Traveling while cycling

[mdeleon1]

I started up my tank on 6/17 w/:

-20 gallons of water, a piece of LR and shell w/ coralline from friend's tank
- added remaining saltwater mix
- added live sand shallow bed

on 6/24:

- added 44lbs of LR
- been testing every day since and ammonia = 0, nitrite = 0, nitrate = 10, pH = 8.0, salinity = 1.022

6/28:

- LS turning light sugar brown on the top and getting darker each day + spreading

I have to leave for business on 7/5 through 7/8. Anything I should be concerned about regarding cycling and not monitoring/testing for those days?

I have light timer, how long should I leave my T5 dual lamp (2-6,700K lamps) on for each day?

[manhorsedog]

i wouldnt leave the lights on during cycle, just creates algae problems IMO. Other than that just make sure you have an auto top off and dont worry about it, your not gonna miss anything.

If your tank cycled you will read nitrates when you come back

[sjwitt]

^ +1

[Sport507]

I would leave the lights on the timer during your leave. Algae is going to happen through a cycle and just as well get through that now. There will be some glass cleaning when you return but you would have had that if you were not leaving.

Salinity at 1.022 is great without ATO for 3 days but I would also get it up to 1.024-1.026 when I returned might even be at 1.024 with evaporation. Just my opinon.