What do you guys do with your tanks on vacation?

This summer I'm going to south America for 2 months and I was wondering what I should do with my tank. I'll have someone come over and feed but other than that I have no idea. Can I store pre salted pwc water?
Thanks

 

yes, you can store water. Do you dose anything? i would automate everything you can (ato, 2-part dosing, etc.). Just show the person doing the feeding what to look for in case anything malfunctions. Unless you can find someone that knows what they are doing to come do water changes, i would just wait on the water changes until you get back. You might talk to your local LFS to see if you can pay someone to come by once a week to check on everything and do your water changes if you trust them.

 

is this fish only or you keep coral too?

I would definitely automate the water top off. your friend can't come over often enough for that...

If you have stony corals, I would also automate the dosing (drip, reactor, whatever).

These things are nice to have. They are especially nice to have when you leave

 

If you don't have an experienced person to check on it and maintain it, and if you have much invested, I would definitely recommend trying to find an aquarium service (or store) to stop by every 2 weeks or even one. If only to make sure everything look right.

That way a friend also has somebody local to call in an aquatic emergency.

 

I'm hoping by that time the tank will be established and I can do a 20% pwc every other week. I'll be dosing a couple easy things so I think I can have them do that. As for ato I'm skittle scared to get one after all the story's I've heard...

 

Put the ato on a double float switch with one being higher in the sump incase the first fails, then put the power supply on a digital timer turning on every so often for a third fail safe. your buddy surely would catch it after that but won't need to. Mines on a double float no timer and the second fail safe float hasn't had to work yet knock on wood.

 

same here. i've never had the first switch fail in 3 years... i have to manually test them occasionally

 

Awesome! If you don't mind me asking, what brand?

 

DIY Those things are overpriced.

 

Awesome! What plans did you use?