how am i gonna do this???

[cocoa_pleco]

okay, long story.

Since summer starts june 21, i would have a month til i go to germany. I just got a call from my cousin in banff and he wants me to work at the hudsons bay company there july 1-17th. I was planning to board my fish with someone or a lfs or vet july 20th, 1 day before europe.

Since i will then be boarding my fish late june, i want to have my tanks ready august 22nd when i come back from europe. I have someone taking care of my house, but they know SQUAT about tanks. Do you think if i told them to drop in a certain PPM of ammonia into the tanks daily they would be colonized with good bacteria when i come back???

[Drumachine09]

Send me your severum and condy!

[cocoa_pleco]

the severum already went to my friends 55g, and mr. condy says that kansas is a tad too warm for him:ezpi_wink1:

i can get a vet to board them, but i just need for the tanks to still have as much good bacteria as possible over that period of time. pure ammonia would replace fish waste, right??

[Drumachine09]

Yeah, i suppose it could. Might want to get a couple feeders though and have the person put in a pinch of food every couple days.

[kimmers318]

Ask the vet if he/she could run your existing filters on the boarding tanks for a week or 2 before you come home. They shouldn't have an issue with that as long as you give them clean filters and media. That would give the filters a chance to culture some bacteria before you come home, just make sure you keep them wet during the transport and you should pretty much have a cycled, although possibly delicate, aquarium right off the bat. Then you just need to make sure you home tanks are filled and heated properly.
Cloning a tank is the best way to go. I brought home a fangs puffer on Mother's Day (5-13-07)......set it up in a 20 gal long from scratch that night, brand new filter etc. Day 2 and day 4 I rinsed a biowheel from another tank quickly in the water. For 8 days I had readings of 0 ammonia, 0 nitrite, on day 9 I had 0 ammonia, 0 nitrite and 5 nitrate. The 29 gal I set up for the irrubescos has basically been done the same, but with more water volume, smaller fish and they are nowhere near as messy as "Zippy" I am still waiting for nitrates, but have seen 0 ammonia or nitrites.
If you need the filters running on current tanks just as to put some of the media into the boarding tanks and bring the media home with you.
Good luck and enjoy your trip!

[frizzlefish]

Couldn't you throw the shrimp/peels into a mesh bag in the fridge, with instructions for the person to plop that into the tank when you ask them to?

That way they won't have to think about it and you won't have to worry about it.

[Lady Hobbs]

I think you should talk with your friend and walk them thru the procedure of adding ammonia to this tank as well as caring for your other tanks so you don't have to board your fish out. Leaving your tanks empy for a month may cause your bacteria to die off so you would actually be coming home to several uncycled tanks as well as stressing your fish out.

Pay your friend what it would cost you to board them then go thru the process with him of adding the ammonia and how to feed your fish. Write it all down, as well. If you don't want to go thru the water changing procedure with him, have him feed the fish only 3 times a week but make sure you explain to him that he can only feed sparingly.

He does not need to know the whole process of cycling with ammonia since you will be gone for some time......or mess with the testing. Keep it very simple for him like adding 1/4 cup of ammonia about every 3 days when he comes to feed your fish.......and to start this process about 2 weeks before you are due home. You can do the necessary testing and water changes on your return home but at least you will have a cycled tank.

Make sure you mention one important thing to him .........keep the tank full of water! On my return home from FL, I had a pump running dry. I had a friend stop in to feed mine and one pump had burned out as the water had evaporated down too far.

I would also pick up a couple boxes of those Jungle Labs ammonia remover and have him drop in a couple of those pellets after 2 weeks JUST INCASE he should over-feed too much in the tanks that do contain fish.

A very simple list of instructions can be put together and written down as well as enough food, the ammonia, measuring cup and ammonia remover tabs and lay them out for him with the list of instructions.

[cocoa_pleco]

i think kimmers hit this right on, send my fish and filters to the vet. Trust me, this person knows SQUAT about fish thats staying here. Never mind the saltwater tanks and the condy. also, my africans would probably get malawi bloat from the wrong food accidentally.

Boarding shouldnt be too much since i can mix some tanks in so i would only have to pay for 5 tanks boarding.

[Rue]

...my 12-year old son wants a summer job! You could import him! He works for food...:hmm3grin2orange:

[cocoa_pleco]

lol, he works for food. Good deal!

[A340]

I think you're worrying way too much over your fish. Set your lights on timers, have a friend feed them once or twice a day and add some water once a week. That's all you need to do and they'll be fine.

Don't know about the saltwater tanks though, never had any.