Vacation Suggestions

[HAROLDL]

I will be going away for 8 days and wanted to know what any of you do special for feeding when your gone. My 55g tank has 3 fish (2 False percs and a Fire Fish) the rest are inverts (6 blue legs, 1 Pepermint, 1 Cleaner shrimp, 1, Emarald crab, 3 Narsarius Snails) I'm not too worried about the inverts because there is enough food (Algae and pods) for them, but should I feed the fish well (not over feed) the week before I leave?

[rhinokio]

i've always read thats its better to just let them sit than let an inexperienced person or auto feeder take over (unless you will be gone for a lond time.)

i'm don't think 8 would be too long.. but i'm still new at this

[protege]

Is there any way that you can have someone come by to feed once or twice? They should be fine for 8 days, but would be nice to have someone come by and check on things. Topoff will be your major concern over that period of time, and overfilling before you go, could cause a problem if the power goes out the first few days (ie, flooding).

[Hardhead Cat]

IMO, I would leave them without any food. I left mine for over 2 weeks and they were fine. I didn't want to take a chance that they would get overfed and pollute the tank while I was gone.

I fed mine fairly heavily before I left, then they had leftovers

HHC

[HAROLDL]

I understand about the topoff. I plan to not use the sump, and use my HOB which I currently run with the sump. The intake tube is really deep, and I use a glass top, so I should be ok with evap. No neighbors that I feel that I could trust to feed while I'm away.

[jennmac415]

I was gone for 2 weeks and I just made up little baggies of food with exactly the amount I wanted someone to feed...This was before I had my big tank and I did not have a sump so I just drew a line on the tank where the water level should be and showed them so that when it got below that they knew to add fresh RO/DI to just that level..I don't think I could ever go away for 2 weeks and not have some one at least come a few times to check on things...what if something quit working...or a fish dies and started to pollute your water or your auto top off decides to flood the tank... or... or .....or....anything could go wrong......I don't think I would enjoy my vacation very much knowing that no one was at least checking on the tank. I know I am a worrier but we put to much time, effort and money into this hobby to have it all go wrong because we go on vacation. JMO....

[HAROLDL]

Your opinion is understood Jenn as I too have thought of all of that as well... Most of my worries have been covered (Power issues, water evap) Now I'm worrying about the little guys starving..LOL

[Loverotties]

I turn down the skimmer and use a autofeed, set for every 3 days.

[HAROLDL]

Rottie, thats going to probably be my last resort. I have used an auto feeder before, but that was with my FO and rather harder fish.