Going overseas for 6 weeks...how to handle tank upkeep?

[LoveArowanas]

The lowdown is...Im going overseas for 6 weeks in November. I have informed my parents (who know nothing about fishkeeping) ....that they are in charge of making sure my fish dont die. I do NOT live with my parents (lol) so they have to come over. I dont have flatmates. Im HOPING I can inform my parents they only need to come over 2 or 3 times in that 6 week period, scrub down/clean the inside of the tank at least once, and just do the 40% water changes the other two times

I own a JUWEL 180L, inhabitants are 2 Madagascar Rainbows, 2 Kribensis, 6/7 Kulhi Loaches, one Rainbow Shark, 5 emerald eyed rasboros, 5 black neons and 4 glowlight tetras.

SO....I will obtain an automatic feeder and time controlled lighting (both currently done manualy) I assume auto feeders will be ok/operate effectively ? Reccomendations?

I really want to keep it as simple and non time consuming for the parents as possible. I will obviously clean out the tank obsessively the day I fly out, and fuss over it the moment I get back. I plane to change the subscrate to my smallest size (and not have much of it) to make cleaning the bottom easier for them

What does my plan sound like? Any advice and tips appreciated Obviously Ive never done this before. Oh...they normally get cleaned out and water changed once a week

[Squirt]

Don't over feed, fish will survive off less food for several weeks. Reduce lighting so you don't get too much algae, and possibly get your parents to do a partial water change weekly.

[#!CrunchBang]

get them over and go through the processes you want them to do and get them to do it a few times before you leave.

I went on a field trip for 5 days and came home to food all over the bottom, parents are good at over and under doing something.

[Adrienne]

Is your tank planted? If not I wouldn't worry about putting a timer on, no lights will mean less algae build up.

[GZ_Loach]

Cleaning the hell out of the tank before you go away is not recomended in some of the books i've read, you end up disturbing the bacteria population which is not what you want when you have people who have no idea about fish keeping watching the tank.

[LoveArowanas]

Is your tank planted? If not I wouldn't worry about putting a timer on, no lights will mean less algae build up.

ahhh thats interesting. It is planted... but Im happy to throw the plants away if it helps

As for the lights...Im suprised! I thought fish needed lights for some reason. The tank is reasonably close to a window (no direct sunlight of course) ...so I could leave the lights off for 6 weeks and leave the curtains open and that would be fine?

GZ...yep I know what you mean, but Im pretty sure there is enough bacteria etc built up in the filter so it should survive manic subscrate clean outs?

Any tips on auto feeders anyone?

[GZ_Loach]

my first tank never had a light, i just left a small gap in the curtains to let a little bit of light through.

Back to the cleaning, the point im trying to explain is that if you disturb the substrate too much the bacteria that are in there won't funcion very well and if something went wrong with feeding or if a fish died it would be far more worse than if you did a simple clean + water change.

If your going to use an auto feeder then you will probably need to use a flake or granular food designed to work with what ever feeder you use, so I would recommend you start feeding the fish with the food that they will have later when your on holiday and see if and how much of the food they eat and adjust the amounts accordingly.

[the new guy]

Write it all down in plain English on a bit of paper for your parents to refer back to in case they forget how to do something

[Caryl]

I got one of those 7 day pill compartment things from the $3 Shop. Put the right amount of food in each and ask your parents to feed once a week would be enough. That way the fish will not be overfed, they won't starve, you won't overwork the filter, and the tank should get by without any water changes due to the lower bioload (although if your parents are willing to do a water change or two it would help). Also there should be no need to scrub down the inside of the tank as the fish will have grazed on it, keeping it sparkling clean.

I always clean my filter at least 2 days before I go away. This allows time to see that everything has settled back down well and the filter is continuing to work correctly (sometimes they don't after you have restarted them). I do a good substrate clean too.

Fish do not need light but plants do. Easiest to get a timer to switch on to give the plants 8 hours daily. Dying plants, or removing the plants, will have a bigger, negative effect on the tank than putting the lights on a timer.

Cut back on the feeding before you go, rather than feed them more. This way they will be used to lesser amounts and won't mind the sudden cutback so much. If you feed daily, cut back to every 2nd day then on weekends leave them 3 days without feeding.

[acara]

I have the same tank and am often on holidays,usually for 2 weeks,any less and I just leave the tank. When away for 2 weeks,I'm lucky enough to have a good friend,who dosn't work,live nearby,and he looks after them for me. For that tank,I would take the advice the others have given,but would only have them feed once a week,at most,and maybe 1 or 2 water changes,of about 25% eachif they're confident enough. You are not feeding much,so less waste,and I don't ever 'scrub down' the tanks,unless there's an algae build up(which is only for asthetic reasons,it won't harm the fish). Put the lights on auto timer,and set the times for in the evening when it is dark,it helps towards people seeing lights are on in the house,and having them think someone is in.

I don't recomend auto feeders,too many people have lost fish from malfunctions.

[LoveArowanas]

Thanks for the replies! I think I have a plan forumalated

# I will leave my plants in and obtain a lights timer set for 8 hours per day

# I will ask my parents to come in once a week. Every week to feed the fish one small pinch of flakes and drop in one frozen bloodworm square

# Every 2nd time they visit (twice overall) ..... I will ask they remove and replace one (large) bucket of water

# No scrubbing or subscrate cleaning needed

# A list covering all this taped to the wall beside the tank

Looks pretty simple and non-labour intensive! Seem ok?

[KrazyGeoff]

This looks like a good plan.

You should have an "in case of bad things happening" instruction.

I would recommend the following:

1: If you find a dead fish, please remove it from the water.

2: If you find a dead fish, don't feed this week (In case the dead fish has added an increased workload for the bacteria, you don't want to compound the issue with uneatin food)

3: If you find a dead fish, don't ring me, all I can do from "overseas" is worry. (And I will be too worried to buy you a christmas present :sml2: )

Cheers

[LoveArowanas]

ha ha thanks

I forgot to add

# Slowly reduce feeding frequency to every 2 days/then every 3 days so once a week isnt a shock to them

[ally07]

Might also pay to show them quickly how the vacuum siphon works...Just in case lol. Better to show them than to have a wet floor haha.