Who takes care of your tank When your out of town?

[04scoobysti]

Just wondering what everyone does when the go on holidays or have to go out of town for a week or 2 at a time? Do you hire another reefer?
Maintenance company? Or have your tank so automated it can run itself for more than a week?

Reason i'm asking is i have to go away for 2 weeks over Christmas and have to find a way or someone to look after my tank.
Just moved to the city in august so i don't know anyone well enough to ask the favor.

This would be the only reason i would ever get out of the hobby as i wouldn't want to restrict my traveling due to maintaining a tank.

Thanks in advance.

Derek

[Lance]

If I go without my wife, she tends the tanks. If she is with me, my nephew watches the tanks; and a local reefer friend of mine is kind enough to be on emergency call.

[Skimmerking]

Well when I was over in Afghnistan for 7 months Doug came over to check out my tank, Thansk again Doug, Tammy will dump the skimmer for me when Im gone for any periods. I had the in -laws on a couple of occasions check the tank awhile back,but now Tammy or Doug will do it...

[christyf5]

I have a friend come over to take care of the tank. Usually if its only a couple of days I don't worry about it. More than 3 days I have her come over whichever day she likes to feed the tank. She's well versed in my tank "quirks" as we were roommates for 6 years and knows of my suffering At Christmas, I have someone else that stays in town, that has strict feeding instructions every few days or so and I have my aquatronica take care of everything else (well at least I can "check in" on things while I'm gone and send in the troops if there are issues).

This may be a good time to make a new friend, get yourself involved in the Reef Network. Perhaps you'll find someone close by that can help you out. As an alternative, I do believe there are some companies that you can hire to do "tank maintenance/sitting" while you're away, I'm not sure of which ones in Vancouver though.

[Whatigot]

therealbigal is my goto tank guy.
I usually have my tennant look after the feeding but have him call al if anything "fishy" comes up.

Saved my floor when I was at my sisters wedding in Sept. and my overflow got a big bubble in the utube and lost siphon....2 minutes before the ceremony where I was the groomsman.

Funnily enough, al was just on his way back from the reef network swap meet and in the neighborhood, lucky for me.

[TJSlayer]

We have had dogs for years and never liked to kennel them so now when my sis comes to watch the dogs she watches the fish as well, If she doesn't my wifes sis does, or one of my brothers, etc.

Just make a friend! And have an emergency number to call if thiings go squirly (Friend (Fellow reefer), LFS that will help, etc.)....

Shouldn't be too hard to do.....

TJ

[JDigital]

lorenZo aka Roommate.

[Trigger Man]

Sister's husband comes by every few days to do a good feeding and water top up. I do a couple of good water changes right before I leave, so the tank is in good condition water wise for atleast a few weeks. When I get back i do another water change the next day.

[Bugsy]

My two teenage boys......

I threaten them before I leave...

They are actually pretty good, I have never had any issues. With my freshwater tank, I put the dry food into containers measured out and all they have to do is open lid and dump they never over feed that way. For the frozen foods I have it all measured out so they just feed as I say with that.

When I had my 10 gal nano the biggest thing was top ups, they were really good with both that and feeding was done the same as the freshwater.

Now I have a 1 gal pico so the top ups are more frequent and we just went away on a cruise for a week and everything was perfect when we came home. We will be going on a 14 day Hawaiian cruise next and they will do the same.

I don't get them to do water changes, would never do that. I just cut back on the amount of food while I am away.

I trained them early in life.....

Good luck
Amy

[silverplanet]

My tank is automated except feeding so a friend comes by every 2 or 3 days. top up water reservoir needs to be filled once a week if i am gone longer then that. other then that everything is done.

Jason