Vacation Aquarium Care

Ask someone to help you that you know is trustworthy, reliable, and preferably has "some" knowledge about saltwater aquariums. In all likelihood your helper's daily jobs will be limited to checking to see that everything is running well, doing a few simple things like feeding the tank inhabitants, turning the lights on and off, and possibly adding supplements if you have a reef tank.

If you plan to be away from home for some time and are unable to find someone to help you out, consider hiring a professional company in your area that specializes in aquarium maintenance care or babysitting services.

The most important tasks can be automated, leaving your helper very little to do other than to check to make sure things are running properly. The major tasks that can easily be automated are: topping off the tank, feeding and turning the lights on and off. Consider these:

• Purchase an automatic top off system, or you can easily build your own DIY Auto Top Off.
• Purchase an automatic light timer.
• Purchase automatic fish feeder.

Run your automatic devices for a week or so before you leave, just to make sure that they are functioning properly. You'll probably wish that you had installed these items long ago.

Do any necessary regular maintenance tasks several days prior to leaving. A system that is in tip-top shape will need little, if any care.

Go over the basics of how your system is set up with your helper. If you going away for a substantial period of time you'll want to cover everything in greater detail. For this situation it is a good idea to plan ahead and have your helper spend time with you and your aquarium, showing and allowing the person do any task that may need to be performed. This is beneficial, as visual or hands-on demonstrations for many people are much easier to understand and retain, compared to just verbal or written instructions.

Put together a "things-to-do" checklist. This will make your helper's job easier for remembering what needs to be done, and when, as well as can help ease your mind that nothing is being overlooked.

If you are using any kind of an online tank minder or computer software program to keep a record of your aquarium's statistics, instruct your helper in how to use it. The information provided in the log will tell you all you need to know about what transpired with your system while you were gone. Besides, many of these types of programs have diagnostic or analysis capabilities, which can provide some troubleshooting assistance if a problem arises.

Be sure you are stocked up on all the supplies your helper will need to use. Even though there is little chance your helper will have to do a water change, storing a premixed batch of saltwater is a wise thing to do in case an emergency arises.

Leave phone numbers for where you can be reached, including an emergency number for a person or persons who may be able to assist with a problem if you cannot be contacted.

By making your aquarium system easier for someone else to take care of when you are not there, you will also be making it easier for you to maintain your system when you are there. Now you can enjoy your vacation as well as your time at home with your aquarium.