Going to be gone...I have a lighting and food question

[tirtza]

I'm leaving Thursday night and will be returning Monday morning. That leaves my tank without any supervision for 3 days (Friday, Saturday, and Sunday)
It's a 29 gallon BioCube reef tank with:
2 Clowns & 1 Fire Fish
1 Skunk Cleaner Shrimp,
1 Feather Duster,
(bunch of Nass., Ceriths, and Astria snails)
2 Kenya Trees
Neon Green Candy Cane Coral
Mushrooms
I just completed a 20% water change yesterday, and I'll make sure that the water is topped off.
*Should I keep the timers set to go on/off as usual (5.5 hrs per day), keep the lights off altogether, or just reduce the amount of time that the lights are on?
*Will everyone be okay without food for those 3 days or should I have a friend drop by and feed them a little?

 

[meowzer]

If you have someone you trust, I would have them check it for you on Saturday......If you feed frozen...just put what you give them in a small container in the freezer
I would leave the lights....IMO they should be fine....BUT THEN AGAIN....I never get to leave the house (except for work)

 

[tirtza]

Quote:
I would leave the lights
Them them on, off, or on their regular schedule?
I'm a little nervous about trusting a friend to feed my critters while I'm gone....I'm just nervous she'll over feed. Will these guys be okay, or should I be super specific. I do feed frozen, but I can leave the food for her to defrost. What would you do?

 

[meowzer]

LOL...I would leave the lights as you normally have them
as far as the feeding that is why I would make up their food.....put it in a small container...and tell her that is what they get...this way she feeds what YOU left

 

[spanko]

Do nothing. Leave the lights on their timers and don't worry about food. 3 days is not going to harm anything.

 

[meowzer]

Quote:
Originally Posted by spanko http:///t/391144/going-to-be-gone-i-have-a-lighting-and-food-question#post_3467412
Do nothing. Leave the lights on their timers and don't worry about food. 3 days is not going to harm anything.
LOL...that's good to know.....One day I will get away from my home for more then 1 day, With my luck the fish will eat each other.

 

[siptang]

Quote:
Originally Posted by spanko http:///t/391144/going-to-be-gone-i-have-a-lighting-and-food-question#post_3467412
Do nothing. Leave the lights on their timers and don't worry about food. 3 days is not going to harm anything.
+1 on this.
Also I trained all of my fish to eat pellets as well so if I'm gone for more then 3 days, I set up an daily schedule for them on a auto feeder.

 

[tirtza]

They survived!

I left the lights on the timers and made sure to feed them right before I left. They were perfectly fine when I came home this past Monday. They were pretty hungry, but other than that the fish and coral looked good.

 

[spanko]

Yippee!!!!!!!

 

[lubeck]

Wasn't there significant water evaporation for three days though or did I miss that? Do you have an auto top off?

 

[tirtza]

There was definitely around 1.5 - 2 inches of water that evaporated. I don't have an auto top off, I really wish I did though! I have no idea how I'd add one to a BioCube

It's unfortunate, because, when my water isn't at the right level (or close to the right level, my protein skimmer doesn't work correctly.