Cycling 2 tanks and going on holiday?

[newland]

Hi All

I'm now cycling my 2 15Gal tanks

I've got my nitrites high and have seeded the tank with some gravel from an existing tank.

The problem is i'm not sure if the tank will be set-up before the end of this month.

I'm off on holiday for a couple of weeks and i don't really want to add fish a few days before i go but i also don't want my bacteria to die because i didn't add some amonnia whilst i was gone.

I'm thinking of making a kinda drip to keep some bacteria alive.
Prehaps a 2 litre bottle mixed with water + ammonia for each tank.

I'm not sure on what to do. please help.

 

[rdd1952]

YOu could possibly put a large amount of fish food in before you leave. The food will have to decompose so it will take it a while but still may not last until you get back. I guess another option would be to buy one of the automatic feeders and use that while your gone. That would add more flakes each day and keep the ammonia up. The food blocks may work too but I've heard they were only about 5% food and the rest was just plaster or chalk to hold it together. Most people say they just make a mess of your tank but then you're going to have to do a big water change when cycling is done anyway so that might not be a problem.

 

[newland]

What about prawns?

Or will it really stink out my room?

 

[rdd1952]

Not really familiar with them. I don't know how they would do or if they would create enough waste to cycle it.

 

[newland]

Dam

Has anyone got any ideas.

The auto feeder is a good idea but would cost too much money for me.

 

[newland]

Thanks for all the help.

I'm gonna go for the drip method.
What i've got is a 2 litre bottle with a hole drilled into the cap.

I've put a tube into the cap and tied string around the tube to slow down the water flow.

I think i need to add some air holes into the bottle because it collapses in on its self.

Also i need to slow up the water supply too. it still too fast.

Anyone got any ideas?

 

[rdd1952]

One thing that MIGHT work (I emphasize the word might) is one of the valves you put on an airline to adjust the amount of bubbles you get. NOT a check valve, just the adjuster valves. You could experiment and see how many drops go through in a certain amount of time so you can figure out how much will actually go in while your gone. That may not work though since those things are made to regulate air and not liguid. As as side note, make sure that there is enough room in the tank for what will drip in. You don't want to come back and find out you have overflowed the tank and have a wet floor.

 

[newland]

good point

And well noted i'll defentality make sure that there is enough room for it.