Vacation Plans

[Alberio]

Hi All,

I'm going on a cruise in a week. I'm leaving the tank in the hands of my daughter (no experience) with needed advice from a SW fish only guy if needed.

My plan is to have pre-measured food for them to feed.
I also plan to stop dosing Kalk.

My thoughts are that it will be easier for them to squirt Seachem Calcium, Iodine and Stronium in every couple days as opposed to having to worry about dripping Kalk. I would also have them throw a couple gallons of pre-made RO/DI in the sump every evening.

My parms for the 120 right now.

ALK 5.0 meg/l
Ca 400
PH 8.3
SGA 1.024
Ni 0
Na 1

I will be having the seachem dosed at about 50% of the prescribed dosage. I figure too little will be better than too much.
Also I plan on doing a 15% water change right before I go.

Anybody have any suggestions for my plan?

Any idea how much my ALK or Ca will drop using this method for 9 days?

Thanks,

Mike

[Brett]

I'd skip having them dose the iodine and stronium unless you're currently dosing it and know how much to dose. A week or two without those shouldn't be much of a problem... certainly much less than having them accidently overdoes. Also, I'd stop using kalk right now and use this week to determine how much of a balanced calcium/alkalinity suppliment to add. By starting with the recommended dose and testing every day you should be able to get a rough idea of how much you'll need. Each tank needs vastly different amounts from other tanks depending on the inhabitants, so it's impossible to just 'guess' at how much the tank needs.

HTH,
Brett

[JDS]

If if you're only going for a week I wouldnt even bother relying on somebody else to feed your fish. They would be fine for a week without eating. Better little thinner than dead because of accidentally overfeeding.

[Jamesurq]

If you're going to have them add makeup water, why don't you just add some kalkwater to it in a slightly less amount. Then add the food that you would feed in that day, and any supplements. Have 1 bucket per day - they simply dump it in the sump.. The chems mix, the food gets sucked up through the return pump and there's ZERO chance for error.

Unless they forget one day and decide to double up....:eek2: