Tips for your aquarium before going on vacation
Vacation, Aquarium
The holiday season is approaching, to leave in all serenity we have compiled the various tips to know to go on vacation while owning an aquarium.
The first is feed. Indeed, going on vacation means no more people to feed your fish. There are several scenarios:
– A neighbor can feed your fish
– It cannot feed your fish. In this case, you can either use a vending machine for aquarium food or start a period of fasting if your absence does not exceed 5-6 days.
Be careful when starting a fasting period, make sure that the fish are well fed the weeks before and gradually remove a little food to get them used to it.
The second advice is to check the equipment you use. Look if the filter is not obstructed, the heating resistance set at the right temperature etc…
The third tip concerns maintenance, problems with the aquarium often occur the day after maintenance. We advise you to avoid this manipulation which can upset the ecosystem just before your departure. You could not be warned of a possible side effect.
The fourth piece of advice concerns lighting. It is also essential to leave the lighting on, especially if you close all the shutters at home while you are away. You can use a timer that turns your lighting on and off automatically every day. With automated lighting, your fish will not be disturbed by the absence of day or night and therefore an uneven day/night cycle. Note also that if you have plants, algae, symbiotic corals in the aquarium the lack of light can be fatal to them.
The fifth tip concerns tropical aquariums without covers, such as reef aquariums. You should provide osmosis water to compensate for the evaporation of the aquarium water due to heat. This parameter is all the more important as for marine aquariums, a strong evaporation means a notable increase in the salinity and density of the water. This can have serious consequences on the health of the aquarium inhabitants. To avoid this, plan a sufficient reserve of osmosis water compared to the evaporation observed per day and according to the duration of your absence. This coupled with a pump and a level sensor, also called an osmolator, will keep the water level at its normal level throughout your absence, thus keeping your favorite animals in good quality water.
You understood it, plan a water change 3 days before departure. On the same day, make sure that all the equipment in your aquarium (filter, heating, lighting) is in good working order. And adopt the feeding method you had chosen before.
We wish you a good vacation !