Low maintenance setup suggestions

[Backfromthedead]

Long story short, i may have to switch jobs that will more than likely have me on the road at least 4 days a week. Im not sure how long this could be for. Could be months, could be a couple years.

Im brainstorming some ways to set up my tanks so they will operate as efficiently as possible while im gone during the week, and still able to catch up on maintenance quickly and easily when i get back in town on weekends. I also want to set it up so no maintenance or feeding will need to be done while im gone, and for that reason every tank has to go into the garage for now.

My inclination atm is to set up 3 tanks, 2 75s and a 150, all bare bottom and use air driven sponges on them all, Maybe an ac110 if the circuit can handle it in there. I only have two outlets to work with so 3 heaters and 3 motors running, and 3 lights is the most im comfortable with.

I suppose I'll be dropping all the temperatures to stifle metabolism. I was thinking 72 for my community, but i have clown loaches and will keep them warmer if i need to in one of the 75s i guess.

Taking all ideas or experience. I dont want to sell my stock as ive become quite attached. Thanks in advance.

 

[fishhead0103666]

If I was you I would look into plants. If your fish won't eat the plants get some nice hardy plants, Anubias, java fern, java moss, crypts, etc. That's for inside the tank, now you want plants for outside the tank. I would look into pothos first and chinese evergreen. Peace lily is a good one as well. The idea is that you get so many plants that the nitrites never get a chance to turn into nitrates (I may have the names backward) thus keeping your parameters in check. It's something I've been fiddling around with for a while but I've not gotten to the point where they use up all of the nitrites/nitrates before they can convert.

Also are you using sumps on them by any chance? If so I would put the outside plants in them.

 

[esoxlucius]

If you're away Monday to Thursday and back at home Friday to Sunday I don't see any real issue. Your fish will need to get used to a new sparser feeding regime but that's no biggie. Hell, I think most experienced hobbyists here would say that overfeeding is one of the biggest problems we have anyway. A nice bonus resulting from less feeding is slower nitrate build up which fits in nicely with your situation. And not to put a dampener on anything, but if you had a tank blow out at least it would be in your garage and you wouldn't be coming home to your house being flooded.

I'd be inclined to do water changes on Saturday, good feed on Sunday, away for four days, a good feed when you get back on Friday and back to your water changes on Saturday etc etc. It's just a case of getting yourself, and your fish, into a new routine.

 

[Backfromthedead]

If I was you I would look into plants. If your fish won't eat the plants get some nice hardy plants, Anubias, java fern, java moss, crypts, etc. That's for inside the tank, now you want plants for outside the tank. I would look into pothos first and chinese evergreen. Peace lily is a good one as well. The idea is that you get so many plants that the nitrites never get a chance to turn into nitrates (I may have the names backward) thus keeping your parameters in check. It's something I've been fiddling around with for a while but I've not gotten to the point where they use up all of the nitrites/nitrates before they can convert.

Also are you using sumps on them by any chance? If so I would put the outside plants in them.

I can barely keep plants alive when im trying to take care of them...maybe thats the problem lol. It would definitely be nice to have plants working but that would just be extra expense and work for my new setup which is supposed to be anything but those things. Pothos would be great but theres no ambient light in the garage. I will have 3 leds running on timers on the tanks.

I was trying to get my hands on some floating dwarf water lettuce which is supposedly great at sucking up nitrates and super easy.

The current 150 community tank is set up with a 75 g sump in my den now. I recently found an undrilled 150 on craigslist thats going to be the new large community tank for awhile.

The current, very old 150 will be broken down for its 15mm glass which is going towards my next tank build, which is pushed back even further now due to all this.

