to feed or not to feed that is the question

[tribalbrit]

Hi, I am do to go on holiday and will be away for five weeks. I currently use the EI method of feeding plants and pressurised co2 injection.
My question is should I reduce the feed?
Lower co2?
Lower lighting times?

My daughter will be home to feed the fish and plants when needed but will not do the water changes.... she doesnt like the fish, so wont put her hands in and will feed them from a distance

Would it be best to shut down the co2 and stop the feeds (plants) and restart on my return?

 

[tribalbrit]

38 views and no advise???

 

[Alastair]

Will she be feeding the Plants also? I'd have thought that if co2 is still being used, and no feet dosing, then your plants may suffer a little? I dont know for certain. I'm surprised nobody had responded to your question yet.

 

[JEK]

How much lightning and which substrate do you got?

 

[niru]

Hi tribalbrit

I posed a similar question here 2 weeks back: Best Lighting/CO2Strategy for 20 day Vacation. Perhaps this helps..

I guess if no ones willing to do water changes then the following needs to be done in proper time order:

1. Slowly reduce lights (times & intensity) keeping CO2 & ferts dosing same as before.
2. After a week or 2, reduce ferts
3. After a week reduce CO2

Repeat the above till CO2 is "almost" zero or "actually" zero, and ferts are at very basic dose simply to sustain the plants. Light is reduced to the extent that plants arent starved of food, but are at a cruise speed close to zero

I am currently following this as I too go for a 3 week vacation end of June. Guess it takes time to train the plants to live with less nutrients and light. Hope this helps..

If anyone thinks the above process is wrong or inadequate, please let us know as I am very much interested in getting this right as well.

-niru

 

[Bobtastic]

I think above seems like a lot of work! But it seems very logical based on The CEG's Light ==> Co2 => Ferts equation. I am interested to see how it works out for u Niru. I doubt that I'll be away from more than a week at any given time so I doubt I'll need to "wean" them down as you are doing.

 

[tribalbrit]

Thanks for your reply's
I have 280 watts capability of lighting above a 750lt tank but generally run about two thirds of capacity. I can use 70, 140, 210 or 280w.
My substrate is cat litter.
Every thing is on timers, co2, lights, spray bar and koralia's, so prety much programe it how I wish.

My daughter will feed the plants if needed (and the fish) Its just the water changes that cant be done.

I'm using the EI method for the plants but I am worried that excess nutrients will build up over the five weeks causing problems to the fish.. if she feeds as normal.

 

[tonyg1]

if no water changes are being performed i would think that the build up of fish waste and plant matter would be sufficient for the plants,but would probably be a good idea to reduce the amount of c02 for the duration of your trip.

just a thought.