FishProfiles.com Message Forums

I left on vacation for 8 days. Prior to vacation, I did three daily 50% water changes with normal feedings on my 125G planted discus tank.

Fish were not fed during the period of the vacation. The tank includes 10 adult discus, 5 adult rams, an unknown (2-4) bristlenose and a handufl of corydoras.

I returned early this morning. No apparent casulaties. Ammonia and nitrite has remained at zero. Nitrates had risen to 25 ppm despite the plants and no feeding from undetectable levels.

Fish were lethargic, a condition that I am attributing to the higher nitrate levels, no food and no water changes for the week. I gave the fish some TetraBits and some blackworms before starting a 50% water change. A 50% water change will occur tomorrow to knock down the nitrate levels and freshen the water.



__________
"To steal ideas from one person is plagiarism; to steal from many is research."
researched from Steven Wright

Isn't it nice when things go well?

--------------------------------------------
The aquarist is one who must learn the ways of the biologist, the chemist, and the veterinarian.

I always worry about when I'm away from home. It's wonderful that your fish have done well!

That's such good news, since I had a horrible disaster while I was gone for about seven days. It's great to hear that things really can go well. Plus you gave very excellent advice of what to do before leaving. I'll definitely follow many of those precautions. Much better than vacation feeders, which I found cloud the water and get moldy...
Congrats on the success!/:'

Well done Bob & thanks alot for sharing what you've done.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/corydoras/
Member of the Malta Aquarist Society - 1970.
http://www.maltaaquarist.com

Please pardon my ignorance but is there a reason why you didn't get some kind of time release food for them? I have gone a few days without feeding but I always get so paranoid! I may have to follow your lead next time.


Cheers

---

"it's the neck, it creaks under the weight of too much heavy thinking."

I used time release food when I had a small community tank, many years ago. The problem was that the food cube dissolved, mucked up the water balance and I doubt if the fish ever ate any of the goop that oozed out of it. I have an Eheim automatic feeder that I could use, but I severely overfed the last time I used it...

The duration of the holiday was perfect for not feeding the fish. At one point in time in the hobby, it was common to schedule a week long "fast" for your fish.

As it was, I had a neighbor visit on the third and 6th day just to check for "floaters" and net them out. I didn't expect any casualties but if a discus died I didn't want that ammonia load in the tank. That was the extent of my paranoia...



__________
"To steal ideas from one person is plagiarism; to steal from many is research."
researched from Steven Wright

Bob,

Awesome that you didn't even lose one fish. Did I read that right: "Prior to vacation, I did three daily 50% water changes"? For how many days in a row did you keep up that schedule? I know I wouldn't be able to find the time on a weekday (working) to change a total of 180G of tank water daily.

Ah, and by the way: Congratulation on being quoted in LMuha's article in TFH (May issue).

Ingo

---

Proud Member of the New Jersey Aquatic Gardeners Club

Good news about your discus! I concur with Ingo....the article on carbon was great and I enjoy seeing a name that i recognize in the article. Way to go famous FP members!!! /:'

---

~~Melissa~~
"Beauty is in the eye of the beer holder."

Thanks, Ingo and Red. LM asked me my opinion and I spewed back my thoughts... a little like being on the board. Stream of consciousness writing, a little piquant, never subtle and always ambiguous. I do admire her column. It is difficult to find a new topic to joust with and to even handedly address the subject. I don't believe that I have that ability but she does a wonderful job.

English is such a wonderful language... 180 gallons a day!I would have worn out my python! At my age, I can't do three water changes a day, but when I was younger...

The meaning was 50% water change each day for three consecutive days.





__________
"To steal ideas from one person is plagiarism; to steal from many is research."
researched from Steven Wright

I look forward to her column every month. I look forward to TFH every month, actually. I've become quite addicted to that magazine. Great job LMuha and Bob!!

I'm so glad your discus did well. Sounds like you found just the right prescription for taking a little vacation.

---

~~Melissa~~
"Beauty is in the eye of the beer holder."