2 Week Trip - Leaving Lights OFF? Pellet Food?

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Blaizze

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Jun 11, 2006
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Alrite, somebody I know is going to Europe for two weeks, so I thought I would ask here to help them out with their predicament.

I can possibly run over once a week to check on his tank, but currently other then that, a family member will be dropping in once every few days.. but not daily.

Question is, will it be fine to leave the main lights off the entire time, and just let the natural light light up the tank during the day for two weeks?

There are a few plants, but not many....

Also, will 7 day food pellets be sufficient for the tankmates to feed them?

Thanks
 
For feeding, do not use the 7day pellets. They will be fine with weekly feedings. I'd be more concerned with water changes which should be occurring weekly. If nothing else, could some one gallon jugs be prepared with dechlor ahead of time? Some one could dip and take out 3-4 gallons and re fill with the premade water?

I think the fish will be okay without the lights.

What size tank? How many/what kind of fish? WHat kind of plants?
 
I went out of town for two weeks and here is what I recomend.

1st: Buy a timer for your lights--they are about six bucks and you can use them all the time. They will turn your lights on and off at specific times.

2nd. don't use the vacation feeder blocks, instead measure out packet of exactly how much you want fed (and go easy on this)

3rd, don't have the fish fed everyday you are gone--the person feeding might go overboard and find more food

4th, make sure that your tank is topped off, and give instructions for adding water if you lose a lot of water from evaporation--perhaps leave a bucket of treated water.

Fish can survive for up to a week without food, so having some one feed your fish every two or three days is more then plenty.
 
The plants do require about 10-12 hours of light over them every day, so ambient room light won't be enough--getting a timer for the lights is a great idea.
 
I recently was out of state for six weeks leaving my aquariums in the care of a 65 year old relative. What I did was make up enough food packets so that the fish could be fed every other day. I actually put a bit less food than I normally give in each packet. Also because of the age / health of my aunt water changes were not going to be an option. Because of that I had told her to top off the tank with treated water when it got to a certain mark (used masking tape). Since my tank is planted I use a digital timer for the lights so nothing else needed there.

Now the day before my trip I did a total of three 50% water changes giving the gravel a thorough cleaning. After the six week vacation my nitrates tested at 20ppm. Also after the vacation I did two 50% water changes again giving the gravel some much needed attention. Fish losses zero. Algae build up, a bit but easily corrected durring the following week.

You don't say what their usual routine is, but assuming they have their lights on for a period of time each day they really should ge a timmer for that. I also don't recommend 7 day feeding tablets, but as long as they get food at least once a week they should be ok. Don't go overboard and try to make up for lost eating time with too much food all at once though. Wow this got long.
 
I might invest in a $35 automatic feeder (though it is a bit expensive). If you travel on business alot, these can be very helpful.

Also, if any programmers are out there, I want a networked app for my mac that lets me remotely feed my fish at any time :) maybe w/ a webcam tpp :)
 
I used a fish block for a 1 WEEK VACATION and when I came back their was shredded up food everywhere, my frogs were dead, and the water was a mess. So I suggest not using these.
 
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