Panic Time?

[Gillette1985]

My tank has been cycling now for 4 weeks. im still getting ammonia readings of 0.5ppm nearly everyday. problem i've got is that im going on holiday in 9 days time for 10 days. I wont be able to do any water changes in that time.

Do i just do a WC before i go and just hope for the best?

I dont really want to end up coming home to find my few fish dead

Any suggestions on what i could do?

 

[Miss Wiggle]

well the best case scenario is you are able to get someone to come in and do water changes for you - i assume that's not an option?

sounds like where you are in the cycle if someone else could just do a water change every 2 or 3 days then that'd probably be OK.

whats your nitrite reading at the moment, what size is the tank and what fish do you have in it at the moment?

 

[Gillette1985]

nitrite reading is 0, has been 0 all through the cycle. Ive got a 23 litre tank, with 3 male guppies, 5 neon tetra and 4 cherry shrimp. I do have someone lined up to come feed the fish, but i dont think i can trust them do to the water changes. im just hoping that in the next couple of days that the cycle comes close to finish!

 

[Curiosity101]

Regardless of what the person will do for you water change wise, measure out the fishes daily food into those weekly pill pot things before you leave, only ask them to feed every other day and hide the rest of the fish food.
If they have a tank themselves they may be perfectly aware of how little to feed the fish, but often if it's just a family friend/neighbour what they think is a 'reasonable amount' is actually extreme over feeding.
Not only do you want to avoid over feeding, you could really do with cutting down on the amount they're being fed if no one is there to do water changes.

 

[Gillette1985]

okay, thank you for the advice

 

[Shelby]

If you know anyone with a tank or possibly your LFS could you get some mature media to drop in your filter? Give it a boost?

 

[Miss Wiggle]

get them to feed the fish really minimally over the holiday, the less the eat the less waste they'll produce. you can safely leave an aquarium for 2 weeks with no food and the fish will be fine.

also if they can't do water changes then do a big 90% change just before you go.