Automatic Frozen/refrigerated food dispenser

[rynosreef]

So much great information here! I did have a question about the peristaltic pump. It looks like the high flow pumps are rated for 400 - 500 ml/min, which equates to about 6 - 8 ml per second respectively, right? For me this might be too much. Just trying to match the pump speed to the feeding needs.

 

[rynosreef]

I should add that the design I was thinking of using might not use a magnetic stirrer to keep the food in suspension, but instead use a funnel with the dosing line connected to the bottom. The idea being to let gravity keep the food concentrated. If the food was fully in suspension, I imagine 6-8 ml per second wouldn’t be so bad. But that much of concentrated food could be too much. Any other issues you guys came across with using a funnel?

 

[Stevorino]

Automatic DIY refrigerated food dispenser

I've been looking at the various solutions out there and I think this is the one I am going to attempt building.... great design and execution!

2 questions:

1) Without adding any preservatives, how long would this solution keep well? A week?

2) If I didn't want to go through the hassle of making my own food, could I use frozen food (like Rod's) and add in the preservatives in the solution?

I'm toying with the idea of having this run and refreshing the food each week.... but I would also like to have the ability to let it run a full 2 weeks when away on vacation.

Thanks!

 

[Rick Mathew]

I've been looking at the various solutions out there and I think this is the one I am going to attempt building.... great design and execution!

2 questions:

1) Without adding any preservatives, how long would this solution keep well? A week?

2) If I didn't want to go through the hassle of making my own food, could I use frozen food (like Rod's) and add in the preservatives in the solution?

I'm toying with the idea of having this run and refreshing the food each week.... but I would also like to have the ability to let it run a full 2 weeks when away on vacation.

Thanks!

I have essentially this setup... I keep my frig at between 30 and 34 F, keeping my mean kinetic temperature around 32F My food slurry consists of regular frozen food cubes...Brine, Mysis and a measure of Reef Chilies---Rod's food should work ok... I would say the food without preservatives for a week would be iffy...I change mine every 8 days using preservatives and the food is already starting to break down.

I have been using this method for over 2 years and it works very well. It does take some playing around with to get it balanced and dependable...but it was well worth the time

Rick

 

[ReefFrenzy]

I've been looking at the various solutions out there and I think this is the one I am going to attempt building.... great design and execution!

2 questions:

1) Without adding any preservatives, how long would this solution keep well? A week?

2) If I didn't want to go through the hassle of making my own food, could I use frozen food (like Rod's) and add in the preservatives in the solution?

I'm toying with the idea of having this run and refreshing the food each week.... but I would also like to have the ability to let it run a full 2 weeks when away on vacation.

Thanks!

I can tell you with 100% certainty that any of the LRS foods left in a refrigerator for more than 24 hours are starting to break down. After two weeks in the fridge it would smell horrible and be spoiled. Trying to keep previously frozen fish food in a refrigerated state for several days is asking for trouble. You have no idea how long the seafood ingredients were already out of the ocean and kept on ice BEFORE they were processed and frozen as prepared fish food. Other high lipid foods like PE Mysis start to break down as well. Think about it this way.....if you went out and had fresh sushi on a Monday would you put it in the fridge and eat it 7-14 days later?

There is a big difference between what is optimal and "I've been doing it this way for a while without any issues."

It's really easy to pre-portion your food out in little salad dressing cups and leave it for your tank sitter.

 

[Stevorino]

I have essentially this setup... I keep my frig at between 30 and 34 F, keeping my mean kinetic temperature around 32F My food slurry consists of regular frozen food cubes...Brine, Mysis and a measure of Reef Chilies---Rod's food should work ok... I would say the food without preservatives for a week would be iffy...I change mine every 8 days using preservatives and the food is already starting to break down.

I have been using this method for over 2 years and it works very well. It does take some playing around with to get it balanced and dependable...but it was well worth the time

Rick

Awesome - thank you!

 

[Stevorino]

I can tell you with 100% certainty that any of the LRS foods left in a refrigerator for more than 24 hours are starting to break down. After two weeks in the fridge it would smell horrible and be spoiled. Trying to keep previously frozen fish food in a refrigerated state for several days is asking for trouble. You have no idea how long the seafood ingredients were already out of the ocean and kept on ice BEFORE they were processed and frozen as prepared fish food. Other high lipid foods like PE Mysis start to break down as well. Think about it this way.....if you went out and had fresh sushi on a Monday would you put it in the fridge and eat it 7-14 days later?

There is a big difference between what is optimal and "I've been doing it this way for a while without any issues."

It's really easy to pre-portion your food out in little salad dressing cups and leave it for your tank sitter.

Appreciate the insight!

Here's the problem: We just bought a second home and will be away from the tank for 3-4 weeks at a time, multiple times a year..... The coordination and expense of having tank sitters come twice a day for 120+ days a year is really not an option.

The alternatives I'm considering is switching the tank to dry food (it's been primarily frozen cubes for 4+ years), doing a liquid option like Reef Nutrition, or doing something like this...

I mean, I'd eat sushi after 7 days before I ate dog food LOL....

... but in all seriousness, is there a major upgrade in quality going dry or Reef Nutrition over frozen that gets thawed and preserved once a week?

 

[Rick Mathew]

Awesome - thank you!

The key is you need to keep the temp of the slurry at or near 0 degrees C...I make my slurry with 35ppt salt water which does not freeze at 0 but somewhere around -2 C...I also use preservatives

Rick

 

[Harpo]

Awesome video