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Hey guys..

Don't faint or anything, but here I am again..

I am down to 9 measly fish in my 60 gallon tank now, 8 of which can be fairly happily moved into my 35 upstairs and one which is going to be relocated in a week or so. So in order to try and get myself back into the hobby I am thinking of finally getting around to doing a reef tank (*sigh* ) Yes, money is still an issue, but highest on my list right now is the approaching summer vacation and a reef tanks ability to survive a month and possibly two with very little input from me in the way of maintenance.

After watching my gorgeous community freshwater tank take such a beating from our move last year and dwindle due to my recent inattention I absolutely refuse to allow myself to get into anything that is only going to cause me heartbreak down the road. Now since I am planning on staying put for at least 5 years, and there are no further plans to reproduce that I'm aware of (LOL) I can offer fairly stable care for most of the year, but during the summers will be taking off for the shore, leaving only fish babysitters and not keepers in my stead.

So how about it? Is it possible to leave an established reef tank for a goodly length of time without having to expect massive problems for months afterwards and having to watch those expensive fish die from my own stupidity??

......Or am I just on the wrong track once again??

L.

Reefs do need soem attention, but can be left alone fo ra week or so with no real problems. Providing you have a well set up clean up crew. There is plenty to eat in a reef tank. So if you have a lite load of fish, and a clean up crew, leaving it for a week will be OK, as long as your water levels stay teh same. Evaporation in a smaller tank can effect your gravity a drastic amount. So thi swill be another point to watch for.

Dan

We-ell...

First off, nice to see ya round again.

Second off...I think it depends on how established the tank will be, and whatnot...can your "sitters" have enough brains to take care of the tank? It's going to need top offs while you're gone, and I think how long you can go w/o a WC will just depend on the bio load and tank size. They'll have to check up on the temperature and maybe the SG or salinity everyonce in awhile...I think it'll depend on the protein skimmer and how much LR you have too.

If the tank is well established, it'll be able to go w/o feedings for awhile (depending on the livestock of course) but I don't know how long you'll be able to put off maint for...

What is the absolute longest you will be away from the tank for???

Personally I think I might wait...I don't know if it's worth the risk. But you could always set the whole thing up just cure the LR or something while you're away, and let the tank balance out, then add fish/inverts/corals when you finish your vacationing.

I'm starting up a reef tank atm too. Nice to hear another FishProfillian is interested. What kind of corals do you plan to keep? My tank is SPS dominated.

-Formerly known as the Ferretfish

Hey Lisa,

Basically you're giving yourself approximately 3 months (dependant on if you're leaving at the beginning or middle of summer) to get your aquarium situations settled before you leave for summer holiday at the beach (lucky gal)..

Take away the time it takes for you to actually plan the tank (give or take a few weeks if you do it VERY quickly), condense and convert your freshwater tanks, cycle the saltwater tank (cycles generally take a minimum of 2 weeks, sometimes longer), then begin stocking the sw tank and you're looking at a pretty new system that's going to be left alone for several months without anyone around that can properly take care of it..

Better to take your three +/- upcoming months to plan, make decisions and get your current tanks prepared for the change over, IMO.. When you get back from summer holiday you'll have all the rest of this year to put everything together without the stress of an imminent departure over your head.. Not to mention your skin will be acclimated to spending plenty of time in saltwater

Not to mention your skin will be acclimated to spending plenty of time in saltwater

Does that mean I can go on a trip to the Carribbean so that I'm acclimated to SW and can work in my tank better??? Please!!!

Again I just have to say...take your time. In a reef tank only bad things happen quickly...I'd wait. As Marc would say, the three rules to reef keeping are patience, patience, and yep, you guessed it, patience.

-Formerly known as the Ferretfish

Thanks so much for the quick replies (I so remember why I like this salty forum so much now )

To put your minds at ease, I don't think I could honestly plan to have the tank set up to the point I would have to worry by this summer (too little time, not enough cash and all that! I figure it's going to take me about a year to set it up well anyway.) My concern comes from the probability that our many previous small trips south to the shore are now going to turn into one major annual vacation over the summer now that Emma (kid #1) is in school and we don't have the time to see my mom so much the rest of the year.

So I guess I should have asked if by next summer, as long as I have someone not terribly smart ( sorry Ron! ) but trying to be helpful around to do things like top off the tank, monitor my readings, and provide the occasional feeding to anyone that needs it, could I leave a reef tank of at least 60 gallons for 3-4 weeks at a time maintenance-free without constant and overwhelming dread?

Sounds like it may be possible indeed...
L.

Short of feedings, and top offs, a reef tank can sit untouched for a long time with a good clean up crew. I ran a tank for a year with out a single water change. Corals do better with water changes, but will survive with out for a long time. Just make sure the person helping out understands how much water, and food to add each time. And to not over due it.



Dan

By next year, I think you would be fine with leaving the tank for that amount of time.. You'll have gotten over alot of the algae outbreaks and weird "what the heck" moments new tanks seem to go thru early on..

I think with one good water change a couple of days prior to your departure, it would be enough to hold your tank over until you got home again.. Since you're lucky enough to have someone to feed your fishies while you were away, that pretty much takes care of it..

*dangles a baggie with a Royal Gramma inside*

Honeybeze and I will be waiting for you on this side of the fence, Lisa