Going away for 3 months??

[jjgomillion]

I don't know if this is the place to post this but there are the most people veiwing this area, so I thought my shots at a quicker response would be in here.
My family and I are temporarily moving out of state for 3 months for job requirements. I do not have anyone reliable to care for my tank while I am away. My stock list is minimal, but I don't know what to do. I currently have a sailfin tang, firefish, algae blennie, black sea urchin, some snails and hermits, an emerald crab, a peppermint shrimp, and a cleaner shrimp. My tank is a 75. I have about 80 lbs or so of LR and a not so deep sand bed. I have a sun coral, GSP, a ricordea, and a couple of mushrooms, along with some zoanthids.
I know I could probably find someone to take the livestock for me while I am gone (sort of have something set up). My concern is I will be turning off the power here while I am away. Can I leave the LR snails, hermits, and such in the tank with no lighting or flow?
When we get back we will be moving across the state permanently so I don't really want to tear the tank down. I just set it up in October and as you all know it cost an arm and a leg for this stuff.
What do you think I should do? Any suggestions are welcome!!!!!! I have to figure this out very soon as we are leaving in a few weeks.
Please help!!!

 

[swfishy]

Ask your LFS if there is a bonded maintenance company in your area. Offer the maintenance company to give you a deal on taking care of it while you are gone.

 

[stdreb27]

oops. check your local reef club and see if anyone is interested in babysitting everything.

 

[nofish]

i would take down the tank ..because you are shuting the power off and your tank is going to be messed up. Plus, went you get back moving it will be easy. Just my thought. oh, the place your moving, with the tank broke down that will give you lots of time to check out LFS in the new area. Hope everything goes well with the new job....

 

[sikpupy]

would the fish store baby sit them for you, the fish, in thier store?
I would like to know the outcome, though I am sure its not pretty, how long the basic rock and critters can last.

 

[siline]

Originally Posted by jjgomillion
http:///forum/post/2682009
I don't know if this is the place to post this but there are the most people veiwing this area, so I thought my shots at a quicker response would be in here.
My family and I are temporarily moving out of state for 3 months for job requirements. I do not have anyone reliable to care for my tank while I am away. My stock list is minimal, but I don't know what to do. I currently have a sailfin tang, firefish, algae blennie, black sea urchin, some snails and hermits, an emerald crab, a peppermint shrimp, and a cleaner shrimp. My tank is a 75. I have about 80 lbs or so of LR and a not so deep sand bed. I have a sun coral, GSP, a ricordea, and a couple of mushrooms, along with some zoanthids.
I know I could probably find someone to take the livestock for me while I am gone (sort of have something set up). My concern is I will be turning off the power here while I am away. Can I leave the LR snails, hermits, and such in the tank with no lighting or flow?
When we get back we will be moving across the state permanently so I don't really want to tear the tank down. I just set it up in October and as you all know it cost an arm and a leg for this stuff.
What do you think I should do? Any suggestions are welcome!!!!!! I have to figure this out very soon as we are leaving in a few weeks.
Please help!!!

I had a problem just like yours sometime ago... only I had to leave for a complete year (part of the MD res)...
At that time I had a fish only tank, but anyway, I had it for some time and I did not want to give it (the tank & equip) away...
What I did was... I gave my fish to a friend of mine (that BTW, he is the owner of one of the local petstores) and told him to get to an agreement. We just agreed that he was going to take the fish & when I returned he'll give me same fish (or the equivalent). I didnt have any invert at the time.
So I give the fish to him... when I returned he gave them back... As with the tank, I shut everything off, as you can imagine. When I got back the tank was empty ('cause of evaporation), but sand & rocks (obv) was there...
I clean everything, filled the tank, & ready for a new beggining...
I know how difficult is to let them stay away, but, sometimes you dont have a choice... Good luck on your job!

 

[jjgomillion]

I will check with my local LFS. I also had a customer when I was waiting tables that has 2 tanks. He said he might be able to fishsit at his place for me. I just wonder how the LR and other cleaner critters will do with no lighting or flow for 3 months...hmmmm
Maybe I could sell the rock back to my LFS and get a store credit or something for the amount of rock I give him....give him 80 lbs now get 80 lbs when I get back....
Then I would just have to re cycle the tank. The majority of my cost loss will be the rock if I tear down though. That might work.....

 

[sikpupy]

3 months??? cant you just keep the electricity on? maybe keep the pumps going, get rid of the fish a week ahead of time and might not be too much crap in the tank when you get back?

 

[jjgomillion]

Only prob with that is evaporation. I know my tank wont go dry, but if it got lower than where the powerheads are they would burn up and it could cause problems. Also, I don't feel comfortable leaving 75 gallons of water to do it's thing without any supervision....