Going On Holidays

[jaclynl]

Hi Everyone!

In a few weeks I am going on Holidays. I will be gone three nights, 4 whole days. Right now my tank is processing ammonia at about 0.25ppm every 12 hours. It's at 0.25ppm right now, so I should be dosing it back up to 5 in 12 hours. Nitrites are being processed as fast as the ammonia munchers can make it.

What is the best way to ensure my cycle doesn't crash while I am away. I don't have anyone who can come to the house and put ammonia in the tank for those few days. Is there any form of ammonia I can put in that will be slow release.


While I'm at it, I also have a 10gal with 5 fish. How can I feed them for 4 days without being home? Normally I would get my parents to come over and do all of this but this time we are traveling together, which will probably never happen again so I only have to worry about it this once.

Thanks,
Jaclyn

 

[Gragam]

What sort of fish are in the 10 gal? how mature is the set up?

 

[jaclynl]

What sort of fish are in the 10 gal? how mature is the set up?

There are 4 Zebra Danios and 1 Pygmy Cory....the tank has been running for only about 2 months.

 

[Smoothy]

Surely 4 days won't be too bad to just not feed them ... wait until you return back home?

Fish can go for quite a while without food I thought?

Can you not get a automatic feeder and get it to chuck out a few fish flakes for the tank that's cycling?

 

[jaclynl]

Surely 4 days won't be too bad to just not feed them ... wait until you return back home?

Fish can go for quite a while without food I thought?

Can you not get a automatic feeder and get it to chuck out a few fish flakes for the tank that's cycling?

Would that provide enough ammonia? How much would I have to add on a daily basis?

 

[Jonty]

Wasn't there a thread where someone added prawns for fishless cycling? Would they decompose slower and release the ammonia over time?

 

[Rooster]

Put the filter from the new tank into the old one !!!! Fish will keep the cycle running....

No need to feed the fish at all ! as long as its established, they will be fine for a week or more

 

[waterdrop]

Totally agree with Rooster: Just move the filter over if possible or otherwise dump a few pinches of fish food into the one that's fishless cycling. Either way, in the other one don't worry about the fish at all, they can go a couple weeks at least without food and you just need to feed them very lightly, easing them slowly back to normal levels after you get back - don't give them a lot all at once after they haven't had food.

~~waterdrop~~

 

[jaclynl]

Totally agree with Rooster: Just move the filter over if possible or otherwise dump a few pinches of fish food into the one that's fishless cycling. Either way, in the other one don't worry about the fish at all, they can go a couple weeks at least without food and you just need to feed them very lightly, easing them slowly back to normal levels after you get back - don't give them a lot all at once after they haven't had food.

~~waterdrop~~

The 10 gallon tank only has a under gravel filter so I can't do that. I'll just dump some food in before I leave.

Thanks

 

[Rooster]

Totally agree with Rooster: Just move the filter over if possible or otherwise dump a few pinches of fish food into the one that's fishless cycling. Either way, in the other one don't worry about the fish at all, they can go a couple weeks at least without food and you just need to feed them very lightly, easing them slowly back to normal levels after you get back - don't give them a lot all at once after they haven't had food.

~~waterdrop~~

The 10 gallon tank only has a under gravel filter so I can't do that. I'll just dump some food in before I leave.

Thanks

Arrr a time traveller huh ? LOL
(sorry - ill get me coat...)

 

[jaclynl]

Totally agree with Rooster: Just move the filter over if possible or otherwise dump a few pinches of fish food into the one that's fishless cycling. Either way, in the other one don't worry about the fish at all, they can go a couple weeks at least without food and you just need to feed them very lightly, easing them slowly back to normal levels after you get back - don't give them a lot all at once after they haven't had food.

~~waterdrop~~

The 10 gallon tank only has a under gravel filter so I can't do that. I'll just dump some food in before I leave.

Thanks

Arrr a time traveller huh ? LOL
(sorry - ill get me coat...)

I`m missing the joke

I just realized that I made a mistake, you told me to put the new media into the new tank, I thought you meant the other way around which made no sense when I thought about it. The problem is I have a Fluval 205 Canister and don`t think the media will all fit in the tiny 10 gallon, my fish would be quite crowded....also I don;t think I can hook it up to the old tank because of all the hoses and stuff not being the right length. Also would the flow rate be too much for the 10 gallon

Would it be possible to just put a bit of the media in and top up the new tank to 5ppm and hope for the best...

 

[jynxed]

What about the fish food that is in a block form that is made for going on holiday that breaks up a little at a time over 7 days?
only problem i could see is you wouldnt have any control over how much ammonia it produced and could send it sky high
but its something to consider

 

[Truck]

cant you just lob a prawn in the tank to keep it going?

 

[waterdrop]

What about the fish food that is in a block form that is made for going on holiday that breaks up a little at a time over 7 days?
only problem i could see is you wouldnt have any control over how much ammonia it produced and could send it sky high
but its something to consider

Members have had a lot of bad experiences with these so we usually don't recommend them!

 

[pippoodle]

just connect the fluval 205 up to the 10 gallon while you are away andf leave it running in there with the Under gravel filter
as its the filter that cycles not the tank - dont bother removing the media from the 205 just put the canister over
then when you return swap it back

feeding the fish

just feed the fish just before you leave normal amount (sinking pellet for the cory) and they'll be fine until you return three nights isnt very long
mine have been left 6 nights without food but i do have a heavilly planted tank