How Do You Deal With Vacation?

[McTurtle]

I'm going away for 2 weeks and I'm not sure what's going to happen with my tanks. I have someone to feed the fish and the lights are on a timer, but normally I do at least a 40% water change once a week as my guppy tanks are always overstocked. I'm planning to change the water before I leave but then they've got to go for 2 weeks. I'm thinking I should put them on 1/2 rations, so they will be fed every other day. I'm not sure what to do about topping up the tanks.... arg!

What do you guys do? Any advice?

[ckmullin]

We get a trusted neighbors kid (WHO WE KNOW IS RESPONSIBLE) and top up the water every 3 days. The fish will be fine with just replacing evaporation for 2 weeks. Leave a bucket out for that fish feeder guy and tell them how full the tanks need to be and to add water every couple days. 2 weeks, not a big deal.

[syno321]

You definitely can feed them every other day, if not less. Once a week would be fine. This will benefit the system as well as the fish.

[McTurtle]

The problem is that my person house sitting doesn't want to deal with adding water. Maybe I can find a bribe. :P

[jvision]

Maybe get lids for the tanks that don't have them. Feed 2x/week or less, like Syno321 mentioned, and all will be fine.

[PistolPete]

Yeah fish go thru long periods without food fine. I'd rather them be hungry when I got home, then well fed and swimming in nitrates. That being said if I don't get someone to feed my xb he will take it out on his tank mates. If you could get someone to pop in twice a week to feed and check on filters you should be fine. You can spoil your fish when you get home. Very natural for fish to be boom or bust when it comes to feeding in the wild. I give my fish a few days every few months with little to no food.

[ckmullin]

if you are thinking about covering the tank, saran wrap held in place with some tape will work out well.

[Brenda4]

you can do a 3 day water change of 25 % and that will last you, don't feed what you would normally, cut back.

[McTurtle]

Thanks for all the input.

Saran wrap + tape = genius! Thanks for the tip.

[bigbadboss101]

Good to read all the advices. I am in the same boat. 13 days away and was worried about having someone over every day. But every 3 days is more than reasonable.

[flyfisher]

Good to read all the advices. I am in the same boat. 13 days away and was worried about having someone over every day. But every 3 days is more than reasonable.

+1 on every 3 days makes insurance companies happy too read the fine print on your policies most require a visit every 72 hrs.

[McTurtle]

It is important to appease the insurance guys. Luckily I have someone at home, just not someone willing to do more than add fish food to a tank.

[Kirinashi]

I know of someone who packed precisely measured food rations in those little jewelers zip lock bags. the bags were each marked with a tank number, then stapled to a calendar on the day that tank was to be fed.

That means the person has to look at calendar. Does it have a packet of food? yes? then take packet, look at number, dump in tank with same number. No? then don't feed anything!

Best system I've ever seen for getting someone to help you feed your tanks. Saying "just a little bit" is invitation for disaster. Had a large tank with koi that got wiped out except for the biggest and toughest one once. We came back from a 3 week vacation to a putrid tank of black water full of corpses.