Feeding your fish when you aren’t home: What is your experience with auto feeders?

[Peace River]

Feeding your fish when you aren’t home: What is your experience with auto feeders?

Auto feeders are supposed to make time away from your tank easier and less stressful, right? Now that we are in the holiday season that may include more travel, auto feeders seem like the obvious solution. I mean, it is so easy that the fish almost feed themselves, then why does it seem more complicated? Some reef keepers regularly use auto feeders with consistent success, while others are regularly frustrated or even moved away from auto feeders because of negative experiences. Please tell us about your experience with auto feeders and share any tips or recommendations in the discussion section.

Photo by @HuduVudu


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[Dburr1014]

I use an auto feeder, 4 feedings a day. I alternate between flake and pellets.
I do a diy frozen cube when I get home and sometimes algae sheet/and/or algae discs.

Purple tang
Algae blenny
2 clowns
2 Royal Gramma
5 springeri damsels

Still can't keep no3 above zero. No real issues so far.

 

[JZ199]

I would be interested in trying out an auto feeder eventually. When I bought my tank, an auto feeder came with all of the equipment, I believe it was a Fluval auto feeder, but the previous owner had it so gunked up and jammed with old flake food I couldn't comfortably trust using it so it got stored away after cleaning it out. I'm hoping to eventually get another one to try out when my tank is more stocked. I currently just feed twice a day manually.

 

[randomfishdude]

I've used a autofeeder and it worked pretty well.
But I am currently working on a frozen food one.

 

[14 foot reef]

The Neptune Auto Fish Feeder is perfect for my 850 gallon reef lots of big tangs, angels. Keeps up perfectly never clogs. Love it, to a lot of pressure off my wife to feed while I'm at work.
I'll never not run one again.

 

[o2manyfish]

I have been using and recommending the Super Feeder (Super-Feeder.com) for over 10 years. Other than my Dad dropping one in the koi pond - The first time it survived the second time it didn't. They haven't failed. They are super reliable. They can feed as many times a day as you want. And they will feed a mix of different sizes and types of foods.

Plus you can additional food holders and stack them for even longer feeding. I have even set these up in commercial operations to drop Kalkwasser, Coral Food and other dry dosing agents.

Dave B

 

[GARRIGA]

Been my experience that fish can go prolong periods without food. Unless I'm away for a week plus then not going to be concerned with it and at that point best get an auto feeder as I don't trust others. Get them well fed otherwise prior to my short excursions.

 

[Fungusamongus]

I enjoy feeding my fish. I would probably use one if I was gone or going on vacatjon, but feeding my fish tank is a blast.

 

[Minifoot77]

I have a hydros one but haven't set it up so I Said other

 

[Gumbies R Us]

They are something I have considered using before, but just haven't pulled the trigger on one yet.

 

[gbroadbridge]

I use autofeeders 365 days a year, not just when travelling.

Consistent food dosing results in a more stable tank as I can exactly dial in export mechanisms

 

[Dr. Jim]

The AVAST feeder is nice if you are looking for one to use with a Controller. When you plug it in, it is "on" so you just plug it in a Power Bar that is connected to your Controller and use the Controller to "tell it" when to come off and on.

 

[JayM]

I use one when I’m out of town. It’s set to feed very small amounts a few times a day. The first time I used it I tried feeding the “normal” amount and came home to a nasty, cloudy tank that I could only attribute to inconsistent food drops.

 

[shakacuz]

haven't used an auto feeder because i feed frozen. even when i didn't feed frozen i mixed it(pellets) with powdered food as well. would love to see someone make an frozen food auto feeder

 

[vanguard]

I currently use the neptune AFS and it does what it does. For pellets I find getting the right dose to be tricky. It's either too much or too little. After I get it dialed in the mix changes a bit and the amount goes up or down. Still, I like it and now that I have a bigger tank the amount I feed doesn't need to be as precise.

A long time ago I used this guy:

It also worked although sometimes it left food behind.

I love the idea of auto feeding but I wish there was a good frozen solution.

 

[MarsReefer]

I've tried a number of different auto feeders. The AVAST marine autofeeder is 100x better than anything else i've used. I can control it with my Apex down to the second, for as many feedings as I want and the food always goes into the water column not floating on top. It stores weeks worth of food, it always stays dry and gives exactly the right amount of food every time.

Before getting it I hated autofeeders now I love them. I know I sound like a commercial but it is just that good.

 

[mike89t]

I use a the Hydros auto feeder through my Hydros controller app.

I also have a camera that points at my tank through the Apple Home app. That way I can visually monitor my tank when I'm away. If I see my fish going nuts I know my auto feeder worked.

 

[tzabor10]

I currently have 2 plank feeders for my display (120) and quarantine (40 breeder). It is paired to a Neptune and KASA power strip. So simple to operate and maintain. If you can afford it, it is worth the investment.

 

[TheDuude]

This feeder has been working great for me. I can modify the schedule while away from home or ask my google assistant to feed the fish anytime I need.

iLonda Wifi Feeder

I dont think it would be any good for flakes, only pellets so far.

 

[vetteguy53081]

In the past Eheim was very good then I got a Neptune AFS which has been Very good to me