I'll watch yours if you watch mine!!

[wave_happy]

What do most of you do when you go on extented vacations (10 - 14 days)?

I have neighbors who feed my fish twice a day, but if anything goes wrong with the plumbing etc, the reef is out of luck. It would be great if someone with working knowledge of a reef system were available to check on things every 3 or four days.

I would certainly be willing to do the same in return.

I am in the Fairmount section of Philly.

[JRegs]

I've been waiting for something like this to pop up. I also have a neighbor who I've trained to feed and and top off. I'd feel alot better if I had someone who knew what they were looking at. When is your vacation maybe we could work something out. I'm in Center City.

[wave_happy]

JRegs,

Thanks for the offer. Let's arrange some time to get together.

The reason I was finally prompted to start this thread is that I just came home from a 10-day vacation in Cozumel to discover a near disaster. Some last minute tweaks of my top-off system kept it from functioning correctly while I was gone. During the ten days that I was away no water was added to the tank to compensate for evaporation! The sump was empty, the return pump was running dry, and my heater was no longer submerged!

The only thing that kept the tank going was heat from the lighting system and a Carlson Surge Device that runs for 15 minutes every hour or so. For circulation redundancy the pump for the CSD is in the display tank.

None of my corals, inverts or fish are showing signs of extreme distress (so far). I am slowly bringing the salinity back down over the next few days.

Anyone else interested in this idea?

[Mac-E]

I'm interested in something like this also. I'm in Bensalem, so a trip into Center City may be a little of a stretch.

I think a good first step in getting something like this going is just to generate a list of reefer phone numbers for a neighbor to call if there's a funny sound or something "not right". I would have no problem running out on an emergency trip to take a look.

As the list grows and people are closer together, I agree, I'd feel much more comfortable if someone knowledgable would take a look every 3 or 4 days :).

Thoughts?

Eric

[reefguyinpa]

Howdy all!
I know long time. Hope everyone is well! I would like to offer my services to our Western Burb friends. I live in Phoenixville and would love to lend a helping hand to anyone who needs it. I too will be leaving in May for 10 days and would love a back up. I used to rely on RichK but since he has taken a vacation from the hobby I need a new back up. Lemme know!
JimB:rollface:

[amonhen]

This sounds like a good idea to me, too. Let's start a list at the meeting tonight. I am in South Jersey (Audubon), and willing to be on call for anyone on this side of the bridges.

--Jeff

[wave_happy]

Well, I’ve never been able to get to any of the meetings! Tonight is no exception.

I can help coordinate if needed, but would be willing to pass the task off to any volunteers. :D

Mac-E, I like the idea of an emergency call list, but it would not have helped me this last time. My house/pet sitter did not have a clue that anything was wrong! I am more than willing to put my name on the list of people to call. I also have no problem at all in traveling a half hour to 45 minutes (from Center City Philadelphia) to check on someone else’s tank.

[wave_happy]

I have some ideas that might be helpful in organizing this project (please feel free to suggest additions, deletions or comments):

First off this would not be a “paid for� service!

Once there are enough people willing to get involved (pretty good start so far) we can get more detailed. For starters, if you are not doing so already, make a list of what you do to “check on your aquarium� on a regular basis. It is probably a good idea to do this even if you do not plan to take a trip in the near future. You (the reef owner) will need to be highly proactive in this endeavor. The list you generate should allow someone to show up empty handed, stand in front of your aquarium with the list you supply, eyeball the tank and within fifteen minutes be on his or her way.

CHECK LIST
Temperature (List acceptable range)
Circulation (Identify number and location of pumps including timing devices)
Salinity (Indicate range and testing method)
pH, calcium, alkalinity etc. (List acceptable range for each and what to do if the levels are not in the acceptable rage. I do not test mine, but I’ll test yours!)
Water level (Use a piece of tape to indicate normal water level for the display tank and sump)
Lighting (should be on a timer)
Skimmer (Consider turning skimmer off. Your regular house sitter may not notice that a fish is missing and the skimmer is overflowing!)
Calcium Reactor (I do not have one yet!)
Activity of fish (Pictures would be terrific! Head count. Note any recent decline in health)
Appearance of inverts (Note any recent decline in health. Are polyps normally extended?)
How long does it take before the glass needs to be cleaned? (I use this as an indication of excess waste.)


PREPARATION BEFORE YOU GO ON VACATION
Before you take an extended leave from your reef, make sure that all routine tasks have been performed. Performing a ten percent water change, replacing burned out bulbs, cleaning the skimmer or cleaning salt creep should not be part of a “check on your aquarium� service. Consider turning off your skimmer and discontinue dosing of non-essential additives during your absence. Label all power cords and outlets and power strips. There is nothing worse than trying to weed through a rats nest of power cords to unplug a heater!


YOUR REEF KEEPPING PHILOSOPHY
If something does go wrong . . . make sure that your reef keeping philosophy is understood and that you have an adequate supply of materials on hand to implement your wishes.


EMERGENCY SUPPLIES
Make sure that emergency supplies of the following are available:
Top-off and premixed salt water
Activated carbon
Test kits
Spare pumps (air and circulating)

[reefguyinpa]

Just wonderin if we made any moves on this topic? Sorry I couldn't get to the meeting again. I swear I might make one some day!
JimB.

[amonhen]

Jim,

I brought the subject up at the meeting and it pretty much flell flat. I'm still willing.

--Jeff

[wave_happy]

OK,

I'll start and maintain the list for now.

I propose that for now we just maintain an "In case of an emergency please call . . ." type of list.

Give me your Name, email address, general location and how far you would be willing to travel.

In the mean time I will create my own reef profile / check list and post it in this thread as a sample .

If anyone has any suggestions or further ideas about this send me an email.

[Malcolm_C]

This all sounds like a good idea. I'm terrifed to go away for more than a couple days. MY system is so complicated that people find it hard to just understand me.

[wave_happy]

Mad_drama,

I know how you feel! I started documenting the major components of my system, and I am embarrased by some complexity of some parts and the absolute lack of sophistication of other.

For instance, I have an PennPlax glass thermometer in my sump that is so encrusted that I have no idea of the exact temperature. Test kits? Just Alk and Calcium!

On the other end of the spectrum I have a HOB (actually hang on side) DIY combination surface skimmer / CPR type / Durso siphon / auto leveler / auto restart return water to the sump device!!

:eek1: :confused: :eek1:

More later!!