Leaving tank for 3 weeks
 

ok so i have a couple months before i go on vacation and ill be training my dad how to feed the fish, and maybe even clean the skimmer.

im gonna try and find a 40 gallon barrel to fill up for my ATO.

just wondering if im forgetting anything.

anyone have experience with leaving their tank that long without being looked after

for that long it might be a good idea to ask a friend (some lfs do it too) who knows about tanks to stop in once or twice a week just to make sure everything is good. sometimes people with little experience can't trouble shoot the little problems that can then turn into big problems

I might be thinking of someone else, but I think maybe you're on the north end? If that's the case, call Steve at Red Coral... good guy, good rate for maintenance.

Thanks guys. Yeah I'm on the northside.

I'll ask Steve, but I don't know what other maintenance would need to be done.... All I really do now is fill up ATO reservoir, clean out skimmer and clean the front glass with an algae magnet

Last time i went on vacation, i set up auto feeder, had a big ATO reservior, and a bucket for skimmage to drain to. A controller is also handy to monitor the tank.

You can also consider a controller that allows for remote monitoring/controling of your system as well as a webcam. Then its simply a matter of having someone "on call" and say a weekly visit etc for ATO refills and such.

The only problem with that is if your skimmer were to go nuts for what ever reason you would have a flood and and empty tank.

Yeah I'm actually looking for an apex controller.

I'll probably set up a 55 gallon tank for ATO so I can fill it and mix the kalk, shouldn't need refilling.

I do have a drain for the skimmer cup but I probably won't use it, cuz that doesn't clean the neck.

I think I'll just get my dad to clean the skimmer and feed the fish

True, but i do have a flow switch which monitor low and high water in my sump, so if the water is too low, my return pump will shut off as well any other pump in the sump and I will get an email, then probably will call someone to stop by and check.

It is very much the same thing if anything goes wrong such your heater go nuts or some snails get into your overflow pipe

I have a back up plan in case of a power outage, battery pumps, generator etc.:idea:

Test your vacation system.

Water on the floor sensors can also be integrated into some controllers. I have two for my Apex. If one of them trips the skimmer shuts off (among other things).

guess depends how handy your Dad but always nice to have a number for him to call if something he's unfamiliar with happens (example a pump goes u/s).

I was gone for 2 months and mine survived with basically a newb doing what you're thinking for your father, just feeding and cleaning skimmer.

I just got back from 3 weeks vacation, tank sitter bailed after 1 week, make sure you have a back-up plan, I didn't :(

Colin