Avast Plank feeding/settings

[ShawnSaucier]

So I just set up my Plank and watched/watching my first feeding. I think I get what is going on but want to cross reference with other users.

Hopper is filled with 1oz of Jerky and 1/8th cup of Vitallis small pellets.

Currently have this timed to feed every three hours with the Auger running for 30 seconds.

The dial at the bottom of the feed tube is set to #3 with the pump running 24/7.

Here is where I just need to be sure I’m hoping I am correct.

As the food is saturated it is very slowly dispersed into the tank, theoretically taking 30 minutes to disperse and empty what has been added. I shouldn’t be expecting a “ cloud” of food being dumped in.

Currently, and this was the first feeding, it seems like a few bits pop out every couple of seconds, now at 24 minutes from the auger activation. Thus meaning a small constant stream of food slowly entering the water column.

I am trying to be conservative with the feedings hoping to allow the tank to adjust and not get a PO4 spike.

Also , to me, seems a bit more natural without causing a feeding frenzy and a big pile up.

I have quite a few tiny mouths to feed and was doing just frozen. Which will continue, but just in the evening. As the tank matures, likely to add more feedings in the day.

Looking for any thoughts, thanks!

 

[tbrown]

I adjust the pump on mine to run about 1/2" below the rim of the feeding tube. I feed 1 minute twice a day every day.

From their website, 1 minute is approximately the equivalent of a full cube of frozen if I recall correctly.

Feeding every 3 hours means you're feeding almost the equivalent of 4+ frozen cubes daily.

I feed, on average, 12 times daily using the Plank and 2 other auto feeders but I have multiple wrasses that eat all day every day.

 

[TonyB]

I run mine on a Hydros. Starting at 1000 it runs for :30 every two hrs and it does this 3 times per day. So feedings at 1000, 1200 and 1400 while I’m working. The circ pump is programmed to run only while the plank is feeding. I am also using a 70:30 mix of reef jerky and vitalis pellets. This setup fairly evenly distributes the food and none is left in the tube.

 

[Surfside74]

I run mine on a Hydros. Starting at 1000 it runs for :30 every two hrs and it does this 3 times per day. So feedings at 1000, 1200 and 1400 while I’m working. The circ pump is programmed to run only while the plank is feeding. I am also using a 70:30 mix of reef jerky and vitalis pellets. This setup fairly evenly distributes the food and none is left in the tube.

If you don’t mind can you share how you set those up on hydros and some screen shots of your program maybe. I’m doing the same system right now Thank you.
Rob

 

[Reefuzz]

I have a new system so not much to feed. So I only do two feedings a day but here is my setup. I also have the wavemakers turn all the way down 1 minute prior to the avast pump turning on and for the duration of the feed. Also, since I feed freeze dried food I let it dwell in the tube for a couple minutes before the Autofeeder pump turns on. The return turns off when the Autofeeder pump is on and kicks back in after the pump turns off

 

[ShawnSaucier]

I adjust the pump on mine to run about 1/2" below the rim of the feeding tube. I feed 1 minute twice a day every day.

From their website, 1 minute is approximately the equivalent of a full cube of frozen if I recall correctly.

Feeding every 3 hours means you're feeding almost the equivalent of 4+ frozen cubes daily.

I feed, on average, 12 times daily using the Plank and 2 other auto feeders but I have multiple wrasses that eat all day every day.

3 minutes equals 1 cube according to the website, so theoretically it would be 2/3rds of a cube of dry and about the same in frozen. So about a cube and a half per day for 16 small fish.
I noticed when I fed frozen last night, that it was a bit more of a relaxed feeding and not a frenzy. Everyone was eating, and not being bullies with each other. Will keep up on the observations over the coming weeks. Not that it’s been an issue, but hoping to keep the Anthias calm and full to help avoid aggression in the harem.
Secondly, as I travel so much for work, this can keep me away from the tank sometimes up to 12 weeks. And this means no water changes for a period. So I have to keep fish well but try to minimize left over food as best I can.
I have been reefing for over 25 years and never really utilized a dry food solution ( besides coral foods mixed in the slurry) other than in the very beginning. I promptly destroyed that tank with PO4, switched to frozen and never looked back.
So I am a bit gun shy with doing this and hopefully not causing any issues with nutrients. Also hoping to keep everyone well fed and having opportunities to snack throughout the day so there are no hangry fish swimming around.
I have been fighting myself from throwing in a squirt of frozen during the day and stay the course.
So back to my observation of smaller amounts that slowly release into the water column instead of the cloud of food all at once. Part of me feels like this is right and a bit more natural. I.E.- in the ocean food is spread out and everyone is picking out of the water column through out the day.

 

[TonyB]

I run mine on a Hydros. Starting at 1000 it runs for :30 every two hrs and it does this 3 times per day. So feedings at 1000, 1200 and 1400 while I’m working. The circ pump is programmed to run only while the plank is feeding. I am also using a 70:30 mix of reef jerky and vitalis pellets. This setup fairly evenly distributes the food and none is left in the tube.

If you don’t mind can you share how you set those up on hydros and some screen shots of your program maybe. I’m doing the same system right now Thank you.
Rob

Sure no problem

 

[TonyB]

And this is for the circ pump. Set dependency to run when plank is on.

 

[Surfside74]

And this is for the circ pump. Set dependency to run when plank is on.

Thank you

 

[Wonkabar]

The plank is great. I wouldn’t run the pump 24/7. If you are looking for it to pump out food for 30 minutes then set it to run for 45 min after the auger starts then turn off. It’s not doing anything except costing you electricity running with no food in the feeding tube.

 

[BZOFIQ]

The plank is great. I wouldn’t run the pump 24/7. If you are looking for it to pump out food for 30 minutes then set it to run for 45 min after the auger starts then turn off. It’s not doing anything except costing you electricity running with no food in the feeding tube.

These plank feeders are run in seconds and not minutes. In 30 minutes you'd run half the plank worth of food.

My buddy runs his for 20 seconds and I do 45 seconds per run. I do set the pump to run 1 minute ahead of the feeder and continue running for 10 minutes or so after the feeder stops.

 

[Wonkabar]

The plank is great. I wouldn’t run the pump 24/7. If you are looking for it to pump out food for 30 minutes then set it to run for 45 min after the auger starts then turn off. It’s not doing anything except costing you electricity running with no food in the feeding tube.

These plank feeders are run in seconds and not minutes. In 30 minutes you'd run half the plank worth of food.

My buddy runs his for 20 seconds and I do 45 seconds per run. I do set the pump to run 1 minute ahead of the feeder and continue running for 10 minutes or so after the feeder stops.

I was talking about how long to run the pump… not the auger

 

[BZOFIQ]

I was talking about how long to run the pump… not the auger

You said 30 minutes and 45 minutes, hence the confusion.