Leaving Tank at Work during COVID

[Andrew Puhr]

I have a Fluval Spec V on my desk at work. I am being sent home due to new COVID restrictions in my state. I really don't want to break it down but I can't leave the fish in there alone until January. 

The tank just has a small school of white clouds, a dwarf lily, and some pest snails. 

I think my options are either take everything living home with me and turn the tank off.

Put an Auto Feeder and Timer on and let it run until I return. 

I could probably check on it once a week depending. 

 

Just looking for additional ideas. 

[binkysmom]

Are there other people going into the office? I'm in my office once a week, but others are there Mon - friday and feed for me. This is for a 20 gallon we have in the staff area.

My Flex 9 I had on my desk, I tore down and brought home. I don't have room for another tank at home so it's currently empty.

[Streetwise]

I think your tank might be small enough for a move with a bucket, and lid. Put the livestock in a bucket, drain the water, move, fill, acclimate.

[FrozenFins]

If your able to get into your office every week, I guess you could put an auto feeder and then do waterchanges if you were to visit every week. But I think I would agree with @Streetwise they are small enough to move with a bucket. you can even leave your tank at work just bring your cycled bacteria home to keep it alive. And then get a 10 gallon from petco (I beleive it would be 10bucks due to the dollar a gallon sale) and use that as a temperary setup.

[Maggie]

If it was my tank I'd bring it home just to be on the safe side. IMHO the reduced stress on you worrying about them will make it worth your time.

[ChefConfit]

I'd probably bring it home, but if you don't want to then just pull the white clouds and leave it running. Pest snails will graze on algae and biofilm and keep your cycle going. And you're lily should be fine without ferts for a month

[SpiritLiefe]

I would bring it home. Worst case you move it a couple times but get the peace of mind knowing everything is good with the tank AND get to enjoy it while you're home.

[Lizzie Block]

Oh yeah. This same thing happened to me at my old office job back in March when we shut down for quarantine. I had a tank there as well - I did what Streetwise suggested and just drained the water, took everyone home in a bucket, strapped the tank in on my front seat. Then filled it back up again and added the fish back in. Don't necessarily need to break the entire thing down to the bones if you've got a good cycle going and it's been established for some time.

Just so many unknowns with covid and the current state of things. I live by the phrase, better safe than sorry lol 

[Andrew Puhr]

I left the tank running and brought just the fish home. There should be enough light for the snails to stay happy and I will just come in every so often to top off and check on overall state of things