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Holiday Co2, feeding and water level advice

Monkfish

Member
Joined
8 Mar 2019
Messages
204
Location
Basingstoke
I’m going away for 2 weeks in April and have been running Co2 for about a month and wondered what is best to do about it when away?

Do I just leave it running on the timer and hope all is ok and nothing fails? Always worry about these things.

I do have someone coming in to feed the cat for the time we are away, but I don’t think I can ask her to feed the fish too as I think she’d panic about it.

And lastly my tank is open top and will of course have evaporation. Should I just make a temporary lid of some sort and hope that stops the majority of the evaporation? Are there any cheap or DIY auto top off systems I could use and put the pipe in one of 20l Jerry cans with water in to keep if topped off?
 
1. Get some form of auto ferts dosing. This can be:
2. Get an automatic fish feeder or prepare small labelled bottles contain one portion of fish food for your visitor to dose when they visit.
3. Get some form of cover to reduce evaporation.
4. Turn lighting period (and intensity) down whilst away so tank doesn't run so fast.
 
Hi all,
prepare small labelled bottles contain one portion of fish food for your visitor to dose when they visit.
This is <"what I do now">. I'd also draw a line on the tank with a marker for the water level, ask them to top it up to the line. If you put the spare water in old milk cartons (six pint ones) before you go any chlorine should have gassed off.

cheers Darrel
 
What do you advise re the Co2?
Turn down length of CO2 to match reduced lighting time.

My PLC controller normally has 2 tubes on for 17:00 - 23:00 (4 tubes 17:30 - 22:30) and CO2 on 15:00 - 2200.

For holiday mode 2 tubes on for 18:00 - 22:00 (4 tubes 19:00 - 21:00) and CO2 on 16:00 - 2100.

I have left my tank in holiday for over 5 weeks before, definitely slower plant growth, a bit of BBA but basically all fish alive and plants all OK.
 
Ahead of going on holiday I always gradually (over a period of several days) reduce lighting time to 4 hrs a day max, and then when I return gradually over several days increase it to how long it was before I left. CO2 of course matches the changes to lighting. No ferts dosing when I'm away, that's why the soil/substrate is there for. Never had any problems.

For fish, I use this auto feeder: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Eheim-Auto...23883899997:pla-485680602957&psc=1&th=1&psc=1
Been using it for 4 yrs now without any issues. I set it up to drop a minimum amount of food for them to survive. You definitely do not want to overfeed them whilst you're away. First thing when I come back I do a large water change (at least 50%)
 
As above, I would pick up a cheap used ATO, you can find them on eBay for £10-20 (i wouldn't be without an ato but i think that comes from my saltwater keeping)

Food either an auto feeder or put a day's worth into individual tubs and ask the person feeding the cat to chuck one in when they visit
 
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