Holidays. How long can the reef survive?

[vertex]

Hey everyone. Just looking for advice on how long a reef can go (corals and fish and inverts) without food?

I have a 33 gallon with various corals, a few small fish and the usual invert cleanup crew and crabs. I recently had some holidays so left the tank for 4 days, one feeding and then another 5 and 1/2 days before I got back. Water topoff is not a big problem since I put a tight fitting acrylic top on while away to minimize evaporation. All is well also...

Anyway, I've left freshwater tanks many times for 7 days without loosing anything, can saltwater corals, fish/inverts survive just as long? What are you're experiences?

Thanks for your help...

[Bob I]

That is exactly why I am downsizing . However, this summer I have gone away as much as two weeks at a time. I have an automatic feeder on the tank. I also have an auto topoff device. I have not encountered any problems so far.

[danny zubot]

Do you have any prospescts for a tank sitter?

[muck]

Whats that... did you just volunteer Danny..??

[vertex]

I don't want to "have to" arrange a tank sitter. I like to dissapear in the summer to the cabin at a moments notice when the wheather is good and I don't want to have to worry about the tank. What kind of auto feeders are available? Are they just for flake or dried foods?

I guess an auto top off will be my next DIY to avoid that problem. Now to find some float switches.....

[Bob I]

The automatic feeder I use will feed flake, some will feed pellets too. I bought my autotopoff from Newguy in Edmonton for $50.00. It works real well.

[OCDP]

I went to Hawaii for a week (8 days) and my reef was fine... just evaporation was the main problem... and having the fish fed.

It can definitely be done.... I would say no more than that many days though... might start getting iffy.

Good luck, I think you should be ok.

[danny zubot]

Whats that... did you just volunteer Danny..??

I charge $20.00 an hour for visits every two to three days.

[BMW Rider]

With an auto top off and feeders, a week should not be unreasonable to leave the tank unattended. I too am going to be away for a week, and will have my tanks set up to be self sufficient during that time. I will do a water change on my FO tank before I leave, then the reef will be just due when I get home. Both have enough TO water to get by for at least a week. I use feeders to deliver a dried food mix once daily for the week. Not ideal, but will be better than starving. I am going to have my inlaws come by and check the house a couple of times and look at the tanks to make sure they are still running. No other work will be needed.

We were away for a week in January, and this routine worked fine then. Good layer af algae on the glass to clean off, but otherwise no ill effects.