Leaving my planted tank for 4 weeks

[George Farmer]

I’m away from home (going to Tucson, Arizona) for 4 weeks soon and my planted tank will be left alone for 2 weeks until the wife gets back from Malta. I’ve got the trusty neighbour feeding the fish (she’s performed well in the past) but I’m unsure of how to go about maintenance just before I go away. I’m come up with the following plan; any other suggestions would be welcome.

1. Day before I go do big (30%) water change, clean filters (no too clean obviously), add fertilisers as normal.
2. Refresh my co2 (yeast, sugar) bottles.
3. Prune plants back A LOT, especially fast growers (I normally prune twice a week)
4. Alter timer for lights from 10 hours to 8 (4 on 4 off 4 on).
5. Prepare RO/tap/fertiliser water mix in bucket with air-stone running so the wife can perform water change when she gets home.
6. Give her a crash course in plant pruning, water parameters and testing (she takes no interest in the maintenance side, just likes showing the tank off to friends!)

My main fear is that I’ll come back to a massive algae infestation as has happened before. I’m fairly confident though if the co2 stays running then the plant growth will stop this.

Have I missed anything?

 

[Lateral Line]

Tricky. You could make up a new sugar solution in another bottle and get her to dump in the yeast and connect it up when she gets back - depends on how long your CO2 lasts, how easy it is to change, what potential pitfalls there are if she does it wrong and how competent she is - questions for you I'm afraid.

 

[konrad05]

2 weeks isn't THAT bad. I would just cut back on the plants as much as you can and just show her how to mix CO2 so that the pH doesn't shoot up when you get back to mix a fresh yeast bottle. lateral line is right, it all depends on how competent your wife is... I would just have my fish fed and CO2 changed, this way I would look forward to seeing a hugely over planted tank! You can also try mixing jello into your yeast mix, it'll slow down the chemical process and it will last 2 weeks. HTH.

 

[jams.alaskan]

I'm doing the very same thing in December and then again in May.
How long does your DIY co2 last normally? You can leave step-by-step instructions and since she knows how much it matters to you she will give it her best shot no doubt. If you have the ability to exchange information while you are gone including updated pictures you may be able to help her figure out what you need done even more.
Are you doing the 4 on 4 off 4 on to keep algea from getting a toehold? It may work, the only other thing I can think of is to cut down on the wattage but that is such a change that you would want to be there to solve problems that It may create. Other then super rapid growth, what other things may the tank throw at her?

ALASKA

 

[George Farmer]

Thanks guys. She's actually pretty bright (a dentist!!), I'll show her step by step how to refill my co2 canisters and reinforce by writing it all down for her. I have two Nutrafin yeast systems, the first will run out just after she gets home and the second just before I get home. I'm fairly confident she'll be ok. Watch this space for before (I leave) and after (I get back) photos.

Jams - The 4 on 4 off 4 on is just a reduction of my normal 4 on 4 off 6 on, I have found the light gap really useful at keeping algae at bay while it doesn't affect the plant growth.