Going On Hoilday For A Month, Preps What Do You Do?

[goldfinger]

I'm off on hoilday for one month and just wanted to know anything I need to take note off when away?
I'm leaving instructions for neighbours to feed and thats pretty much it TBF.
I'm guessing cleaning the filter out before I leave would be a good idea new floss and a rise out?
Water change? 50%
 

 

[Skies]

Don't clean the filter! That's where the good stuff is.
 
I'd be more worried about gravel vac'ing REALLY good and giving it a good and thorough water change. How big is the tank and what kind of fish do you keep? Looking forward to seeing more replies.

 

[Sophie]

Depending on how well you trust your neighbours to not overfeed your fish - try picking up one of those medication cases that does day by day meds and put your allocated food in those so they do not overfeed them.
 
External canister filter? Once a month I take my media out, give it a rinse in aquarium water to get the debris and poop off everything and change my polishing pads to keep the tiny bits from the water giving it that 'crystal clear' appearance, so yeah if yours is similar (mines Fluval 406 with the pads in) it wouldn't hurt. Polishing pads as I presume with your floss is designed to be changed on occasion a bit like activated carbon and such? 

I also give the canister itself a rinse because a lot of poop gets stuck at the bottom after a while.
All depends on your filter!
 
Maybe test your Nitrates and see where they are at and decide on the correct water change percentage?
All depends on your stocking and how quickly nitrates build up.
My 260L is so heavily planted the nitrates barely increase at all and it's basically self sustainable when it comes to the chems' in the nitrogen cycle.

 

[Blondielovesfish]

Do an 80% waterchange the day before you leave and rinse the filter in USED tank water.
Try to get your neighbours to feed a bit less than you normally do. If you put in some fast growing plants then that would help with your nitrate while your away.

 

[daveg6529]

Like Fishaholic says I'd do a very large water change just before you go (80%+) and the same again immediately upon your return. Pre dose your food in separate containers (daily medical container is a good choice) for your neighbours so they don't over feed.
Good luck and enjoy the holiday.

 

[goldfinger]

Well issues are I have are that I'm running two tanks, one is 125l other is 300l
I have Eheim 2217 in the 125l and IPF4 and Eheim 2008 in the 300l
Split both fish up due to a bout of white spot now cured, fin rot is nearly clear but smaller fish kept nipping the rotting fin.
Was thinking sticking the smaller fish back into the 125l with bigger goldfish as the Ehiem is the better filter, stronger and can handle both goldfish easily.
Or move the 2217 to the 300l tank and stick both fish into the larger tank before I go?
I have some dead Amazon Swords that need removing, but the other plants are doing well TBH.
All chemical levels are Zero even Nitrates are low due to the plants intake also. But I will do a big water change before I leave though.
I hoovered the floor in the 125l tank already and its taken awhile for the water to clear up this could be due to me sticking K1(bio media) and taking out the extra floss pad I had in there.
Its like a bacteria bloom I'm having, not sure if I stired up too much gravel and cleaning the filter at the same time helped or was the right thing to complete in one cleaning session? 
Was also considering a autofeeder, but don't think it can handle 30 days feed cycle?
The smaller thank has a light timer which should go on for 5 hours in the evening, the larger tank has only natural light, but lots of it during day time.
I'm not leaving until 16/07/13 so have some time to plan things out?
 
Thanks for the suggestions I'll plan around the meds containers which is a good idea!

 

[Sophie]

Well issues are I have are that I'm running two tanks, one is 125l other is 300l
I have Eheim 2217 in the 125l and IPF4 and Eheim 2008 in the 300l
Split both fish up due to a bout of white spot now cured, fin rot is nearly clear but smaller fish kept nipping the rotting fin.
Was thinking sticking the smaller fish back into the 125l with bigger goldfish as the Ehiem is the better filter, stronger and can handle both goldfish easily.
Or move the 2217 to the 300l tank and stick both fish into the larger tank before I go?
I have some dead Amazon Swords that need removing, but the other plants are doing well TBH.
All chemical levels are Zero even Nitrates are low due to the plants intake also. But I will do a big water change before I leave though.
I hoovered the floor in the 125l tank already and its taken awhile for the water to clear up this could be due to me sticking K1(bio media) and taking out the extra floss pad I had in there.
Its like a bacteria bloom I'm having, not sure if I stired up too much gravel and cleaning the filter at the same time helped or was the right thing to complete in one cleaning session? 
Was also considering a autofeeder, but don't think it can handle 30 days feed cycle?
The smaller thank has a light timer which should go on for 5 hours in the evening, the larger tank has only natural light, but lots of it during day time.
I'm not leaving until 16/07/13 so have some time to plan things out?
 
Thanks for the suggestions I'll plan around the meds containers which is a good idea!

 
I think automatic feeders are too unreliable but you have time to experiment I guess.
I've heard a lot of horror stories that if you use flake, the condensation makes it damp so it doesn't release the flake properly etc.
 
On a different note, what the hell is your display picture?! Creeps me out every time I look at it *blush* !

 

[dgwebster]

This is where my reptiles manage themselves. On the fishy front i would only ask for feeding every other day?

 

[goldfinger]

 

Well issues are I have are that I'm running two tanks, one is 125l other is 300l
I have Eheim 2217 in the 125l and IPF4 and Eheim 2008 in the 300l
Split both fish up due to a bout of white spot now cured, fin rot is nearly clear but smaller fish kept nipping the rotting fin.
Was thinking sticking the smaller fish back into the 125l with bigger goldfish as the Ehiem is the better filter, stronger and can handle both goldfish easily.
Or move the 2217 to the 300l tank and stick both fish into the larger tank before I go?
I have some dead Amazon Swords that need removing, but the other plants are doing well TBH.
All chemical levels are Zero even Nitrates are low due to the plants intake also. But I will do a big water change before I leave though.
I hoovered the floor in the 125l tank already and its taken awhile for the water to clear up this could be due to me sticking K1(bio media) and taking out the extra floss pad I had in there.
Its like a bacteria bloom I'm having, not sure if I stired up too much gravel and cleaning the filter at the same time helped or was the right thing to complete in one cleaning session? 
Was also considering a autofeeder, but don't think it can handle 30 days feed cycle?
The smaller thank has a light timer which should go on for 5 hours in the evening, the larger tank has only natural light, but lots of it during day time.
I'm not leaving until 16/07/13 so have some time to plan things out?
 
Thanks for the suggestions I'll plan around the meds containers which is a good idea!

 
I think automatic feeders are too unreliable but you have time to experiment I guess.
I've heard a lot of horror stories that if you use flake, the condensation makes it damp so it doesn't release the flake properly etc.
 
On a different note, what the hell is your display picture?! Creeps me out every time I look at it *blush* !
 

LOL good point Sophie the I've heard about damp food aswell which 7 day feeders in summer is about all I would use.
I could make one, but don't have time TBF to build and test one.
A friend sent me an email he said do you want to see a "Hot tanned bird?"
"errrr okay" then he sent me the picture and it made me wet myself TBH.

This is where my reptiles manage themselves. On the fishy front i would only ask for feeding every other day?

Yes our neighbours have feed them before and all was good he knows the starving method is better than overfeeding.