How to prepare the aquarium for the holidays?

Aquarium life in your absence

The goal is to think everything through so that by the time you return, the fish are alive and well, continue to energetically surf the expanses of a clean aquarium. It is better to organize life in the aquarium during the holidays on your own. Even the most responsible relatives can accidentally overfeed the inhabitants of the underwater world, open the curtains where blackout is needed, and so on.

We take matters into our own hands. In the last month before departure, avoid changes to the aquarium. The addition of fish and new plants will have to wait. If the issue of vegetable feeding of fish during the holidays is relevant, plant wallisneria and hornwort in advance. They will not cover the lighting from the lamps, even if they decide to hit the rapid growth.

It will be very useful to attach fry and elderly individuals in good hands. Young growth requires enhanced and more frequent nutrition. For fish of age, it is highly desirable to be under daily supervision in case of malaise.

A good way to establish a natural aquarium cleaning system is to add aquatic organisms that eat algae and food leftovers in a timely manner. They will improve the situation in the aquarium and keep it clean. We list the most effective orderlies of the forest. Theodocus snails, Amano shrimp, Siamese algae eaters – these are the ones worth a closer look. But the well-being of the aquarium in your absence depends on other factors.

Why you shouldn’t rush into cleaning?

Wash everything to a shine so that cleanliness lasts longer. A good approach for a city apartment, but not for an aquarium. Aquadom has its own ecosystem that needs to be kept in balance. General cleaning in the tank can deprive the aquarium of beneficial microflora. In this case, the imbalance and the state of emergency in the aquadome will come at the moment when you are not around.

Create a cleaning schedule. If you need to siphon soil, wash glass, rinse sponges and filters, clean decorations, do it gradually. Avoid radical water changes. During changes, use a conditioner to purify tap water from harmful impurities. Also use a liquid preparation containing beneficial bacteria.

It is equally important to consider lighting hygiene while you are away. If the weather is sunny outside, it is better to curtain the windows with an additional layer of curtains. Check the lamps and all aquarium equipment for proper operation, make sure that the electrical sockets and wiring do not bode trouble.

Purchase a timer, set the lights to turn on and off automatically. Test the timer before you leave. This will ensure that the plants and aquarium inhabitants are not harmed by the excess light. Particularly capricious plants should be removed from the aquarium. Rotting leaves can significantly degrade water quality.

Before leaving, perform a normal 30% water change in the aquarium using the necessary conditioner.Tetra AquaSafe and a preparation for the restoration of beneficial microflora Tetra FilterActive.

Additionally, you can improve the condition of the water with a purifying conditioner that neutralizes harmful substances and allows you to change the water less often. It will not be superfluous to use the drug in capsules, which decomposes organic compounds.

The diet of fish in the aquarium during the holidays

Fish can easily live without food for two to three days. But when it comes to two weeks without a host, it’s time to turn to the wonders of chemistry and technology. There are special “weekend” foods: Tetra Holiday, Tetra Holiday Menu. They look like a gel block or a large gel-based tablet. The block is completely edible. It is attached to the glass of the aquarium, the fish can gradually peck at such a block for two weeks. The food tablet is almost insoluble in water and does not spoil it. Read the instructions carefully. If you have five or six fish swimming in 60 liters, half a block will be enough for them for a whole week. If you are a happy owner of a 200-liter aquarium with a dozen fish, glue three blocks on the glass, in a couple of weeks not a crumb will remain of them.

“Weekend food” has an exceptional palatability. New food should be of interest to the inhabitants of the underwater kingdom. But we urge you to find out in advance whether your wards like this food.

There is another way out – an automatic feeder for an aquarium, for example, Tetra myFeeder. It will allow you to feed the fish at a certain time and regulate the amount of food. You can program up to three feedings per day. Such a feeder is either attached to the edge of the glass of the aquarium, or is held on the inside of the lid with suction cups.

Before leaving the wards alone with the automatic feeder, watch it in action. Aquarists often complain that in a closed aquarium, due to the evaporation of water, the food becomes damp and sleeps worse. The problem can be solved by blowing the feeder with a separate compressor.

When choosing a feeder, please note that the feed container should be dark and not let in moisture. A good aquarium feeder is easy to attach and easy to set up. The food inside should not stick together.

What food is suitable for an automatic feeder?  

You can choose any granules or pellets, they clog the water in the aquarium much less than flakes. Pellets or granules will evenly pour into the aquarium at the set hour.

The ideal choice for small fish is Tetra Micro Granules and Tetra Micro Pellets, for medium sized fish TetraMin Granules, for larger fish Tetra Cichlid Granules or Tetra Cichlid Color Pellets.

It is more convenient to mount gel blocks in small containers, in non-standard-shaped aquariums. But the automatic feeder is suitable for an aquahouse with a motley audience. Large fish, large snails, a lot of catfish – with an automatic feeder, everyone will get a treat.

We sincerely hope that our selection of tips and tricks will help you to leave the aquarium for the duration of your vacation with a clear conscience. We wish the aquarium inhabitants always look forward to your return!