View Full Version : what's the absolute max that you can go without a water change in a 6g [planted]
mickey
08-21-2003, 7:13 PM
I plan to go on vacation , i can get someone to feed my fish but not to do water changes,i'm not so worried about my larger tanks
100g and 75g but i also have a few smaller tanks and was wondering how long it would be safe to go without a water change Cheers.
Hebdizzle
08-21-2003, 7:44 PM
well absolute max is forever, but I put 2 weeks. 6 gallons is kinda small... If your tank sitter has any experience and can properly feed the fish (and maybe clean the filter), then I don't see a problem with 2 weeks.
Aaron
PS : I hope I am not cutting your vacation short :) Where are you going?
wetmanNY
08-21-2003, 8:42 PM
This won't be a problem, especially in a planted tank. Your lights are on timers, right?
mickey
08-22-2003, 6:27 PM
Originally posted by Hebdizzle
well absolute max is forever, but I put 2 weeks. 6 gallons is kinda small... If your tank sitter has any experience and can properly feed the fish (and maybe clean the filter), then I don't see a problem with 2 weeks.
Aaron
PS : I hope I am not cutting your vacation short :) Where are you going?
I was planning on visiting relatives in cichago, been to new york but this will be our first visit to the windy city.
We had hoped to stay 3-4 weeks if possible.
mickey
08-22-2003, 6:29 PM
Originally posted by wetmanNY
This won't be a problem, especially in a planted tank. Your lights are on timers, right?
Right wetman.
Cheers
PCDawg
08-22-2003, 7:17 PM
two weeks in a planted tank......should be no problem.
I did that this year when i went on a 2 1/2 week trip to Japan.
All i did was instruct someone to feed my fish every 2 days (i didnt trust them in feedin everyday as they might over-feed) ..but the time i got back..i got a big of brown algae and just water level down a bit due to evaporation.
mickey
08-22-2003, 7:23 PM
Thanks pcdawg, i appreciate the info.
I take a sharpie marker and put a fill to line on the glass. Then I mix up some water and leave it in small containers. I ask the person who is coming in for feedings to make sure the water level stays at the fill to line. That way at least you are topping things off and diluting excess waste. It is easier than trying to tell them how to change water and more likely that they will do it.
mickey
08-23-2003, 5:41 PM
I might try that tkos.
Cheers.
anonapersona
08-24-2003, 10:31 AM
when I leave town I make individual food packages out of wax paper, each with about 1/2 the normal amount of food for a day. I tape them to the side of the tank.
Each tank gets some food each day so the house sitter isn't tempted to add any extra food, but each packet is smaller than usual so if the sitter forgets a day and adds two packets one day to catch up, no harm is done.