Any automatic feeder recommendations?

[derek_SR]

Hahah yeah I feel like I feed so much already! I'll add another rotation, and then see how things go with the Avast. They already shipped it!

 

[kinetic]

Aw man, figured out any way around this?

A few ways to fix this (though fish can learn quickly):

1. Feed more often -- food always being in the water at some point will keep fish from rushing in at a specific time. You can feed the same amount, but all throughout the day. However... you probably want to feed more just because a lot of the food won't be eaten right away and need to find its way to the fish. With fine tuned control, you can always have some suspended food in your water (even better for corals).
2. Have the feeder in your sump's return chamber. If you use freeze dried food that's hydrated in the mixing tube, it'll be suspended in the water and most likely sucked through the return pump. If you feed more often, then this might confuse the fish enough that they don't hog all the food (also getting sprayed out of a return pump is probably going to cover a lot more tank volume).

 

[Da_Neefer]

Aw man, figured out any way around this?

I don't see any of them doing this lately but the vibrations from the motor transmit through the glass of the eurobrace it sits on. Even if I can't hear it. Not sure you really can nor that you need to unless a couple fish are severely underfed.

 

[Coral reefer]

I don’t find the eheim to be noisy at all really imo

 

[Coral2Coral]

I don’t think I could get around my, the fish sense the pumps slowing down and quickly goes toward where the feeder drops.

 

[RandyC]

I actually have four of these. My oldest has been running for almost 2 years without a problem. Dead silent and the charge lasts a good while if you don’t want to leave it plugged into a 5V USB cable. I use NLS pellets with it. I have a couple of Neptune AFS not in use, but they’re just too loud.

Petbank Automatic Fish Feeder - Rechargeable Timer Fish Feeder with USB Charger Cable, Fish Food Dispenser for Aquarium or Fish Tank https://a.co/d/gWALadS

 

[JVU]

I use the Neptune feeder. It’s true that it’s stupid loud, but I’ve found that it reminds me to go check that there’s food in there still and that it is dropping out the amount I want still when I’m home and I hear it. Though I do prefer quiet. I don’t understand why they don’t just make it quiet. It should be trivially easy, and not doing it despite the years of customer requests makes me think a little less of Neptune honestly.

I used to only use it when I was away, but decided to use it to feed a little bit at a time, more consistently during the day, for no particularly compelling reason. I use the TDO medium pellets, sometimes with other similar sized pellets mixed in. I find that with the adjustable hole on one of the smallest settings it feeds a reliable small amount, and have it spin twice, 4 times a day. It’s overall not a large amount and leaves room for me to manually feed them frozen and flake when I feel like it.

I 3D printed a modified feeder ring that slides into the base that clips on the tank. Fish definitely hear it and come swimming, which is fine with me.

My biggest complaint hasn’t been mentioned yet- If for some reason you want to access where the food is while there is food in there, you have to either take the unit off your tank (more effort), or VERY carefully remove the feeding container while it’s on the tank. If you make the slightest mistake in how you pull, the cover comes off and a bunch of food dumps in the tank. One time this happened and despite trying to get the excess food out it caused a mini tank crash and I lost some SPS.

 

[gmdcdvm]

thanks for all the info. I really like where this discussion is going. All good info. Keep it coming.

 

[richiev]

If anyone's interested, I'm 100% sure I can do something like this via my newly acquired fusion 360 skills and my 3d printer. I don't want to rip this guy's idea off (link on his YouTube didn't work so I'm not sure if he's selling it), but that's exactly what I was thinking to design myself. Though I'd expect to put a lid on it so that it wouldn't accidentally dump all that food in if the thing tips.

Lmk if anyone with an eheim thinks that'd work well. If so I'll try and design it this week and I'll pick up an eheim to test it on. All I'll ask is for a donation to cover the printing. $5 for sure would cover it.

Edit: here's the link

 

[Meshmez]

If anyone's interested, I'm 100% sure I can do something like this via my newly acquired fusion 360 skills and my 3d printer. I don't want to rip this guy's idea off (link on his YouTube didn't work so I'm not sure if he's selling it), but that's exactly what I was thinking to design myself. Though I'd expect to put a lid on it so that it wouldn't accidentally dump all that food in if the thing tips.

Lmk if anyone with an eheim thinks that'd work well. If so I'll try and design it this week and I'll pick up an eheim to test it on. All I'll ask is for a donation to cover the printing. $5 for sure would cover it.

