Holiday Stategy!

[Richard Dowling]

Hi All,

Ive just booked a spontanious week away to Kusadasi, Turkey with the girlfriend,

Firstly, whats the best strategy for holidays when you dont have (or trust) any people to drop in on your tank?

Ive been reading a lot of posts, and seem to have two options;

Tone down lights and CO2 or,

Complete Light and CO2 turn off (which im inclined to do because it seems low risk)

The one part that worries me is feeding the fish & shrimp. With no lights and CO2 am I better off not feeding the fish and shrimp for 7-8 days or would I still be better off putting in one of those disolving pyramid week feeders?

Ive lost a few Oto's recently and nothing else, my guess was malnutrition because they feed at night, by which time the shrimp have cleaned up all the food. This is why not feeding worries me. Also considering I have baby shrimp on the way!

Secondly, anyone been to Kusadasi? Is it nice?

 

[bogwood]

Week away, i have never done anything different, I just leave the tanks to run in auto mode.
My present main planted tank is CO2 and weekly ferts.

I have operated this system for many years, with a variety of fish, and no problems.
I should stress all my tanks are Fully mature, and Fully serviced a week before, and equipment not past their best.

Two weeks, needs more thought.

 

[Lindy]

feed at night,

Mine feed all day. You could try a bit of cucumber, the shrimp couldn't eat all that quickly

 

[Andy Thurston]

Mine feed all day. You could try a bit of cucumber, the shrimp couldn't eat all that quickly

Mine too,
have they got fat bellys? If they have then they are eating plenty

 

[Claire]

Don't bother with the feeding blocks - they can make your ph and hardness go a bit squiffy and don't really provide much nutrition to the fish from my experiences. Feed up in advance. My fish normally only get fed every 2-3 days, but if I know I'm going to be going away then they'll get fed every day and slightly more (watch not too much!) in the week leading up to me going to "fatten them up". I have not lost any fish this way, compared to losing several fish relying on feeders.
As far as co2, ferts etc go, your easiest option is to do a water change and then dose a weeks ferts just before you go, keep co2 and lighting as normal and then do another water change when you get back and go back to your normal regime. You can tone down lighting, take off co2 etc but it's really more hassle than it's worth for just a week away.