Stopping co2 when on vacation

[yvonnedono]

I have been trying to figure out a way to go on vacation and make sure there isn't a disaster with the co2 because my housesitter doesn't know a thing about aquariums. We get a good amount of power outages so I can't be sure there isn't going to be a power outage which would screw up my bluetooth run lights. So, my question is - if I just turn off the co2 for the 9 days that I am gone, is it going to cause problems in my tank and/or my plants?

 

[awilkinson871]

You will likely come back to algae. Variations in co2 are often a cause for algae growth.

 

[GlennO]

You could minimise algae growth by running it as a low light tank for the period. Stop or reduce any liquid fertiliser in the days before you go and lower light intensity and/or duration from when you cease injecting CO2. Any high light plants that you have won’t appreciate it but they’ll be fine for 9 days.

 

[fishnovice33]

I agree with the turn down lights and zero nutes. 9 days, you’ll come back to some algae if not. If you can’t adjust light you could leave it off altogether. Plants might get leggy and what not but they’ll bounce back and it’ll be easier getting them back to health than deal with algae IMO.

 

[MickSG]

Why do you need to turn it off at all? Could you just run it at a reduced bubble count over the period?

 

[Mudminnow]

Why do you need to turn it off at all? Could you just run it at a reduced bubble count over the period?

Good point. But, why even reduce the bubble count?

When I go on vacation, I just leave everything running as usual. I still get some algae and such, but after a water change and cleaning session, things are back to the way they were.