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For the 1st time since setting up the 3 tanks, I will be going away for 2 weeks. I have bought one Eheim auto feeder which I'm trialling. So far it seems to work just fine. If it continues to do so, I'll get one for each tank.

That takes care of the food - but there will be no ferts going in the tank while I am away. I'm wondering if I should leave the lights on their normal schedule while I'm away, or if I should reduce the hours or leave them in blackout with no lights at all.

All tanks are low light, 2 are non C02 and the other has pressurised C02.

Any advice welcomed. Thanks in advance.

Cheers
TW

If you pick up auto-feeders for the other two, that's about all you have to worry about.

What kind of ferts are you running? If you're using tablets you could put a tablet into one of the auto-feeder slot instead of food (if it provides for it, some only do flakes). If not, is there someone you trust that can come in and fert for you? Chances are they'll be fine w/o the ferts, especially low-light tanks.

I would recommend leaving the lights on their normal schedule as well.

Robyn,

I just recently left my tanks for two weeks while we were on vacation. As you know both my tanks are low light non-CO2. All I did was make little food packets with enough food for one day (We have a cat so our neighbor was already coming by) to feed the fish.

I left the lights on the normal schedule and didn't worry about fertilizers.

I did a water change before we left and one when we got back.

Everything was fine. I did notice a slow down in growth from my fast growers after we got back. I'm guessing due to the lack of micros. But they are speeding right back up now that I am back.

Hope that helps.

Rick
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Thanks for the replies. The Eheim auto feeder worked well, so I now have one for each tank Tanks will just have to go without ferts for the time I'm gone. The auto feeders don't have multiple chambers, plus my ferts are powders mixed with tank water every 2nd day, with traces & iron on the alternatives.

I hope nothing too bad happens (re algae outbreak etc) while I'm gone.

Thanks again.

Cheers
TW