Lot of ins and outs lol

 

[Backfromthedead]

If you're away Monday to Thursday and back at home Friday to Sunday I don't see any real issue. Your fish will need to get used to a new sparser feeding regime but that's no biggie. Hell, I think most experienced hobbyists here would say that overfeeding is one of the biggest problems we have anyway. A nice bonus resulting from less feeding is slower nitrate build up which fits in nicely with your situation. And not to put a dampener on anything, but if you had a tank blow out at least it would be in your garage and you wouldn't be coming home to your house being flooded.

I'd be inclined to do water changes on Saturday, good feed on Sunday, away for four days, a good feed when you get back on Friday and back to your water changes on Saturday etc etc. It's just a case of getting yourself, and your fish, into a new routine.

Great tips, great advice. And yes the main plan with the garage is damage control...all of these tanks are 10+ years old and i cant afford a leak while im gone. The cement slab is graded, so anything that leaks runs straight out of the house.

 

[DN328]

Long story short, i may have to switch jobs that will more than likely have me on the road at least 4 days a week. Im not sure how long this could be for. Could be months, could be a couple years.

Im brainstorming some ways to set up my tanks so they will operate as efficiently as possible while im gone during the week, and still able to catch up on maintenance quickly and easily when i get back in town on weekends. I also want to set it up so no maintenance or feeding will need to be done while im gone, and for that reason every tank has to go into the garage for now.

My inclination atm is to set up 3 tanks, 2 75s and a 150, all bare bottom and use air driven sponges on them all, Maybe an ac110 if the circuit can handle it in there. I only have two outlets to work with so 3 heaters and 3 motors running, and 3 lights is the most im comfortable with.

I suppose I'll be dropping all the temperatures to stifle metabolism. I was thinking 72 for my community, but i have clown loaches and will keep them warmer if i need to in one of the 75s i guess.

Taking all ideas or experience. I dont want to sell my stock as ive become quite attached. Thanks in advance.

Sounds like the consulting life ;-)

+1 on what esoxlucias suggested. Short of any emergencies which sounds like you thought through and not being able to hand feed, you should be fine.

Not that you would be able to action directly, adding a wifi camera could ad to some peace of mind.

I dont travel now, and still take a glance now and then with Nest.

 

[TheWolfman]

Water sprite does well floating and will grow like crazy. Pothos will work great with the tank lighting reflecting up from the tank.

 

[Rocksor]

I notice dramatically less nitrate build up when fed once a week (before leaving on a 5 day vacation) as opposed to 2-3 feedings during the week when I'm home. If you stock medium-light, you won't need the plants. Do the 50% water change when you get back.

 

[Backfromthedead]

Sounds like the consulting life ;-)

+1 on what esoxlucias suggested. Short of any emergencies which sounds like you thought through and not being able to hand feed, you should be fine.

Not that you would be able to action directly, adding a wifi camera could ad to some peace of mind.

I dont travel now, and still take a glance now and then with Nest.

Too young for consulting. Nobody wants to hear my ideas anyway lol.

I have a nest, just havent bothered to set it up at all. The camera is a good idea, but they arent cheap either. On a side note, my brother in law is heavily invested in his many nest cameras and i find it somewhat disturbing how obsessed he is with checking the cameras when he is away from home...or even just in the next room.

 

[Backfromthedead]

I notice dramatically less nitrate build up when fed once a week (before leaving on a 5 day vacation) as opposed to 2-3 feedings during the week when I'm home. If you stock medium-light, you won't need the plants. Do the 50% water change when you get back.

Yeah the feeding is gonna be new to me because ive always fed at least once a day.

Unfortunately my stocking will be somewhat heavy, but not too crazy atm. Hope to split up the stock so theyre more or less on the same level. Heres what i had so far.

150:
-2x balas 9-10"
-9x argenteus tetras 4-5"
-ptc 9"
-2x severums 6-7"
-ornate pim 9"
-5x EBA 5-7"
-raphael cat 7"

75:
-2x syno cat 4-5"
-7x clown loach 3-5"
-pictus cat 6"
-RHT geo 5"
-several tetras 3-4"

75:
-Midevil 10-11"