Going Out of Town Prep

[A3M0N]

We're visiting family over Spring Break, we'll be gone for five days. I'm not planning to have anyone come feed the fish, I'll be tossing in a Tetra vacation puck, thingy. But that leaves fertilizer, CO2, and lights. Since I won't be at home to dose daily fertilizer (EI) should I also turn off the CO2 while I'm away? Should I also lower the light intensity, or will that be ok without ferts and CO2? 

Thanks y'all! 

 

[Theplatymaster]

@A3M0N

in my opinion turn down the lights and turn off the C02.

5 days will be like shipping times for plants, they might not grow so fast, but they wont completely fail.

assuming you are not keeping super high maintenance plants, and the C02 is just a plant booster,or some higher C02 demanding plants, i think turn it off, as its another thing that could break while you are gone, and in tanks with snails and shrimp and things like that, PH is very important.

If you leave the lights the algae will probably take over the tank, especially since the plants wont be getting ferts, it will give the algae a chance to take over, probably diatoms. So turn down the lights to prevent algae spikes.

but thats just my opinion.

dont rely on it alone.

 

Edited March 8, 2023 by Theplatymaster

[the_greg]

I’m gone for 5 days about once a month. I turn lights off and CO2 off and don’t feed the fish. They are fine for 5 days if they are normally well cared for.

[AllFishNoBrakes]

I run c02 in a few tanks, but only dose fertilizer weekly with water changes. I leave everything on, but I’m also just giving the plants a boost with the c02. Definitely not getting anywhere near 30ppm, just a little boost. When I’m gone, the only thing that changes is that fish don’t get fed for a few days. 

[Guppysnail]

Feed very well for the week leading up to vacation. Do water change the day before you go not the day of. Turn down lights. For safety turn off co2 completely. Your plants will be fine without fertilizer. 
Use caution on the vacation feeder blocks. I’ve heard many stories of them causing ammonia spikes. 
Here is a few of @Zenzo no feed vacation videos. 

 

 

 

[Fish Folk]

Adult Fish will be fine — especially in planted tanks. I dim lights. Personally, I do not ever feed vacation blocks. 

[Flying fox 6523]

On 3/7/2023 at 9:05 PM, Fish Folk said:

Adult Fish will be fine — especially in planted tanks. I dim lights. Personally, I do not ever feed vacation blocks. 

I have a Fla trip coming in May so the 3 videos were helpful cause 
I can't have no 1 just come to do anything for my tanks cause my 
pit will have them for lunch, so I will have to make sure everything 
is right for when I leave a good W C & some extra food & turn out 
the lights & pray nothing goes wrong till I can get back home.

Thank you for posting the 3 videos, I was wondering how I was going to 
take a Fla trip in May & what I need to do for my aquariums while I'm gone 
so with the info on the videos that was a big help thank you again.

[lefty o]

5 days is no sweat. give it a water change  shortly before ya go if its needed, turn off the co2, and feed the fish when you get back.

[A3M0N]

Awesome, thanks y'all! I'll turn off CO2 and put in some lower power light bulbs. Make sure they eat well, maybe frozen brine shrimp only instead of alternating pellets. Normal water change day is Friday, we're leaving that afternoon, but I'm not concerned, the water is quite stable at this point. It's also my off day, so I'll change the water in the morning and have time to observe everything. 

[Andy's Fish Den]

Don't use the vacation feeding block. they are garbage and most of the time just end up polluting the tank. Fish will be fine without food for several days, I've left fish 10 days without food and they were all fine, just hungry when I got home. 

[Zenzo]

Came back last night after being out of town for 8 days. None of the fish were fed while I was gone, and they are all doing well (checked on them and fed them this morning).