Did you mean to post a link?

 

[richiev]

Did you mean to post a link?

Woops, fixed:

 

[Meshmez]

Interesting. I just got that eheim feeder (I could be wrong, but I think when most people talk about the eheim feeder they are talking about spinning drum version) Im considering using it as just a housing and wiring directly to the motors to bypass the programming/battery. Replacement augers could be an interesting mod as well.

Im not sure how I feel about food having to be added to the auger instead of the hopper but maybe it's ok. The hopper seems like it could become a mess.

 

[JVU]

If anyone's interested, I'm 100% sure I can do something like this via my newly acquired fusion 360 skills and my 3d printer. I don't want to rip this guy's idea off (link on his YouTube didn't work so I'm not sure if he's selling it), but that's exactly what I was thinking to design myself. Though I'd expect to put a lid on it so that it wouldn't accidentally dump all that food in if the thing tips.

Lmk if anyone with an eheim thinks that'd work well. If so I'll try and design it this week and I'll pick up an eheim to test it on. All I'll ask is for a donation to cover the printing. $5 for sure would cover it.

Edit: here's the link

I haven’t seen this feeder before. I agree with @Meshmez that when people around here refer to the Eheim feeder they are talking about the one where the whole container part rotates around (as far as I know).

What is the problem with the Eheim auger-feeder that this mod fixes? Is it the ability to feed tiny pellets?

 

[Meshmez]

I haven’t seen this feeder before. I agree with @Meshmez that when people around here refer to the Eheim feeder they are talking about the one where the whole container part rotates around (as far as I know).

What is the problem with the Eheim auger-feeder that this mod fixes? Is it the ability to feed tiny pellets?

I think so. I just got it a week or so ago, and just did a little experimentation with it. I want it to be able to do fairly soft/small stuff like freeze dried calanus and potentially even reef roids. It definitely seems like there is enough room that things like that will tend to get smashed under the auger, eventually jamming it. Larger pellets likely wouldnt have this issue.

 

[L/B Block]

I don’t think I could get around my, the fish sense the pumps slowing down and quickly goes toward where the feeder drops.

Pretty much the same. As soon as the fish hear the pumps stop-they head directly to the
Spot for the neptune AFS sits.

Just got the avast yesterday. Should have it set up soon. Just note for those who put it in the sump-you need the “longer tube”. I asked avast about this.

For those who have used it so far- the recommendation is NOT to stop the pumps
(Assuming not in the sump) -can you confirm?

 

[Meshmez]

For those who have used it so far- the recommendation is NOT to stop the pumps
(Assuming not in the sump) -can you confirm?

I don't have one, but I believe this is true. The point is the food will not be on the surface, so you shouldn't have it all go down the drain.

 

[Meshmez]

Pretty much the same. As soon as the fish hear the pumps stop-they head directly to the
Spot for the neptune AFS sits.

Just got the avast yesterday. Should have it set up soon. Just note for those who put it in the sump-you need the “longer tube”. I asked avast about this.

For those who have used it so far- the recommendation is NOT to stop the pumps
(Assuming not in the sump) -can you confirm?

Out of curiosity, what is the ID of the tube they use?

 

[richiev]

I haven’t seen this feeder before. I agree with @Meshmez that when people around here refer to the Eheim feeder they are talking about the one where the whole container part rotates around (as far as I know).

What is the problem with the Eheim auger-feeder that this mod fixes? Is it the ability to feed tiny pellets?

I think it basically turns it into an inside out avast feeder. It'd presumably dose a very controlled amount maximum amount, based on the timing and the amount that fits into the threading.

 

[goonie0]

Wow, $209 for a feeder...!

I use the Eheim. I don't find it loud. My biggest gripe with it is also the difficulty in feeding just the right amounts. I feed a mix of two different-sized pellets. This set up is not ideal since either a larger opening allows too much to go through, or when I close the opening, only the smaller pellets get dispensed.

 

[Coral reefer]

Wow, $209 for a feeder...!

I use the Eheim. I don't find it loud. My biggest gripe with it is also the difficulty in feeding just the right amounts. I feed a mix of two different-sized pellets. This set up is not ideal since either a larger opening allows too much to go through, or when I close the opening, only the smaller pellets get dispensed.

Sounds like you need two feeders