Planning for a vacation... UPDATE on 2nd Page!

So I will be on vacation for 10 days starting Friday and I was wondering what everyone did to make sure their fish were fed and the aquarium made it without any horrific crashes!

So far:
- Got rubbermaid tub for ATO (18 Gallons) and it is being filled as we speak.
- Got an automatic feeder. Will this be enough? And what all should I fill it with?
- Water Change is planned for tomorrow evening.

I've been using a mixture of flakes and pellets. Will this be enough for a week? Its set to feed twice a day.

Thanks!

 

Make sure to leave the home thermostat on.

 

No heat, no air... Not that I don't have it, but here in san diego the temperature doesnt fluctuate much. I keep the tank on the high temperature side (82) So its always there. If there was a different reason then let me know! Thanks for the advice though.

 

No, if your lucky enough to live in San Diego your good.

Here in AZ I see so many people either turn off the ac and come back to soup or turn off the heater in the winter and come back to a tank full of RTN to all sps.

 

Haha gotcha!

 

be careful with the automatic feeders.. I went in 14 day vacation and the flake food got humid and was in a big soggy ball

 

ideas with the feeding?

 

i actually cut up tiny pieces of seaweed/algae and stuffed it in the feeder!

 

Do you have a skimmer running that needs the cup emptied?

I'd be worried about an automatic feeder dumping in food twice a day without me there to make sure it wasn't just sitting in the tank rotting and making the skimmer overflow. I only ever fed once a day anyway, though. And have you run the automatic feeder at all yet to test it out? I'd do that before I left. Don't want it to scare your firefish out of the tank!

 

haha actually I had to DIY a cup for the feeder after testing showed that a lot of the flakes stuck to the egg crate. There is a pic attached. The fish have been getting used to it over the past week and now know exactly where to come for the food... and the cup keeps the flakes at the top of the water until they fall down, giving the firefish (shy eater) a chance to grab the food as it falls.

About the skimmer, an overflow is attached. cup will be emptied on friday morning

About the food... I have a lot of seaweed in my friedge for storage... will it do ok in the sudo-open air as it sits in the feeder?