ONLINE NEWSLETTER - 7th Edition
Articles by Tammy J. Keiffer
Reef Aquariums & Vacation Time | August 2012
If vacation plans are in the near future, leaving a very expensive reef aquarium for a week or two can make the owner a worried mess. Do not fret. Pre-plan and have a nail biting free time while away!
If security cameras are installed you can simply check in from a remote location a couple of times a day. It's also advisable to have someone you trust come into your home to check at least a few times on the tanks and to perform basic maintenance such as water top offs due to evaporation. Always make a check list for the reef sitter and do a walk through in advance. To make it painless and nearly effortless there are a few things you can do prior to leaving.
1. Lighting Systems - Set the lights on a timer at least a week in advance in order to test the on/off cycle. A basic timer is going to cost you very little money. It will turn your lights on in the morning and off during the evening. Walmart has a variety of these in stock for less than $5 in the lighting section.
2. Automatic Feeders - Most super pet stores have these available for around $10. They are battery operated and automatically feed the tank in cycles.
3. Water Top Off - If major water evaporation is an issue you can always install an auto top off system. This is often not needed unless you have no one to check on the tanks. Most of the time I simply place a couple of gallons of RO (reverse osmosis) water beside the aquariums and draw a horizontal line on the glass with a black sharpie that indicates to the sitter when to top off the tank if needed. If it evaporates alot make sure you let them know to turn off the lights during this process. In the morning before the lights come on or after they go off is the best time for this. Adding too much fresh water at one time to a lighted tank can cause corals to bleach under high output lighting. At times I will also place the powerheads and intakes lower in the reef so they do not take in air if excessive evaporation occurs just as an extra precaution to keep my mind at ease.
Cooling - Ahhh and there is the overheating issue in very hot months. Keep the air conditioning on timers, central air on, or purchase an aquarium chiller.
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