Advice for Tank routine during holiday trip

[AquaObsession]

Hi

Looking for some advices for my 3 feet setup. I will be away from Singapore for 5 weeks, but my tank will be maintained by my gf. But since she is not experienced enough, I am thinking of doing the following.

Current tank :
50G planted with E.tenellus, Blyx Japonica, APP, 1 tall plants that look a bit like Vallisneria.
Current dosing routing : E.I (NO3 40ppm per week, Po4 6 ppm per week) with Seachem flourish (5ml-doze) and Iron(5ml-doze) on alternate days, W.C every week 50%
Lights : 150watts MH, 9-10 hrs a day
Co2 : 3-4bps


Proposed solution:
Reduced lights period to 5-6 hrs
Reduced dozing of No3 to 20, Po4 to 4, Flourish and Iron to 2.5ml/doz for each
Maintain same Co2 level
W.C every 2 weeks.


Will the above work? Have I got the logic right?

Or should I just maintain same fert routine, reduce only lights to 6-7 hrs a day, and do W.C every 2 weeks??

PLease let me know. Objective is to reduce water change frequency.[/

Thanks
Christophe

[valice]

Christophe, lighting intensity should be the one that is reduced and not timing...

From my experience, go with everything unchanged... Your fishes can take the 2 weeks water change...

[AquaObsession]

I cannot reduce my lights intensity..I have a 150watts MH. Hmm, i can try my 2feet PL (55watts)...but i guess too weak for a 3 feet tank. I am afraid my APP and E.Tenellus starts to grow upwards or too tall respectively.

Oh yeah, forgot to mention : I have 15 harlequin rasboras, 3 rummy nose, 3 otos, 100+ shrimps (cherry, malayan, yamatos)

[valice]

Just keep everything as it is and do a 2 week water change instead of weekly water change... Fishes can take it...

[anttz]

My theory but may not work (expert pls advice):

Do a large water change. Stop your CO2 injection. Without CO2 injection, plant grow will be very much slower, therefore less or no need fert dosing? Looking at the plant you have, don't think it will be a problem without CO2 injection.

[bclee]

Just reduce the lighting (increase distance btw light & water if it is possible) and fertilisation dosage. You may get away without water change for a few weeks.

Do not just cut CO2, you will get algae when plants try to acclimatise to non-CO2 environment.

You can cut the light duration, but do not cut the light period <7~8 hrs per day.

BC

[AquaObsession]

My theory but may not work (expert pls advice):

Do a large water change. Stop your CO2 injection. Without CO2 injection, plant grow will be very much slower, therefore less or no need fert dosing? Looking at the plant you have, don't think it will be a problem without CO2 injection.

Dun think this will work. I will end up with tons of algae as welcome gift on my return

[|squee|]

Assuming you dose powders for fertiliser, how about:

Putting the powders you dose in seperate containers for every day you're away.
Draw up a list of things to do at what day and how to do it.

[AquaObsession]

Assuming you dose powders for fertiliser, how about:

Putting the powders you dose in seperate containers for every day you're away.
Draw up a list of things to do at what day and how to do it.

yeps, the person will know how to doze etc... my main worry was how to reduce the frequency of water changes without getting algae or hurting fishes.

[michael lai]

My theory but may not work (expert pls advice):

Do a large water change. Stop your CO2 injection. Without CO2 injection, plant grow will be very much slower, therefore less or no need fert dosing? Looking at the plant you have, don't think it will be a problem without CO2 injection.

Hi Anttz,
That is a serious misconception, highly unadvisable to off your Co2. Unless you want to start a farm for BBA

[BFG]

A few suggestion.

a) Co2- If you have refilled your co2 tank for more than 4 month ago, I would suggest you to top-up the co2.

b) Equipment- Secure your hoses and any rubber tubes. Use cable tie or those metal ring thingy to secure the hose and tube. You do not want them to come loose accidentally. Ventilate the internal area of the cabinet by leaving a door opened. For lighting, you may lessen the operating time by an hour or so to lessen the heat buildup.

c) House Sitter- Get 1 who could drop by 3 times a week to ventilate your house. When I say ventilate the house, it meant opening most of the window in your house to reduce the temperature buildup. He/She could also feed the fish twice a week and to top up water that is lost due to evaporation. Plan something for fert addition. Maybe once or twice a week while the house sitter is there. Something simple that He/She could just pour into the tank WITHOUT the need to measure anything. No need for waterchange. It'll just increase the accident rate.

d) Pray- Pray that Murphy do not visit your house. Pray that your trip will not be an eventful one that may lengthen your stay overseas. Pray that you come back home to your house as how you left it. Pray that nothing will happen to the fishtank. Pray that if something does happen, it will not be caused by the fishtank or the equipment that keep it running. Pray that you be lucky.


I hope I've covered everything. Hope this helps!

[anttz]

Hi Anttz,
That is a serious misconception, highly unadvisable to off your Co2. Unless you want to start a farm for BBA

Yup. As I mentioned in theory only. I dare not try this matter.
So far my method is the same as what BC has mentioned, ie. reduce light duration to 7hrs and reduce fert dosage. Not much of algae problem except for some green dust.

[PeterGwee]

Reduce intensity of the light by dropping the wattage and not the duration. Why folks keep thinking about dropping the duration beats me...

Regards
Peter Gwee

[anttz]

Peter,

Agreed with you but for this case Chris is using MH. Unless he is prepared to buy another set of PL lights.

[PeterGwee]

If that is the case, he is pretty much screwed.... (ah..he can raise the light set to lower the intensity like Bclee mentioned)

Lowering the duration would not help if you know about the light reaction cycle and calvin cycle of photosynthesis.

Regards
Peter Gwee

[AquaObsession]

If that is the case, he is pretty much screwed.... (ah..he can raise the light set to lower the intensity like Bclee mentioned)

Lowering the duration would not help if you know about the light reaction cycle and calvin cycle of photosynthesis.

Regards
Peter Gwee

Will figure a way to reduce the intensity. Thanks.

Will read more about intensity and lights period....and the calvin cycle of photosynthesis when I have some free time. Never read before.



Thanks all folks for your kind advices. Really appreciate it.

Regards
Christophe

[fishgoogle]

Unfortunately, things do happen when you least expect it, just last week, somehow my external filter started making hell lot of noise and stop functioning, luckily it was early in the morning when it happen. I Think it was due to trap gases in the filter.

Therefore, it'll be better that you provide a contact number of your close friend who can help out in the event of emergency like this to your GF.

Cheers!

Jeff