disastrous vacation experiences: what went wrong?

[luxion]

I had my nanotank looking great before vacation - my frogbit was thriving, I was even growing some out regularly to avoid overcrowding the surface. I dose Fluorish Excel daily and Fluorish Supplement weekly. But then I left for a week and only had someone feed my betta twice, no Excel added. When I got back, I was shocked to see this gross mold on my driftwood - it was sterilized by baking just three weeks prior and was fine before I left. My frogbit's being eaten away, and even the salvinia look more brown on the edges than before.

Do I get rid of the driftwood, resterilize it, or just clean off the mold and do 50% exchanges? What about the frogbit - do I toss all the plants with mold, trim the dying leaves, or sterilize the rest? The other plants seem fine. And what do I do next time I leave for a week in August? I don't want my husband to be right about me needing to stay home for the tank.

[kayoko]

I've learned the hard way, from relying on others in my line of work, that when it comes to something you truly care about, it's best not to trust anyone else with it. When you're leaving for an extended period, like your upcoming trip in August, consider investing in an auto-feeder to take the guesswork out of tank maintenance.

As for your current situation, I'd recommend pruning the damaged leaves from your frogbit and re-sterilizing the driftwood by boiling it again. To help combat the mold, try performing small daily water changes for about a week. If the mold persists, you might want to consider introducing some natural mold-fighting agents to your tank.

I've found that snails can be effective at controlling mold, but they can also become a nuisance in their own right. To manage this, you could introduce pea puffers to your tank once the mold is under control – they'll help keep the snail population in check. Just be sure to provide the puffers with a steady food source, such as shrimp, to keep them healthy and occupied. Once the snails and mold are fully gone, you can safely remove the puffers from your tank.

[Doubled]

I've learned the hard way, from relying on others in my line of work, that when it comes to something you truly care about, it's best not to trust anyone else with it. When you're leaving for an extended period, like your upcoming trip in August, consider investing in an auto-feeder to take the guesswork out of tank maintenance.

As for your current situation, I'd recommend pruning the damaged leaves from your frogbit and re-sterilizing the driftwood by boiling it again. To help combat the mold, try performing small daily water changes for about a week. If the mold persists, you might want to consider introducing some natural mold-fighting agents to your tank.

I've found that snails can be effective at controlling mold, but they can also become a nuisance in their own right. To manage this, you could introduce pea puffers to your tank once the mold is under control – they'll help keep the snail population in check. Just be sure to provide the puffers with a steady food source, such as shrimp, to keep them healthy and occupied. Once the snails and mold are fully gone, you can safely remove the puffers from your tank.

I'm not sure I agree with the notion that trust is the issue here. It seems more like a matter of understanding what happens when you take a break from regular tank maintenance.

Sterilizing the wood might have prevented initial mold growth, but it's not a guarantee against future issues, especially when it's exposed to wet conditions. That's just the nature of driftwood.

As for the plants, they're probably just feeling the effects of a sudden change in their environment. When you're used to a steady supply of ferts and carbon, it's only natural that they'd start to struggle when that supply stops.

I'd suggest cleaning the wood and putting it back in the tank. If the mold returns, just gently remove it and try again. It might take some time, but it should eventually stop coming back.

As for the plants, I'd recommend removing the dying leaves and getting back to your regular fertilization routine. That should help them recover from the shock of being neglected for a week.

[infold]

@kayoko's advice about not trusting others when it comes to something you care about really resonates with me. @Doubled's question about who exactly not to trust is valid, but for me, it's about not relying on others when it comes to my tank's well-being. I was once told that if you have something nice, you won't wreck it, but someone else will - and that's proven true time and time again. It's a harsh lesson, but it's one I've learned to live by. In this case, the aquarium and the Betta would have been fine if left unattended. Now you know the importance of taking care of things yourself.

[Doubled]

@kayoko's advice against trusting others when something's at risk resonated, but @Doubled's question still lingers - who exactly shouldn't be trusted? I recall a phrase that's stuck with me: 'If you have something nice, you won't wreck it, someone else will.' That saying's proven true time and again. In this case, it's clear that relying solely on oneself is the way to go. The aquarium and its inhabitants would've been fine if left unattended.

However, I struggle to understand the inclination to distrust someone who merely fed the fish out of kindness. The issues that arose weren't caused by this person's actions, and they likely would've occurred even if the tank was left unattended. It's this tendency to seek someone to blame when things go wrong that's concerning. It's a mindset that's prevalent in today's society, and it's not constructive. Fortunately, the OP didn't take this route.

[infold]

@Doubled, let's look at this objectively. @kayoko wasn't placing blame, but rather reflecting on the situation and its outcome. The caretaker did their best with good intentions, yet lacked the necessary knowledge of aquarium care. Would the problems have arisen regardless? It's possible, but we'll never know for certain. The nano tank in question is inherently less stable due to its size, making it more susceptible to issues. Perhaps the problems were already brewing, as you suggested.

[kayoko]

I've learned the hard way, from relying on others in my line of work, that when it comes to something you truly care about, it's best not to trust anyone else with it. When you're leaving for an extended period, like your upcoming trip in August, consider investing in an auto-feeder to take the guesswork out of tank maintenance.

As for your current situation, I'd recommend pruning the damaged leaves from your frogbit and re-sterilizing the driftwood by boiling it again. To help combat the mold, try performing small daily water changes for about a week. If the mold persists, you might want to consider introducing some natural mold-fighting agents to your tank.

I've found that snails can be effective at controlling mold, but they can also become a nuisance in their own right. To manage this, you could introduce pea puffers to your tank once the mold is under control – they'll help keep the snail population in check. Just be sure to provide the puffers with a steady food source, such as shrimp, to keep them healthy and occupied. Once the snails and mold are fully gone, you can safely remove the puffers from your tank.

I'm not sure I agree with the notion that trust is the issue here. It seems more like a matter of understanding what happens when you take a break from regular tank maintenance.

Sterilizing the wood might have prevented initial mold growth, but it's not a guarantee against future issues, especially when it's exposed to wet conditions. That's just the nature of driftwood.

As for the plants, they're probably just feeling the effects of a sudden change in their environment. When you're used to a steady supply of ferts and carbon, it's only natural that they'd start to struggle when that supply stops.

I'd suggest cleaning the wood and putting it back in the tank. If the mold returns, just gently remove it and try again. It might take some time, but it should eventually stop coming back.

As for the plants, I'd recommend removing the dying leaves and getting back to your regular fertilization routine. That should help them recover from the shock of being neglected for a week.

It's not about pointing fingers, it's about taking responsibility for something you care about. I think it's likely a family member was tasked with feeding the fish, and let's be real, they might not have been too invested in the tank's well-being. Maybe they're not even an aquarist, and that's okay. The best solution for her is to get an auto-feeder and eliminate the need for outside help. A week without constant monitoring isn't the end of the world, and it's better for her to have control over her tank's care.