Pre-Vacation 7 Days
Heavy 50% water change 1 week before. Clean filter media. Replace filter pads.
Test water — confirm parameters are stable.
Auto-Feeders
Eheim Everyday Feeder, Hydor Akwa: $30-80. Hold weeks of food.
Set to feed 1 small meal daily. Less is better than more — fish tolerate fasting better than overfeeding.
Tank Buddy
Trusted friend or neighbor checks tank weekly during long absences.
Brief them: water level (top off if low), no surface scum, no ammonia smell, fish eating from auto-feeder.
Red Flag Plan
Worst case scenario: dead fish, ammonia spike, leak.
Provide buddy with: dechlorinator, knowledge of which fish belong, 50% emergency water change instructions.
- ✦Skip new fish/plants 2-4 weeks before vacation
- ✦Reduce lighting hours to 6h/day during vacation
- ✦Stable parameters trump perfect ones — keep things consistent