Who Gives A Fish Forums

I'm going away for two weeks and need advice on prepping my 40-gallon planted tank. It's got a school of Tetras, a pair of German Blue Rams, and some Otocinclus. I've got an auto-feeder set up, but I'm worried about water quality. Any tips?

I've never left my tank for that long, but maybe a big water change before you go would help. How often do you usually change the water?

Yep, a big water change is a solid move. Also, cut back on feeding a bit before you leave. Overfeeding's gonna mess with your params real quick.

hazel9 wrote: ↑Wed Aug 06, 2025 9:29 pm I've never left my tank for that long, but maybe a big water change before you go would help. How often do you usually change the water?

I do 25% weekly. Think I should bump it to 50% right before I leave?

For sure, 50%'s a good call. And maybe toss in some extra filter media to keep the bio load in check. What kinda filter you running?

I've got a sponge filter in my 20-gallon. It's pretty low maintenance, but I'm not sure if it's enough for a bigger tank like yours.

finner wrote: ↑Wed Aug 06, 2025 11:23 pm For sure, 50%'s a good call. And maybe toss in some extra filter media to keep the bio load in check. What kinda filter you running?

I've got a canister filter, Fluval 307. It's been solid so far.

Nice, that's a beast. You should be golden with that and the water change. Just don't forget to test your params when you get back.

Do you have someone who can check on the tank while you're gone? Just in case something goes sideways.

Yeah, my neighbor's gonna pop in every few days. She's not a fish person, but she can at least make sure the auto-feeder's working and the temp's stable.