Success with NPS while traveling?

[cdw79]

I'm planning a new system, and the masochist in me wants to try some sun coral. The problem is, and the reason I haven't dipped my toes in yet, is that my job will sometimes require me to be away from home Monday-Thursday. I also, in theory, like a week long vacation every now and then. From what I've read, this particular NPS needs feedings every 1-2 days, so I haven't taken that leap in an abundance of caution as I assume it wouldn't exactly thrive on pellets from my auto feeder. Has anyone had success keeping these while out of town in any way? I'd like to avoid asking a friend to semi consistently come care for them, but I'm curious if there are any success stories out there

 

[ReeferHD]

what NPS are you looking into getting? i had a dendrophyllia and i'd leave it for a week and it would be fine.

 

[cdw79]

Sun coral was my ideal choice. Absolutely love the bright yellow on gold contrast. Also really like the idea of the all black sun coral sitting on the white substrate. But would only want to take it on if I could still reasonably care for it despite my absences- don't want to just wing it if there's not a known way to navigate this while being out of town

 

[ReeferHD]

Sun coral was my ideal choice. Absolutely love the bright yellow on gold contrast. Also really like the idea of the all black sun coral sitting on the white substrate. But would only want to take it on if I could still reasonably care for it despite my absences- don't want to just wing it if there's not a known way to navigate this while being out of town

i'd say you'll be fine. i would go without feeding it for a week maxiumum though, with regular feedings every other day.

 

[cdw79]

I'm curious if somehow pellets ever worked out for anyone. In theory I could feed Monday AM before I left and Thursday PM when I get home, but the coral's wellbeing and likelihood of survival are important to me obviously

 

[ReeferHD]

I’ve been away for 14 days last year and I have just fed them everyday 1 week before I departed. They looked the same when I arrived back home.

^ found this on another thread, mine also loved pellets

 

[Northwest_Scapes_]

I'm planning a new system, and the masochist in me wants to try some sun coral. The problem is, and the reason I haven't dipped my toes in yet, is that my job will sometimes require me to be away from home Monday-Thursday. I also, in theory, like a week long vacation every now and then. From what I've read, this particular NPS needs feedings every 1-2 days, so I haven't taken that leap in an abundance of caution as I assume it wouldn't exactly thrive on pellets from my auto feeder. Has anyone had success keeping these while out of town in any way? I'd like to avoid asking a friend to semi consistently come care for them, but I'm curious if there are any success stories out there

With Sun Coral you should be good, they can go about a week with out eating in my experience. Plus since they're a bigger sized Non-Photosynthetic, they'll take Pellets like TDO and Reef Roids so if you have an autofeeder for fish already with something like that in their, they'll probably catch bits here and there from the water column while you're gone.
The Black Sun's I'd be a little more cautious about since they are a little more finicky than the Orange and Yellows but a few days shouldn't hurt them either.

 

[cdw79]

With Sun Coral you should be good, they can go about a week with out eating in my experience. Plus since they're a bigger sized Non-Photosynthetic, they'll take Pellets like TDO and Reef Roids so if you have an autofeeder for fish already with something like that in their, they'll probably catch bits here and there from the water column while you're gone.
The Black Sun's I'd be a little more cautious about since they are a little more finicky than the Orange and Yellows but a few days shouldn't hurt them either.

Thanks for the insight! I'm curious, if I put some riods into my feeder, would the suncorals be able to benefit from them if they were broadcast fed? Or is it not really worth it? I have a plank feeder so it can handle the rehydrating process, but if it's not going to make a difference then I'll just autofeed normally

 

[Northwest_Scapes_]

Thanks for the insight! I'm curious, if I put some riods into my feeder, would the suncorals be able to benefit from them if they were broadcast fed? Or is it not really worth it? I have a plank feeder so it can handle the rehydrating process, but if it's not going to make a difference then I'll just autofeed normally

I think they'd be able to catch stuff out of the water column if they're healthy enough. I usually spot feed my colonies so I can't say out of experience but that's generally what I've heard from other aquarists / aquarist friends from public aquariums