Plan ahead
Reef tank holiday care: preparing a tank and a sitter
Most holiday disasters keepers describe start with a top-off, a heater or a well-meaning sitter. Get the automation proven weeks before, freeze changes for two weeks, and give the sitter one card with everything on it.
Last checked . How we check
How long can I leave a reef tank?
| Trip | What you need | Basis |
|---|---|---|
| A weekend | A proven top-off with a backup sensor, alarms to your phone, and someone who could get there if an alarm goes off. | Our reading |
| Up to a week | Full automation (top-off, doser, feeder, alarms) and a person who checks every few days. | BRS says about 5 to 7 days is fine with automation, with checks every few days |
| Two weeks or more | A sitter who visits at least every other day, has walked through the tank with you, and has a backup contact. | A forum keeper warns against two weeks unmonitored (typical, check) |
No source we read gives a safe maximum time away. The table is our reading of the advice above.
What should I do in the weeks before?
- Install the top-off at least a couple of weeks ahead and prove it runs alone for 5 to 7 days (BRS).
- Have dosing pumps running accurately for 2 to 4 weeks on the settings you will leave them on (BRS).
- Set alarms for temperature, salinity, pH, leaks and power loss that reach your phone (BRS).
- Start any autofeeder a week early so you know what it actually drops (Reef Builders).
- For the last two weeks, change nothing: no new livestock, no new equipment, no dosing changes (Reef Builders).
- Consider a second top-off sensor, leak detectors and a camera (Reef Builders).
What should I do in the last few days?
Holiday preparation
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What should the sitter care card say?
Fill this in, print it, and go through it with your sitter at the tank. What you type stays in this browser only; nothing is sent to us.
Tank sitter care card
Please never
- Never use tap water, for anything.
- Never add any product, food or medicine I have not left out for you.
- Never switch anything off at the wall, unless water is on the floor near a socket.
- Never feed more than the pot for that day, even if the fish look hungry.
- Never put your hands or anything else in the tank.
- Call me if the temperature is outside the range above, the water line has moved, or anything is lying dead.
From Seafan, reef.cameronshields.co.uk/help/holidays/
What should a sitter check each visit?
A short sheet the sitter ticks on each visit. It also tells you what happened while you were away.
Daily check sheet
Tick each box on each visit. Write the temperature in the first row.
| Check | Day 1 | Day 2 | Day 3 | Day 4 | Day 5 | Day 6 | Day 7 | Day 8 | Day 9 | Day 10 | Day 11 | Day 12 | Day 13 | Day 14 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temperature in range | ||||||||||||||
| Water line normal | ||||||||||||||
| Top-off container has water | ||||||||||||||
| All fish seen | ||||||||||||||
| Fed (one pot only) | ||||||||||||||
| Nothing dead or unusual |
From Seafan, reef.cameronshields.co.uk/help/holidays/
What goes wrong while keepers are away?
Stories keepers tell on forums (typical, check) fall into a few patterns, and each one is on the card above:
- A sitter topped up with tap water, and chemicals in it harmed the corals.
- A sitter skipped visits, or switched off the power to something.
- A sitter fed far too much, fouling the water (our reading: pre-portion every feed).
- A pump or clamp failed and drained the tank, or a top-off stuck on.
If something does fail while you are away, the sitter can follow the emergency playbooks. The power cut and top-off failure pages are the ones most worth showing them.