Your no. 1 (overlooked) thing to plan for when going on extended vacation

[Alexander1312]

Depending on how many people live in your house, your Ph may run higher when away. I notice that effect on my own tank if I'm out for the weekend. If you have any dosing that's dependant on ph, take that into consideration

This is my single biggest concern at the moment. A significant shift in alkalinity consumption while I am gone.

 

[H2OPlayar]

This is my single biggest concern at the moment. A significant shift in alkalinity consumption while I am gone.

This is where I really like the trident and the dos which I can control from my phone. I check in every 3 days while I am gone and adjust as necessary.

 

[gmdcdvm]

I just set up my trident. Twice a week I double check using my Red Sea test kit. I’m out of town 8 days and so far I’m pretty confident looking at the trends.

 

[MolaMola]

Are your drains blocked from entry of wayward snails or cukes? Once, just before I was going out of town a massive trochus I had never seen in the tank wedged itself deep down my main drain. Emergency drain was blasting and taking care of it, but yikes. Added netting over weir and overflow, but have to clean it if tank gets algae growth.

 

[Alexander1312]

It is this time of the year again. Leaving for vacation (Germany) for almost 3 weeks in a couple of weeks.

I always find this a very stressful time due to all the planning involved to minimize tank related drama while I am gone.

At least this time I can rely on steps from previous years, but some stuff has changed, so needed to update my overview.

The added benefit this time is having the AquaWiz to monitor alkalinity, but I do hesitate to switch dosing pumps two weeks before departure to be able to remote control them while I am gone. So I might not do that, and if I am seeing a strong drop in alkalinity, I might need to ask the tank sitter to adjust the EcoTech Versa dosing amounts. Hopefully this will not be needed. I do want to switch to cloud based dosing pumps eventually, there was just not enough time this time.

The other element I will add to my preparation is to prepare critical spare parts in case they break down while I am gone. While I have lots of spare stuff, I realized I do not have everything.

For example lights - what if they stop working while I am gone? I have one spare Reefi light, which will not be enough to power the tank - but better than nothing. The thing is, that the Quanta Lights ATLAS I am running (plus the helix bars) are not even able for purchase at the moment.

Another example are dosing pumps. What if they fail?

Also, what if any of the Hydros controller fails?

Probably need to live with some residual risks, but knowing them is not great.

 

[H2OPlayar]

For example lights - what if they stop working while I am gone? I
Another example are dosing pumps. What if they fail?
Also, what if any of the Hydros controller fails?

Lights fail is not an issue, nothing dies over 2-3 weeks with lower par.
Same with dosing pumps, unless you are going through 1dkh/day, your dosing pump can fail for a week or two and be fine.
Same with the controller. Any reef tank with a sufficient ato and autofeeder should be able to run hands off for at least a week, if not two.

Just make sure you have a pump backup, that's the critical component. I keep an extra on my shelf with a union plumbed 6" above the pump so I can swap a pump out in 2 minutes. And then a battery backup for your pump.

Other than that, nothing else really matters imo.

If you are going away a month, different story. But two weeks is fine with basically any piece of equipment going except for the main pump.

 

[Darkxerox]

Lights fail is not an issue, nothing dies over 2-3 weeks with lower par.
Same with dosing pumps, unless you are going through 1dkh/day, your dosing pump can fail for a week or two and be fine.
Same with the controller. Any reef tank with a sufficient ato and autofeeder should be able to run hands off for at least a week, if not two.

Just make sure you have a pump backup, that's the critical component. I keep an extra on my shelf with a union plumbed 6" above the pump so I can swap a pump out in 2 minutes. And then a battery backup for your pump.

Other than that, nothing else really matters imo.

If you are going away a month, different story. But two weeks is fine with basically any piece of equipment going except for the main pump.

Heating and cooling can be controlled by your house's HVAC too easy in the summer, especially since the AC probably is controlling temps down at @Alexander1312 's house.

Having a human ready that knows what they're doing and have a key is the best backup!

