Leaving for 2 months, reef will be left in hands of friend. very afriad. need advice!

[IFoundNemo]

I am going back home for San Antonio for the summer (about 2 months), and I am literally freaking out about my reef.
I have a friend that will be coming over on an every other day basis to feed and do whatever other duties I ask her to do. Now, I am not to concerned about my freshwater tanks, I know they will be just fine. Leaving my reef freaks me out. So many things can go wrong, and it would be devastating for something to happen and all of my precious livestock would be...poof....gone.
I am leaving a ton of dixie cups for each feeding, so, there is no way the fish can be over or under fed.
I am leaving pre made saltwater and some relatively easy instructions on how to go about a water change and what to do if things go array.
I am packing the back chambers with carbon, and adding some fresh phosban.
I just do not know if I can really count on this person to do water changes, and with a small tank like a 14 gallon, water changes are the lifeblood for good water quality.
I have even considered bringing it with me, but that is out of the question.I really don't want to come home to a disater....ugh, I think I am going to have an anxiety attack.
Any suggestions or advice???

 

[jackson6745]

Bring the tank to an experienced reefer and throw them some money for electric and salt etc...Leaving the nano alone with a noob in the summer months is a death sentence.

 

[NYreefNoob]

Bring the tank to an experienced reefer and throw them some money for electric and salt etc...Leaving the nano alone with a noob in the summer months is a death sentence

AGREED. OR FOR THAT FACT ID TEAR IT DOWN FOR THE FEW MONTHS, PRE-MADE SALTWATER COULD BE A SERIOUS PROBLEM ALSO SETTING FOR WEEKS AT A TIME

 

[straightjiggy10]

whats in the tank?

 

[alfani]

leave your precious items with a friend or paid someone to take care of your tank, i'm sure there are vendors/people here who can help, depending where you live

 

[nanoreefer22]

Bring the tank to an experienced reefer and throw them some money for electric and salt etc...Leaving the nano alone with a noob in the summer months is a death sentence.

+2

Chances of summer survival without you are close to none. Either pay a vendor/member in your area to tank sit, so you know you have an experienced eye watching the tank. Someone with the "eye" can see a problem coming and prevent it, someone without it won't know somethings wrong til everything is dead or very close to it

Other than the tank sitting option, next best would be getting rid of it for the summer and restarting.

Murphys law sucks and somehow when you go away is when anything and everything bad happens.

 

[Chiefmcfuz]

If all else fails make them sign up here and if there is a question they have they can ask us for help.

 

[DCG1286]

+2

Chances of summer survival without you are close to none. Either pay a vendor/member in your area to tank sit, so you know you have an experienced eye watching the tank. Someone with the "eye" can see a problem coming and prevent it, someone without it won't know somethings wrong til everything is dead or very close to it

Other than the tank sitting option, next best would be getting rid of it for the summer and restarting.

Murphys law sucks and somehow when you go away is when anything and everything bad happens.

+3 ... Plus to what chief said ... it's a nice idea to have them sign up ... but your livestock will probably be dead by the time they post ... lol

 

[Awibrandy]

Bring the tank to an experienced reefer and throw them some money for electric and salt etc...Leaving the nano alone with a noob in the summer months is a death sentence.

Heck, even if you're there stuff happens. I just lost 10 out of 21 fishies due to a malfunction with a heater.;( Had I been away I would have lost everything. Sometimes issues are NOT that obvious until it is to late.

Do not leave your tank in the hands of a Noob, especially one that will not be seeing the tank everyday...........

 

[finksmart]

Why not distribute your livestock to other members with an established system for the period that you're away. Maybe share a frag or two as a courtesy for holding them for you?

 

[IFoundNemo]

whats in the tank?

Yellow Frogspawn
Purple Torch
Encrusted Green Pagoda cup
Brown Buttons
Zombie eyes
Watermelon ricordia
Neon green Ricordia
Pink bubble coral
Green Stars
Pulsating Xenia
Ocellaris Clownfish
2 Scarlet Hermits

I do not know if I really have the option of leaving it with someone. I don't know I will have to look more into it. Selling it is definately not an option.
I really do not know what to do at this point....
So nobody thinks it can be okay?

 

[Chiefmcfuz]

You are taking a very big chance in losing everything if you leave a novice to care for it.

 

[Awibrandy]

You are taking a very big chance in losing everything if you leave a novice to care for it.

Listen to the man!!!!!

 

[caad3]

Novice = doomed

Totally agree, things can happen so fast in a tank. Have somebody takecare of your tank or hold your livestock.

How is your friend going to check water parameters and make adjustments if there are issues or if there is a mechanical malfunction (heater, pump etc)

You are taking a very big chance in losing everything if you leave a novice to care for it.

 

[ellebelle]

OKay, I have a slightly different perspective as I regularly leave my tank for months at a time. My friends in the neighborhood look after it for me and I leave them three emergency contact numbers in case something goes horribly awry (i.e. the first time I left it, the power went out and my tank overflowed and my roommate refilled the tank with freshwater. Brett - bad coffee - was one of my emergency numbers and he came up and fixed it for me). I have never left my tank without an aquacontroller attached to it to keep the temperature tightly regulated. My tank has been fine every time - I have experienced great growth during times I've been gone and most losses have been from things falling off of the rock of becoming overgrown by other corals.

Okay, that being said - a 14g tank is small enough to move. (The smallest tank I left was a 29g tank). Is it at all an option to put things into bags and coolers and set this thing up at someone else's place? Do you have a chiller?

 

[IFoundNemo]

I do not have a chiller, my apartment stays pretty cool in the summer due to my huge air conditioner about 72-75. Keeping my tank cool has never been a problem.
I am still conflicted on what to do with the tank....I am mostly worried about the power going out of something. Is the power going out something to worry about in Manhattan?

 

[Awibrandy]

Is the power going out something to worry about in Manhattan?

Yes!


Is your A/C going to be left ON the entire time you will be gone?

 

[Wolverine57]

There is a lot of good recommendation here, I like finksmart, leaving your livestock in the care of a member here. I went on a vacation last year and gave my keys to a allan aka palmtree (a good friend), and he came twice to feed and replenish the ATO reserve tank. Being that you will be gone for 2 months, dude if you care about your livestock, reach out to someone here to take your life stock until you get back or pay someone to take care of it.

 

[IFoundNemo]

Yes!


Is your A/C going to be left ON the entire time you will be gone?

Yes

 

[IFoundNemo]

I have a while to decide on what I am ultimately going to do. I have many other (freshwater) tanks in my apartment that cannot be relocated because of their size. Thus, keeping the A/C at a decent temperature while I am gone is a must.
I have been considering just taking it with me, as well as having someone babysit it at their place.
At this point, I am just torn on what to do.