calendar list for him.

Lotus99
08/31/2008, 01:36 PM
If he runs freshwater and he's a smart, dependable guy, it won't be hard to teach him how to do a water change, check on the fish and do topoffs. As long as you're not overstocked, it should be fine to leave it a month without a water change.

He can always leave you a voicemail or send you a text that you can get when you're in range of cell signal, if anything goes wrong.

You can also have him sign up here and have RC answer his questions if there's a problem. Or, if you're a member of a reef club, have someone's phone he can call if there's a problem.