What to do while out of town? And update...

mduros said:
I've always done it this way, having a stronger current one way during the day and a gentler current at night with the other jet... .
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This might be a stupid question but if you are alternating filters and turning off each filter for about half the day won't that kill or stunt the nitrifying bacteria in each filter ? I thought the bacteria would would be affected fairly rapidly if no oxgyenated water was running through the filter. Although, it is obviously working for you - so I guess I am wrong !
 
do not touch the filter while away, that's just asking for trouble...

i am setting up my tank with automation in mind as well. Have a trip coming up that will put me on the other side of the world for 30 days.

For lighting, it's a no brainer. Get the coralife automated power strip. DONE!

For feeding, i am using the ehim autofeeder. Feed once every 2 days, so 15 feeds. This is the only autofeeder i trust.

For water change, this is the tough one. I am hoping my tankful of plants will maintain the water quality below toxic level for 30 days.

For plant nutrients:, i am using the eheim auto liquid doser. Alternating between flourish and flourish excel

For monitoring, i am going to setup a bluetooth web cam on a tripod in front of the tank. That will take a picture of the tank every x mins. This pic is then uploaded to the net wirelessly. So i can see my tank via a web browser. No it wont resolve any emergencies, but at least i can monitor the food level / overall tank health. And call people if needed.

Think this will work? ^_^
 
Darwin said:
This might be a stupid question but if you are alternating filters and turning off each filter for about half the day won't that kill or stunt the nitrifying bacteria in each filter ? I thought the bacteria would would be affected fairly rapidly if no oxgyenated water was running through the filter. Although, it is obviously working for you - so I guess I am wrong !
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I would like to know the same thing because hooking up a HOB filter at night (extra filtration and more agitation) sounds like a great idea if the bacteria in the filters could not have water passing though for a 12 or longer hour span...

Plants use O2 at night plus my DIY Co2 does not stop just because its nighttime...

I'm thinking about just adding a quiet air pump on another timer at night, kind of expensive for a timer just for a few air pumps though. I'd much rather have an extra spare filter for night.

My timer says 15A 125V
= 1875 watts, WOW... If it is rated to spec i can run quite a few filters and Lights off a single timer.

So 2 should be all you need.

I went with the analog ones not the digital ones, and it works great, plus if the power goes out it will still operate as soon as the power kicks on. For the same time period.
 
I honestly think your filter set up is overkill, and actually, you have it switched from what you would need to insure the saftey of the fish at night. You should have a genteler current durring the day, so as not to degas the Co2, and a stronger one at night, to oxygenate the water. however, you can oxygenate the water with a simple airstone too, which you can have turning on at night, so you dont' need to switch filters.

Also, you shouldn't be having a problem if you are using the correct amount of Co2. Even in my very planted hex tank, which has very min. surface area for degassing/oxygenation, at 30ppm of Co2 in the day, I don't change anything at night other than the Co2 level (turn it off) and he fish are fine.
 
Darwin said:
This might be a stupid question but if you are alternating filters and turning off each filter for about half the day won't that kill or stunt the nitrifying bacteria in each filter ? I thought the bacteria would would be affected fairly rapidly if no oxgyenated water was running through the filter. Although, it is obviously working for you - so I guess I am wrong !
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Darwin,
UGFs work a little differently. The gravel acts as the filter media for the nitrifying bacteria.
Mary.
 
But when you stop your powerhead, you're stopping flow through the media regardless of where it is (filter, substrate, whatever). You may be able to maintain a bacterial colony through the first 5mm of substrate or so, anything that comes in constant contact with the oxygenated water in the tank, but my guess would be that very little bacteria survives in the deeper parts. Without the pump running, the water just isn't going to flow that deeply into the substrate to feed/aerate the bacterial colonies. Just my thoughts. My guess would be that if you had your filters running all the time, the fish would get along just fine.
 
mduros said:
... my fish seem more listless in the morning ...
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Are they gasping at the surface? If not, they are probably sleeping.

Gagaliya, peopel used to not change water at all, so you will probably be ok as far as water changes go, just start out only doing small ones at first when you get back so there isn't a sudden big change in water chemistry. About 10% or so. Especially since your tank is planted, that will help keep the water stable.

I would think that 12 hours is too long to keep a filter off, I would just get a really small filter and leave it on 24/7. You shouldn't loose too much CO2. I still get about 20 ppm.
 
Lauren said:
I honestly think your filter set up is overkill, and actually, you have it switched from what you would need to insure the saftey of the fish at night. You should have a genteler current durring the day, so as not to degas the Co2, and a stronger one at night, to oxygenate the water. however, you can oxygenate the water with a simple airstone too, which you can have turning on at night, so you dont' need to switch filters.

Also, you shouldn't be having a problem if you are using the correct amount of Co2. Even in my very planted hex tank, which has very min. surface area for degassing/oxygenation, at 30ppm of Co2 in the day, I don't change anything at night other than the Co2 level (turn it off) and he fish are fine.
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Lauren,
Thanks. I haven't gotten as fancy as adding CO2. I am working up to that though. And the gentler/heavier current doesn't apply anymore either since I have added the reverse flow heads to my tanks. I have one reverse and one normal jet in each. I've been running the reverse during the day and the regular at night, maybe I should switch that or just go with one or the other. The reverse is supposed to be better for your plants. But my plants have been doing pretty good without anything fancy, though. So, who knows? I just want lusciously green wonderlands for my fish... ;) And me... :)

Well, thanks, I didn't mean for this post to be so complicated. And I didn't realize I was being excessive. I am still reading up on and learning about this planted aquarium thing and am taking baby steps along the way.

But I will put my tank lights on timers while I'm away, and won't worry about feeding the fishies...
Take care,
Mary.
 
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