* Tank Talk with Top Lids & Avast Marine Giveaway!! WIN a Plank Autofeeder and Custom Lid for Your Tank!! *

tbrown · Dec 25, 2023

LadyMac said:
Grandson is only two so nah I don’t think he’d be good at feeding them. But yeah if we were to head out of town most likely they’d go too. We are a pretty small family and don’t really travel, so in the case where we did they’d probably join with.

My son fed my reef tank popcorn when he was 3... He may have overfeed a little bit but he was definitely trying to help. I think?

LadyMac · Dec 25, 2023

tbrown said:
My son fed my reef tank popcorn when he was 3... He may have overfeed a little bit but he was definitely trying to help. I think?

Lol yeah most likely!

My daughter dumped zucchini in my betta tank when she was about four. It was iguana good but she thought the betta would love some too. They do try to help, bless.

Reefer Reboot · Dec 25, 2023

tbrown said:
Hey @Avast Justin and @Top_Lids a good tank talk topic with so.much Christmas travel?

TANK TALK: Being Christmas time and so many people go out of town to visit family, what are your plans for extended vacations or work trips? Do you use a local reefer, a family member, or do you trust entirely on automation on your aquariums?

OR similarly

TANK TALK: Since so many people travel for Christmas, do you have plans for your tanks when you're gone? Do you use any electronics to keep tabs on the aquarium or do you trust everything to chance?

All automation and cameras for me. Only family members left in the area are my 90 year old parents. Can't expect them to be much help with this. I've already been hit up to be on the emergency list for another local reefer who's going away for the holidays but I have a business trip to Colorado soon also. I don't expect any problems other than a bit of algae growth, but since it's Christmas, Let it grow, Let it grow, Let it grow.

slythy · Dec 25, 2023

I try to automate everything. I have my wifes Parents are super close but I have autofeeders, auto water changes and auto testing and 6 dosing heads. Im set but they drop in a clip of nori a day when I’m gone

Bobby105 · Dec 25, 2023

Top_Lids said:
TANK TALK: The reef aquarium hobby is incredibly rewarding but can be full of challenges for the novice and veteran alike. Tell us about what draws you to the hobby. What do you find most rewarding?

I find most rewarding bringing almost dead/rescue corals back to life or finally figuring out why a corals not doing so good and then getting it to grow and increase in health.

SpyC · Dec 25, 2023

I stick to automation gor everything except feeding while traveling. I have friends stop by to feed a cube of frozen or premixed masstick. Works out well.

Rickster1334 · Dec 25, 2023

Awesome give away , running 180g display with DIY net top, sure could use upgrade

mww00ds · Dec 26, 2023

tbrown said:
Hey @Avast Justin and @Top_Lids a good tank talk topic with so.much Christmas travel?

TANK TALK: Being Christmas time and so many people go out of town to visit family, what are your plans for extended vacations or work trips? Do you use a local reefer, a family member, or do you trust entirely on automation on your aquariums?

OR similarly

TANK TALK: Since so many people travel for Christmas, do you have plans for your tanks when you're gone? Do you use any electronics to keep tabs on the aquarium or do you trust everything to chance?

Anytime we'er gone for extended trips. I just take the chance that everything will be ok. Sometime one of the wife's friends will stop over the check on the cat and I ask them to also toss a little food in the tanks. But that's it. I've tried automatic feeders in the past and have not had much luck with them. Either they just would work or would dump in way to much food. Nice part is all my lights are set to automatic schedules so I dont have to worry about that.

tbrown · Dec 26, 2023

mww00ds said:
Anytime we'er gone for extended trips. I just take the chance that everything will be ok. Sometime one of the wife's friends will stop over the check on the cat and I ask them to also toss a little food in the tanks. But that's it. I've tried automatic feeders in the past and have not had much luck with them. Either they just would work or would dump in way to much food. Nice part is all my lights are set to automatic schedules so I dont have to worry about that.

Man, bad luck with the feeders!

Projects with Sam · Dec 26, 2023

tbrown said:
Hey @Avast Justin and @Top_Lids a good tank talk topic with so.much Christmas travel?

TANK TALK: Being Christmas time and so many people go out of town to visit family, what are your plans for extended vacations or work trips? Do you use a local reefer, a family member, or do you trust entirely on automation on your aquariums?

OR similarly

TANK TALK: Since so many people travel for Christmas, do you have plans for your tanks when you're gone? Do you use any electronics to keep tabs on the aquarium or do you trust everything to chance?

Going on day 4. 6more after this. No intervention needed yet . *knocks on wood*
Auto feeders
Skimmer cup drainage tube
Apex for verification
Have not lined up anyone to help if issue. Just hope for now.

Already learned a lot from the school of hard knocks about vacation reef keeping.

GuppyHJD · Dec 26, 2023

tbrown said:
Hey @Avast Justin and @Top_Lids a good tank talk topic with so.much Christmas travel?

TANK TALK: Being Christmas time and so many people go out of town to visit family, what are your plans for extended vacations or work trips? Do you use a local reefer, a family member, or do you trust entirely on automation on your aquariums?

OR similarly

TANK TALK: Since so many people travel for Christmas, do you have plans for your tanks when you're gone? Do you use any electronics to keep tabs on the aquarium or do you trust everything to chance?

The tank is on it's own. I have been away for up to 20 days at a time. There is always a surprise or two.
Sometimes I take out the socks, sometimes I only leave one.
The glass always needs extra cleaning.
I usually lose a few frags from them falling out of the rack due to the urchine.

The autofeeders keep the fish happy.
The ATO keeps the water levels ok.
The dosers keep the trace, alk and calc in line.
The arduinos text/email me hourly with temp, leak, levels and ph.
Two cameras watch it all.

tbrown · Dec 26, 2023

GuppyHJD said:
The tank is on it's own. I have been away for up to 20 days at a time. There is always a surprise or two.
Sometimes I take out the socks, sometimes I only leave one.
The glass always needs extra cleaning.
I usually lose a few frags from them falling out of the rack due to the urchine.

The autofeeders keep the fish happy.
The ATO keeps the water levels ok.
The dosers keep the trace, alk and calc in line.
The arduinos text/email me hourly with temp, leak, levels and ph.
Two cameras watch it all.

I ended up putting both urchins in th sump because I was tired of them knocking things out/off. The sump didn't work for the Purple Pincushion though. He died. Unfortunately so did my skimmer.

tbrown · Dec 26, 2023

GuppyHJD said:
Can it hit 1500 entries? I was kinda hoping for a Santa prize.

We're only a few away. Didn't hit it by yesterday but still!

Swfiend · Dec 26, 2023

So close!

rmorris_14 · Dec 26, 2023

Waiting see if I will won’t the lid

tbrown · Dec 26, 2023

rmorris_14 said:
Waiting see if I will won’t the lid

I think the drawing is on the 28th.

RJT · Dec 26, 2023

tbrown said:
I ended up putting both urchins in th sump because I was tired of them knocking things out/off. The sump didn't work for the Purple Pincushion though. He died. Unfortunately so did my skimmer.

Wow!! Was the tank affected by the shock that may of occurred?