Time-away plan
Leaving your aquarium for one to two weeks: plan for a person
One to two weeks away: what Fish Mate's 14 meals and 14-day test mean, continuous ammonia monitoring, and why someone should check the tank.
Also listed as two weeks away, 14 days away
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Short answer
At one to two weeks, plan for a person to check the tank. Closer Pets says the Fish Mate F14 holds up to 14 individual meals at 1 to 4 a day: a meal count, not a trip length. No feeder has published reliability data. A continuous ammonia monitor such as Seachem's Ammonia Alert gives a sitter something to read.
Key facts
- Feeding plan
- A sitter, with a tested feeder as support at most[1][2]Closer Pets: up to 14 meals at 1 to 4 a day. Merck: needs are known for only a handful of species.
- Feeder test
- Complete Fish Mate's 14-day supervised trial before relying on an F14[3]
- Aeration backup
- Not confirmedSee the power-outage plan for Aquarium Co-Op's stated battery figures.
- Water quality
- Continuous free-ammonia monitor the sitter can read[6]Seachem says Ammonia Alert responds in about 15 minutes to rising ammonia and about 4 hours to falling levels, and is not recommended at acid pH.
- If the power goes out
- Not confirmedNo maker states how its timer or smart plug behaves after power returns.
Watch out for
- 14 meals is not 14 days. Closer Pets says the F14 feeds 1 to 4 times a day for up to 14 individual meals.
- The battery claim is not a reliability claim. Fish Mate says one AA alkaline battery lasts about 12 months in continuous use; that says nothing about missed feeds.
- Marketing is not evidence. Maker wording about peace of mind is not data; no feeder has independent reliability data.
- Free ammonia is not total ammonia. Seachem notes that 0.02 mg/L free ammonia equals 3.6 mg/L total ammonia at pH 7.0 in freshwater, so do not compare its colors with a test-kit number.
What fits
Product details below are the seller's own description unless a source is shown. Pick the variant named for each item.
Continuous ammonia monitor
Seachem Ammonia Alert, 2-packChoose the 2-pack. On Amazon, check that 'Ships from / Sold by' names Amazon.com or the brand before you buy.
It reads free (un-ionized) ammonia, which is not the same number as a total-ammonia test result. Seachem says it is not recommended at acid pH.
Check price on Amazon Opens amazon.comLiquid test kit
API Freshwater Master Test KitChoose the Freshwater Master Test Kit. On Amazon, check that 'Ships from / Sold by' names Amazon.com or the brand before you buy.
API says it measures pH, high range pH, ammonia, nitrite and nitrate, with seven test solutions.
Battery feeder
Fish Mate F14 automatic aquarium feederChoose the F14 feeder. On Amazon, check that 'Ships from / Sold by' names Amazon.com or the brand before you buy.
Runs on one AA alkaline battery. Fish Mate's manual says to sit it over a 30 mm (1-1/4 in) hood hole or on its two supplied clamps, and to supervise a new unit for 14 days while you are home. That is the maker's advice, not reliability data.
Check price on Amazon Opens amazon.comSmart plug for the light
Kasa Smart Plug Mini 15A EP25P4 (4-pack)Choose the EP25P4 4-pack. On Amazon, check 'Ships from / Sold by' before you buy; TP-Link's own page links to an Amazon search, not a named seller.
For lights and other noncritical loads. TP-Link rates it 15 A but only 1/6 HP for motors, for non-condensing indoor air, so keep it away from splashes. TP-Link does not say whether it restores its state or runs schedules without the cloud after an outage.
Check price on Amazon Opens amazon.com
See automatic feeder vs fish sitter and free vs total ammonia.