af4 feeder issue

[Diman1974]

I’m experiencing an issue with my new AF4 feeder. Each time I add a new portion of food and remove the cup, I notice a small amount of water or condensation forming on the bottom surface, over the white insulation (styrofoam). This quickly freezes into a thin layer of ice, which then prevents the cup from being reinserted properly.

To resolve this, I currently have to either chip away the ice using tweezers or a flat screwdriver, or power down the feeder and wait for the ice to melt so I can wipe the area dry.

Additionally, I have some concerns about the temperature sensor design. It appears to require repeated bending when removing and reinserting the cup, which may affect its durability over time.

Is there a recommended method for replenishing food more easily while still allowing the cup to be removed and cleaned regularly? I’d like to maintain proper hygiene and avoid any potential bacterial buildup.

Thank you.

 

[tbrown]

Have you reached out to their support center?

 

[tbrown]

@ind.aquatics

 

[Diman1974]

Have you reached out to their support center?

I do not think something is wrong with my unit. Some condensate is normal. I just need to learn the trick how to refill the cup without running into this problem

 

[tbrown]

I do not think something is wrong with my unit. Some condensate is normal. I just need to learn the trick how to refill the cup without running into this problem

Ahhh. Makes sense.

@Johnd651 you have one of these, right?

 

[petcellar]

I agree...... I have the same problem. It's not malfunctioning.

I cheat and make up the slurry and just pour it into the cup while it is still in the AF4. I don't clean between ever fill.

However, I feed a lot and there isn't a crazy amount of time in between fills.

Then every few fills I power it down and give it a good clean.

It's an amazing little machine. My copperband doesn't eat pellets or flakes but does just fine with frozen brine and mysis, and this lets me not worry about it when I'm at work or if I'm out of town for the weekend.

 

[Diman1974]

Good idea. If I will need to clean it up at some point, I can just syphon the remaining slurry out and add fresh mixture. Thanks

 

[ind.aquatics Verified Sponsor]

I’m experiencing an issue with my new AF4 feeder. Each time I add a new portion of food and remove the cup, I notice a small amount of water or condensation forming on the bottom surface, over the white insulation (styrofoam). This quickly freezes into a thin layer of ice, which then prevents the cup from being reinserted properly.

To resolve this, I currently have to either chip away the ice using tweezers or a flat screwdriver, or power down the feeder and wait for the ice to melt so I can wipe the area dry.

Additionally, I have some concerns about the temperature sensor design. It appears to require repeated bending when removing and reinserting the cup, which may affect its durability over time.

Is there a recommended method for replenishing food more easily while still allowing the cup to be removed and cleaned regularly? I’d like to maintain proper hygiene and avoid any potential bacterial buildup.

Thank you.

Hi! You're doing everything right!
The condensation freezing is natural and unavoidable. The cup is cooled via the cooling ring- the cooling ring becomes extremely cold which will form condensation that eventually freezes into ice.

Removal of the reservoir during reloading is best practice, but we understand the challenges with placing the temperature probe and tube properly. We've heard our customers feedback and it's resulted in us designing the new High Flow Cup! The new cup is currently out of stock but we expect more inventory in June. Feel free to reach out to us anytime at [email protected] if you have any questions or concerns. We are a small team and not always able to respond regularly on the forums.