Automatic feeders???

[Larry Grenier]

Maybe being a little too confident but my 1st spawn iin years seems to be coming along nicely. Once the fry are seperated from the parents, I'd like to be able to feed more often but I'm at work most of the day; dam >:( Anyone want to suggest an automatic feeder they can recommend?

[korbi_doc]

:bounce2: :bounce: :bounce2: Geez Larry, I just ordered my fourth one! Eheim digital, have one on each baby tank so it feeds 4X, & anything I put in is an addition. My babies & youngsters are fed 6-7X/day. They're a little pricey, ($45) at the Drs, but reliable. I use the Azoo pellets mixed with the Haifeng pellets in the auto feeder, then froz H.BWs & a treat last thing at nite with CBWs. Sometimes I throw in a little Spirulina or OC#1 flakes. Haven't used flakes in feeder.

First time I used it & left for 3 days, had not set the opening up right & came home to a real mess that cleaned up well with Vortex & lots w/cs & scrubbing. So be careful & set it up when you can watch. I put a piece of scotch tape on after I set the opening. They can also be set for double dispensing, but I use just one. JMO, Dottie ;D ;D ;D

[Carol_Roberts]

I have three of the Eheims and swear by them. I feed ONF 1 flakes right now. The flake size varies, so I poke it with my finger to crush slightly. Test the ammount of food dispensed by pressing button and have food drop into your palm or the glass top. Pellets work really good too, but you can not mix pellets and flakes and get a uniform feeding.

Check from time to time to make sure batteries are still working or no food. In addition to setting feeding time must have arrow pointing down or no food. ;)

[iceskater]

Carol,
Isn't your feeders electric? I had no luck at all with battery operated feeders. Could not set the time or frequency.

Karen

[korbi_doc]

:bounce2: Karen, my Eheims are battery op & work just fine. They have a battery warning when low, blink for days, then shut down; haven't seen that yet. The instructions are very clear to set up & program, although it took me a little while to get thru it the first time, & as Carol says, they tell you how to set the arrows for once or twice dispensing. Just don't lose those instructions, although I was able to do it the 3rd time around.
I believe Carol's are battery also. JMO, Dottie ;D

[roclement]

I have been using very non-expensive pen-plax auto-feeders, around $15 each.

they work on 2 doubleAA bateries, and feed twice a day, they are basically very simple timers that dispense on 12 hour cycles.

No complains as of yet, the only pain is to set the timer, once you insert the bateries...it's on baby! I started all of mine at 9:00 am, this allows me to feed before I go to work by myself, a second time at 9 am by the feeder, a third by me on times I get home, and at the minimmun, one more time at 9:00 pm.

I would preffer the more reliable enheim ones, if money was no object, but my fish are happy ;D ;D the whole point is to feed and watch them grow! Now if only someone could come up with a refrigerated BW dispenser.... :P

Rodrigo

[iceskater]

My problem with the battery operated feeders were they would dispense to little food or to much food. no middle ground. Also it is not a 12 hour cycle. I tested them for weeks on paper towels in the kitchen. Could not trust them at all. Used Penn Plax and Nutra brand.

If I plan another trip I would definately invest in the higher priced feeder. But for every day I make sure the Mr comes by the house and feeds them during the day.

Karen

[ronrca]

I have both feeders, the eheim and penn plax. I like the ehiem simply for the fact that it feeds 4x a day (with double doses) and I can set the time I want. I use the eheim on my smaller discus (under 4"). The penn plax is also a good feeder but as mentioned is restricted to 12 hour feedings only. This feeder I use on 4-5" discus for extra feedings besides the morning and evening feedings that I give. ;)

[Larry Grenier]

Thanks folks

[Haywire]

How do you set the time on the penn plax feeder? I got one at my aquarium club's auction with no instructions?

I use 2 Nutri feeders (Hagen brand) on my discus tanks. But I'll for sure use an ehiem when I get the need for another feeder.

As soon as my batteries die it's off to Radio shack and I buy a DC converter and hardwire the feeders to the converter. Consistant voltage and no need to worry about dead batteries. I'll mean a few more wires crossing here and there but no real disadvantage.

I also know that my nutra feeders dispense food once I put batteries in them, I wonder if this might be a way to trick them into feeding more than 2X a day. Anyone tried it?

[ronrca]

How do you set the time on the penn plax feeder? As far as I know, you cant change or set the time unless you were to somehow rig up a timer.

[Dennis_Hardenburge]

I like rondomatic feeders, you can set as many feedings a day as you want.
I even feed small fry live baby brine shrimp with them.
Dennis