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10/21/2020, 03:52 PM | #1 |
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Low maintenance tank for long vacations
According to my plan, I'll be travelling extensively in about 2 years time (should be safe to travel by then). When I say extensively, I mean away from the tank for 3-4 MONTHS at a time! So I have to make a hard decision now on whether to keep this hobby or not, as it will take a new tank at least one year to cycle/mature. Right now I have a small (60 gal) mixed reef with sand, refugium but no skimmer. It is matured with seven fish, automated lighting and dosing (major elements), and the water parameters are stable with 0 nitrate and very low phosphate. I want a new tank (if I keep this hobby) because:
While I’m on vacation, I have access to:
With my existing tank I only check water parameters at most every 2 weeks, with minor adjustments to the dosing pumps if necessary. So I imagine with LPS and softy only, it can just run for months. I might have to go with no mechanical filter unless the inexperienced person can come more often. Has anybody done this? I think it is possible but I’m biased, I really don’t want to give away my fish, especially the flame hawk. |
10/21/2020, 05:23 PM | #2 |
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Location: Miller Place, NY
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You can get a maintenance company to come once a month when away.
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250 gallon mixed reef, 2 Reefbreeder's Photon V 2, Deepwater BLDC 12, DAS EX-3 Skimmer, MTC mini cal, 2-3/4" Sea Swirls, Aquacontroller & 6 Tunze pumps. |
10/21/2020, 05:39 PM | #3 |
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i've been gone as long as a month with a reef tank needing a gallon a day topoff. I set up 2 Brute cans of topoff to feed the autotopoff, with an autofeeder, and a friend who switched the topoff pump into the other calcium-stocked Brute of rodi when #1 ran out. Tank thrived. If you could get a pro to come in every month and see to the topoff and refill the feeder it might work. He'd need to bring 30- 60 gal of ro/di with him.
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Sk8r Salinity 1.024-6; alkalinity 8.3-9.3 on KH scale; calcium 420; magnesium 1300, temp 78-80, nitrate .2. Ammonia 0. No filters: lps tank. Alk and cal won't rise if mg is low. Current Tank Info: 105g AquaVim wedge, yellow tang, sailfin blenny,royal gramma, ocellaris clown pair, yellow watchman, 100 microceriths, 25 tiny hermits, a 4" conch, 1" nassarius, recovering from 2 year hiatus with daily water change of 10%. |
10/22/2020, 02:27 AM | #4 |
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Location: central california
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10/22/2020, 11:12 PM | #5 |
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Join Date: May 2016
Posts: 12
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Well the experienced reefer I mentioned is the owner of a LFS, I suppose I just have to pay him to come once a month, and pray that he doesn't go on vacation at the same time.
The last time I was away for 6 weeks, I removed the filter floss and relied solely on the refugium, and the corals survived. Can I run the tank long-term without mechanical filter? |
10/23/2020, 03:18 AM | #6 |
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Join Date: Mar 2020
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I wonder how things would be different for those of you that are apartment dwellers, especially those with suites not on the first floor.
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10/23/2020, 07:53 AM | #7 |
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Join Date: Nov 2002
Location: Miller Place, NY
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You can run without, many people feel detritus adds to a more "natural" system.
Talk to the owner & tell him you would like him to take care when you are away as a regular customer & will do things yourself when home. Be upfront so you both understand what to expect.
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250 gallon mixed reef, 2 Reefbreeder's Photon V 2, Deepwater BLDC 12, DAS EX-3 Skimmer, MTC mini cal, 2-3/4" Sea Swirls, Aquacontroller & 6 Tunze pumps. |
10/23/2020, 10:16 AM | #8 |
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An Eheim autofeeder with Formula One flake will do for most species for a few weeks and assure you have measured daily feeding. Refill is easy without messing with the timer.
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Sk8r Salinity 1.024-6; alkalinity 8.3-9.3 on KH scale; calcium 420; magnesium 1300, temp 78-80, nitrate .2. Ammonia 0. No filters: lps tank. Alk and cal won't rise if mg is low. Current Tank Info: 105g AquaVim wedge, yellow tang, sailfin blenny,royal gramma, ocellaris clown pair, yellow watchman, 100 microceriths, 25 tiny hermits, a 4" conch, 1" nassarius, recovering from 2 year hiatus with daily water change of 10%. |
10/23/2020, 12:30 PM | #9 | |
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Quote:
I have Marine Pure bio media, as was told to have mechanical filter upstream, any thought on this? |
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10/24/2020, 11:10 AM | #10 |
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Join Date: Oct 2020
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Try checking out EcoQube Aquarium, it is a good Self-Cleaning Tank.
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low maintenance, ulm, vacation |
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