Automating dinner: Do you use an auto feeder?
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- Thread starter Peace River
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vlangel
Seahorse whisperer
I only use my Eheim when on vacation, which mostly is only long weekends from Friday to Monday. However I used it for 3+ weeks this summer while we did a motorcycle road trip to Canada. It worked great as it always had.
Here's an explanation of my Reef Nutrition liquid and pellet autofeeding system.
www.reef2reef.com
Simplicity Dosing (4-Head); any reviews?
Wondering if anyone has tried this and have any reviews to share. Looks like a great price compared to others on the market like DOS and Versas https://www.aquacave.com/simplicity-4-head-dosing-pump.html
www.reef2reef.com
Would love to have an auto-feeder that I trusted as I take multiple 1-2 week vacations every year.
For now, I like to "force" someone to come over and checkout the tank every day (or at least every other day) to feed and check for catastrophes.
*like you, I work at home, so feeding time is fun time (for me)
BubblesandSqueak
Valuable Member
I was just going to inquire about something to feed frozen food. need to look at this.
jimfish98
Active Member
Eheim has worked well for me for years. I have one for each tank. Each is labeled with a mark for the food door so I can make sure its spot on before I leave. Did a 10 day trip over the summer and worked fine and no losses.
Tired
2500 Club Member
As mentioned above, I love my Plank auto-feeder. Everything gets fed 3x a day no matter if I forget, exactly the right amount. Corals, inverts, fish- all of it. No worries about vacations, fatigue days, anything. If I want to give the fish an extra treat, I can give them a treat- the tank can handle a little extra now and then.
workhz
Valuable Member
In Hawaii now for 2 weeks. I have a friend that comes over every day and he used to feed the fish in addition to the auto feeder but this time it’s just the auto. I figure fish can survive for 2 weeks on nothing let alone some pellets auto fed. Fattened them up a little beforehand and just autofeeder twice a day now.
I've been using the wifi ilonda for a few months now. Walmart had it for $17 at the time. I use it every day, wish I had from the beginning, my fish are like little puppies every time I walk up to the tank they dance around expecting food.
pt 2
pt 2
bureau13
Active Member
I have a Neptune auto feeder on my Apex that I use for morning pellet feeding, since I'm often at work at that time, and then I feed frozen stuff in the evening by hand. If I'm going away, I add an evening feeding to the AFS until I get back. Seems to work OK.
Paul B
10K Club member
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Rock Pool Reef Keepers
I don't use any dry food but sometimes I use my baby brine shrimp feeder. I also invented an automatic one that hatches the shrimp and feeds them for a week.
Colton Yuchnewicz
Community Member
i thought about it, but 7 years reefing and i still feed my fish everyday and enjoy it!
Stealthreefer
Active Member
Nope. I feed 8 tanks 8 times a day by hand every single day.
I bought 1 for vacations and the first time I used it it broke so now I just don't go on vacations.
I ran fish rooms for 20 years so hand feeding 8 tanks seems like light work to me.
1 of the places I worked we had a kid that came in after school and fed the fish. Robbie was the closest thing to an automatic fish feeder I have had long term. I hope Robbie is doing well.
I bought 1 for vacations and the first time I used it it broke so now I just don't go on vacations.
I ran fish rooms for 20 years so hand feeding 8 tanks seems like light work to me.
1 of the places I worked we had a kid that came in after school and fed the fish. Robbie was the closest thing to an automatic fish feeder I have had long term. I hope Robbie is doing well.
SteveMM62Reef
Valuable Member
I have three of the PetBank, rechargeable feeders from Amazon. They can be programmed for up to four times a day, and can be programmed from the number of times they turn at each feeding. Also the gate is adjustable. Have a mixture of Flake and Pellets. I had a problem with not all the food dropping into the tank. Reformed a PVC 1-1/4” x 1” Reducer, by dipping it in boiling water, for an Oval Funnel.
Treefer32
Valuable Member
I know, I've been waiting for this for around 3 -4 years now. Last I heard was from another reef vendor for a different product, he knew the owner. And The Feeder designs were going to be manufactured in China. They screwed him over, not following the specifications or something, he ended up with junk feeders he couldn't go to market with.
He had to start all over with new manufacturing and maybe even new designs. I'll be surprised if InD creations goes to market in the next 5 years. I was hoping that Neptune or Hydros would choose to dominate the automation market with a frozen auto feeder, but so far, I've seen no announcements at all.
I would venture to guess we'll see something in the frozen auto feeder market in 5 years.
Treefer32
Valuable Member
I've looked at the refrigerator options and came close to pulling the plug on using Versas to dose food from a dorm fridge. However, in talking with others, I'm concerned about the tubing being large enough to allow liquified frozen food to pass through, plus, frozen food settles to the bottom, so how do you ensure the dosing is getting food and not just liquid. So many failure points.Here's an explanation of my Reef Nutrition liquid and pellet autofeeding system.
Simplicity Dosing (4-Head); any reviews?
Wondering if anyone has tried this and have any reviews to share. Looks like a great price compared to others on the market like DOS and Versas https://www.aquacave.com/simplicity-4-head-dosing-pump.html
Treefer32
Valuable Member
I have gone through 3 eheim auto feeders over the last 6 years of operations. I love the idea of supplemental auto feeding of pellets or flakes. While they were operational they worked great. My Anthias loved it, even my tangs loved it. However, it went without fail, that I would knock it into the tank. One after a month of use, I think the longest I had one was around 3 months before I knocked it in the water. I even have covers on my tank but still managed to knock them in. I tried zip tieing them to a 2x4 on the wall and holding it over the tank, but, inevitably the zip tie blocked the drum from rotating. My tank has too thick of glass for the little holders it comes with. (340 gallon tank with 3/4" glass).
I manually feed frozen once a day, this allows me to use my own food or when on vacation to throw cubes of feed into containers of RODI and in the fridge - preportioned for the person coming to check things. I'd like to automate feeding frozen, but, I haven't found a reasonable and reliable way yet. I think it's coming eventually.
I manually feed frozen once a day, this allows me to use my own food or when on vacation to throw cubes of feed into containers of RODI and in the fridge - preportioned for the person coming to check things. I'd like to automate feeding frozen, but, I haven't found a reasonable and reliable way yet. I think it's coming eventually.
I run 7 ehiem feeders. One for each tank to feed pellets(2-3 times a day) and one on the display for the brine hatcher.
I also feed frozen once a day, but that will be automated eventually as well.
I feel multiple feedings a day is important.
^dude above, for the love of god just mount it to the tank! Yeah you usally have to make one that works better but its worth it. Mine last YEARS.
I also feed frozen once a day, but that will be automated eventually as well.
I feel multiple feedings a day is important.
^dude above, for the love of god just mount it to the tank! Yeah you usally have to make one that works better but its worth it. Mine last YEARS.
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