 

[Alexander1312]

Lights fail is not an issue, nothing dies over 2-3 weeks with lower par.
Same with dosing pumps, unless you are going through 1dkh/day, your dosing pump can fail for a week or two and be fine.
Same with the controller. Any reef tank with a sufficient ato and autofeeder should be able to run hands off for at least a week, if not two.

Just make sure you have a pump backup, that's the critical component. I keep an extra on my shelf with a union plumbed 6" above the pump so I can swap a pump out in 2 minutes. And then a battery backup for your pump.

Other than that, nothing else really matters imo.

If you are going away a month, different story. But two weeks is fine with basically any piece of equipment going except for the main pump.

I guess I do not follow, but I might have misunderstood this response in parts or totally.

First of all, I am leaving almost 3 full weeks as stated above. I would be far less concerned about leaving for 8 days.

My tank is consuming 4+ dkh per day, so continuous dosing of alk is essential, hence my dosing pump concerns.

If my controller(s) fail(s), no ATO or autofeeder (or gyres, etc.) will work anymore.

However, given the way Hydros provides backup amongst its devices, it must be a total failure, I believe, so this is hopefully less likely. All of my devices are connected to controllers, and the power plugs on the Hydros outlets can fail, and I am not sure if this will be offset with the backup - therefore, at least a spare Xp8 outlet would be better.

I did state above I have a return pump and several other devices as spare and will get them ready in case of an emergency. My concern was what happens if any of the devices break down where I do not have a spare one.

Light is interesting. I am producing about 550 PAR on top of the tank and close to 300 PAR at the bottom. If on day 4, the lights break down, can the tank survive with only ambient light? I doubt that, but maybe?

In my case, there is a sunroof diagonal above the tank, so maybe it could survive. But will then alk consumption decrease and alk increase? This would not be good. So light issues do not appear to be as simple if thought through - another reason to consider buying cloud-controlled dosing pumps - there is a tablet in my house to access the Mobius app to reduce alk dosing of the Versas, and since I am seeing alk levels through the AquaWiz remotely, this can still be managed.

Overall, I still consider the spare part situation somewhat problematic as it would be good to have a spare part for every key item I am using. I know quite a lot of folks who have one extra equipment item for every single tank device they are using in case of failure.

 

[H2OPlayar]

I guess I do not follow, but I might have misunderstood this response in parts or totally.

First of all, I am leaving almost 3 full weeks as stated above. I would be far less concerned about leaving for 8 days.

My tank is consuming 4+ dkh per day, so continuous dosing of alk is essential, hence my dosing pump concerns.

If my controller(s) fail(s), no ATO or autofeeder (or gyres, etc.) will work anymore.

However, given the way Hydros provides backup amongst its devices, it must be a total failure, I believe, so this is hopefully less likely. All of my devices are connected to controllers, and the power plugs on the Hydros outlets can fail, and I am not sure if this will be offset with the backup - therefore, at least a spare Xp8 outlet would be better.

I did state above I have a return pump and several other devices as spare and will get them ready in case of an emergency. My concern was what happens if any of the devices break down where I do not have a spare one.

Light is interesting. I am producing about 550 PAR on top of the tank and close to 300 PAR at the bottom. If on day 4, the lights break down, can the tank survive with only ambient light? I doubt that, but maybe?

In my case, there is a sunroof diagonal above the tank, so maybe it could survive. But will then alk consumption decrease and alk increase? This would not be good. So light issues do not appear to be as simple if thought through - another reason to consider buying cloud-controlled dosing pumps - there is a tablet in my house to access the Mobius app to reduce alk dosing of the Versas, and since I am seeing alk levels through the AquaWiz remotely, this can still be managed.

Overall, I still consider the spare part situation somewhat problematic as it would be good to have a spare part for every key item I am using. I know quite a lot of folks who have one extra equipment item for every single tank device they are using in case of failure.

