Vacation advice! Leaving my tanks to my clueless room mate...

[globaldesigns]

find a canreefer member that lives near you to look after things, arrange to also help him/her out also. Many of us do this. Or as others stated, pay for a professional service.

I think you should think about the what if scenario... If something happens, like a return pump failure, will a roommate or someone with no reef experience going to know what to do, who to call, without panicking?

[Delphinus]

3 weeks and 6 tanks? Oh my. No offense IMO I think that is way too long for the tanks to be unattended and in the care of someone who doesn't themselves have some kind of ownership in the tanks. For day to day things like feeding and topup, maybe ... but I think you need someone experienced (and has had a quick overview of the systems beforehand) to check in every couple of days and to handle the bigger items like cleaning skimmers and checking/refilling reservoirs or dosings or whatever it is that the tanks require.

I know that anytime I go away and have family look after the tanks, in the case of when I ask my dad to stop in, he chronically overfeeds everything ("the fish looked hungry") and I get algae blooms or nutrient spikes for weeks thereafter (and/or livestock losses). Another time, a few years back, I lost a beautiful 10 year old purple plate coral because it somehow got buried in sand and the tanksitter that time (sister in law) didn't know it was in trouble. She just didn't know what to look for.

A weekend is one thing, but for myself anything more than that I ask my Canreef buddy to check in. At least then I don't have to worry about proceduralizing every little possibility.

With 6 tanks and 3 weeks .. I honestly think you need someone to come in for you beyond the day to day stuff. Someone on Canreef is bound to be near to you (or try a professional tank service..)

Good luck!! Oh and above all have an awesome vacation man, that sounds epic!

[lpsreefer]

Well I cut my vacation into three parts. Good thing it doesn't cost me much to fly back for a day.

[lpsreefer]

Thank you every one for your input.

[Mandosh]

You're going to fly back to Calgary for the day? From Mexico? Twice?

[lpsreefer]

It's only like 5+ hours each way. If it keeps me from worrying about my tanks.
I work at the airport to it doesn't cost me anything really. I also enjoy flying.

[reefwars]

hey , if you need someone to check in or a back up someone to call in case of problems i can help you out if your interested send me a pm i wont charge you anything but a favor back someday:P