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Ok I am going to be going home for about 5 days and I don't want my planted tank to get out of hand.

I do my WC on Mondays and I am leaving on monday night so I will do a Sunday water change instead.

My main question is what do I want to do for my ferts. Do I want to do a little heaver does?

55G Planted tank thread
19G Container Pond
[IMG]http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y118/Wingsdlc/Ric

I would just dose the normal amount after W/C and turn off CO2 (if you're adding any) and reduce lights to <2wpg (or shorten the lighting period if you can't). This way the plants won't photosynthesize as much and consequently will use less nutrients.

-P

Hi,
Personally, if the lights are on a timer, I'd do the water
change on Sunday as you suggest, and then go have fun.
The tank will be there when you get back and nothing will
be so far out of kilter that you can't easily fix it.

Heck I've left mine for two weeks with no troubles.
Frank


-->>> The Confidence of Amateurs, is the Envy of Professionals <<<--

Wings,

Just like upikabu said, dose normal and do the other steps mentioned. He has recent experience with going away.

I also think that if any plants would need some trimming then you should do that as well rather than push it off until you would get back.

And just for the couriosity, what do you do about the feeding?

Ingo

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Proud Member of the New Jersey Aquatic Gardeners Club

Well its not going to be fun to be away.. I am getting my wisdom teeth pulled!

My lights right now I am running for 12 hours/day. What should I cut back too?

As for my CO2, I am running DIY right now (not for too much longer! All I need is a CO2 tank!! By the way the Reg that Dr. F&S sell is a AZOO if anyone wonders). Should I just pull the air lines out of the tank and let them run? Maybe just remove one or two of the three bottles of brew? What do you guys think?

As for fish feeding. I have a couple of auto feeders but I might not use them. I will be gone for about 5 or 6 days. Working at the LFS I have found out that the fish that get shipped to us don't get feed for about a week before they get shipped. That way they don't produce a bunch of waste in the bag. I might set of the feeders just so there is a bit of food getting into the tank. Thus feeding the fish to feed the plants. I am not a really big fan of the feeders though because its pretty easy to over feed with them. The ones that I have feed every 12 hours.

Alright I think thats it. Thanks for your help so far.




55G Planted tank thread
19G Container Pond
[IMG]http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y118/Wingsdlc/Ric

Wings,

I would:
- Cut back your lighting to 10 hours
- Pull the DIY CO2 airline out of the tank as you said (let the mix keep brewing)
- Not worry about feeding/using the feeder, especially for just 5-6 days. Just give them good fattening food (e.g. frozen food) before you leave. I've left fish for up to a month without feeding and never lost one fish due to starvation (heat is a different matter, however).

Good luck with your wisdom teeth operation (ouch!). I can commiserate - had mine pulled a few months ago.

-P

Wings,

The problem with your DIY CO2 is its reliability. If one would fail and create a mess in your tank (has happended before to some people) then you usually can catch it, if you are around, before it is too late. I would shut them down, just to be safe.

Fish not eating in bag from Asia to the LFS - true, but they are also subdued by having no to little light at all. Their metabolism is slowed down in the process and they don't need that much food just to rest in a tiny bag. If you know that this feeder thing works then I would say use it.

I would leave the lights on for 10 hours a day .

Hope this helps,

Ingo

- didn't see upikabu's answer until after posting mine. I would trust his opinion on feeding more than mine.

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Proud Member of the New Jersey Aquatic Gardeners Club

All sound advice. Especially the part about slowing down the plants' nutrient absorbtion rate. You don't want to bottom out on anything and have an algae outbreak.

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Back in the saddle!

Yeap, I thing your in good hands. Five days really is not that long for plants or fish so I think you'll be o.k either way. If your going to cut o2 than differently reduce lighting period and don't worry about the ferts for the 5 days. Don't do anything too drastic. Consistenty is one of the most important elements to a trouble-free tank.

My Scapes

Wow guys! Thanks a ton for all your help!

~Light is going down to 10 hours/day.
~Going to pull my CO2 lines out and put the bottles of brew in the tub while I am gone.
~Doing my WC tonight and I will dose both mic and mac in the morning.
~As for the fish I am going to go with out feeding. I am sure that they will be fine.

Thanks again!

55G Planted tank thread
19G Container Pond
[IMG]http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y118/Wingsdlc/Ric

Wings,

And I keep my fingers crossed that all goes well with your teeth and that you are up and running again in no time

If I would be you I would request some of the funny medicine before the operation, that would be the least they can do so you have something to look forward to as well

Ingo

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Proud Member of the New Jersey Aquatic Gardeners Club

LF,

Thanks for your thoughs on the teeth pulling party. I am not 100% sure what they are going to give me. I am not a real into taking meds kind of guy but I am sure I might want some good stuff for at least the first day or so.

See you guys in a week!

55G Planted tank thread
19G Container Pond
[IMG]http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y118/Wingsdlc/Ric

Back from my little break...
The teeth pulling went really well and I only needed the hard drugs for the first day. After that I used the light stuff for another two days and today toughed it out with nothing..

Fish tanks all seem to be in pretty good shape. More will tell in the morning.

I just hooked up my CO2 system so am am looking forward to seeing what kind of dammage I can cause....

I guess thats it!

55G Planted tank thread
19G Container Pond
[IMG]http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y118/Wingsdlc/Ric

Wings,

Glad to read that it wasn't all that bad, with the teeth and the tanks .

Just don't eat any Slim Jams in the next few weeks

Ingo

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Proud Member of the New Jersey Aquatic Gardeners Club

Just don't eat any Slim Jams in the next few weeks

Is there a story behind this?? I have been eating all sorts of stuff. The only thing that sucks is when I find a chunk of food stuck in a hole that has been there for way too long...

55G Planted tank thread
19G Container Pond
[IMG]http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y118/Wingsdlc/Ric