My point is that it is very unlikely things will fail day 1, so you are probably looking at 1-2 weeks of failed unit if anything goes down. That's why I have 10 lights and am only running 8 right now. Your tank will be fine with low or no lights, people blackout all the time for a week and everything bounces back. My guess is you have 3+ lights, so if 1 goes out no big deal.

All of your powerheads are through your hydros? And dosing pumps? And autofeeder? Sounds like a single point failure and you might consider one powerhead plugged into the wall to bypass your controller, and an eheim autofeeder. I would still use the controller to verify dosing pump function, but the rest of it? Simplify the setup.

Do whatever prep you feel is needed, but keep it simple. Coral needs temp, flow, salinity and some light. With 4 dkh /day, I would have gotten an auto tester with feedback to pumps like the trident/dos combination. That's a lot of manual testing and twiddling dosing values otherwise. I've got an extra here in the garage, feel free to stop by Vegas anytime to borrow it.

 

[MichaelB]

Keep things simple there are many reefers in your area. Leave a key somewhere make arrangements for them to check maybe every few days or once a week. You can tell them where the key is or just give them the key. Have a camera on the tank leave sump doors open so everything is visible to you or just have more than one camera.

Have some rodi water in containers labels.

And maybe some premix salt water in different containers.

The club is here to support each other. We are in short the best resource anyone could have when going on vacation.

When i left for three weeks my kids monitored my tanks feed fish and filled up rodi. Maybe once a week I did a video call with them and asked them to give me close of views of the different parts of the different tanks. The close ups that couldn't be scene in detail with the cameras I had on the different tanks. From the cameras I would have known if something major happened.


The close ups let me check specific things to ensure nothing happened.

I left them numbers of a few local members willing to come by on case of a emergency something odd happens and they couldn't reach me.

If you won't have anyone staying at your place at all. Make arrangements with a trusted club member.

Even if you have someone coming to. Check on things make arrangements with a few members who would be able to show up and help in your absence.


Whats obvious to us reefers isn't obvious to a casual person just helping feed your fish.


Any type of redundancy can fail. Look at what happened with polo reef recently. They have every back up in existence and still had a major issue.

So in short sir. You need to get a fellow bar member on retainer lmao.

Through them gas money, a future frag, offer to take them off for burgers and drinks or offer to cover their tanks when they are out of town you plenty of ways to secure expert help without paying a crazy amount of $$$$

 

[Alexander1312]

Keep things simple there are many reefers in your area. Leave a key somewhere make arrangements for them to check maybe every few days or once a week. You can tell them where the key is or just give them the key. Have a camera on the tank leave sump doors open so everything is visible to you or just have more than one camera.

Have some rodi water in containers labels.

And maybe some premix salt water in different containers.

The club is here to support each other. We are in short the best resource anyone could have when going on vacation.

When i left for three weeks my kids monitored my tanks feed fish and filled up rodi. Maybe once a week I did a video call with them and asked them to give me close of views of the different parts of the different tanks. The close ups that couldn't be scene in detail with the cameras I had on the different tanks. From the cameras I would have known if something major happened.


The close ups let me check specific things to ensure nothing happened.

I left them numbers of a few local members willing to come by on case of a emergency something odd happens and they couldn't reach me.

If you won't have anyone staying at your place at all. Make arrangements with a trusted club member.

Even if you have someone coming to. Check on things make arrangements with a few members who would be able to show up and help in your absence.


Whats obvious to us reefers isn't obvious to a casual person just helping feed your fish.


Any type of redundancy can fail. Look at what happened with polo reef recently. They have every back up in existence and still had a major issue.

So in short sir. You need to get a fellow bar member on retainer lmao.

Through them gas money, a future frag, offer to take them off for burgers and drinks or offer to cover their tanks when they are out of town you plenty of ways to secure expert help without paying a crazy amount of $$$$

This is where these Morton Steakhouse vouchers I still have come in handy .

Fun fact - one of my Hydros ATO sensors failed today. Which is a pretty bad fail if you are not home. Easy to replace but needs fixing immediately. I am looking into this as their design seemed to have changed.

Correction - design has not changed.