GOING ON VACATION? This helped me thru a 2 week vacation

ZoWhat · Jun 21, 2021

I made it through a 2 week vacation with this AutoFeeder. At first I was thinking it was kinda toyish-looking. Something you'd buy on a Infomercial at 2am, lol.

But this feeder thrives and does an absolutely great job bc its so simple to use.

It give it 5-Stars.... and I still use it everyday after I'm back from vacation.

Dialing in the feeding schedule can be tricky in that if you are a person who doesn't slow down and read the instructions step-by-step bc you're a "oh I got this" person.....you might miss a programming step.

Before putting this unit into play on my tank, I held it in my hand and programmed it to feed at a specific time. I watched it spill out DRY PELLETS into a cereal bowl and adjusted it until I found what I wanted.....and then mounted it in the tank.

Before vacation I put it in play 2 weeks ahead of time so I could monitor it was doing what I wanted... AND.... the fish were eating what I was offering (Spectrum Pellets)

I also had the move the unit a few times to find the right spot for it to spill pellets out so they hit the waterline properly.

I choose pellets bc they were the easiest form of food to spill out. I can NOT comment on flakes. The device definitely doesn't do frozen.

dank reefer · Jun 21, 2021

Great device. I have 3 of them

GuppyHJD · Jun 22, 2021

Any guidance on brand, size, etc of the pellets that work best?
I have tried 1mm BRS and a tiny size sample pack so far.

dank reefer · Jun 22, 2021

I use New Life Spectrum pellet food in them and works great. TDO pellet would work great as well.

JCM · Jun 22, 2021

I used 1mm NLS pellets in the ehiem feeder for years. It's a fantastic feeder. I had it drop the pellets into a floating feeding ring so they weren't sucked down the overflow. My marine betta would come up to the ring and gulp pellets which would knock the rest below the surface for the other fish.

>>klong<< · Jun 22, 2021

dank reefer said:
I use New Life Spectrum pellet food in them and works great.

I just got a free gift of NLS pellets with an equipment purchase. A leopard wrasse that has rejected pellets for months gobbled them up as soon as they went in the tank. My next order is the Eheim feeder. We have a 2 week trip coming up next month.

jazzfisher · Jun 23, 2021

Might be a dumb question but you can use this/attach it with a screen lid? I have tiny fish so can’t have gaps.

operattor · Jun 23, 2021

jazzfisher said:
Might be a dumb question but you can use this/attach it with a screen lid? I have tiny fish so can’t have gaps.

I have this sitting on the corner of my RSR 350 with a DD jumpguard pro in place. The pellets go right through the screen mesh which is probably 6-7mm. I use a mix of NLS regular pellet, ON Formula 2 small pellets and ON Formula 1 flakes (pretty crushed from the bottom of the container). Worked so well on vacation that I use it all the time now. I also use a feeding ring to keep it from going right down the overflow.

jazzfisher · Jun 23, 2021

operattor said:
I have this sitting on the corner of my RSR 350 with a DD jumpguard pro in place. The pellets go right through the screen mesh which is probably 6-7mm. I use a mix of NLS regular pellet, ON Formula 2 small pellets and ON Formula 1 flakes (pretty crushed from the bottom of the container). Worked so well on vacation that I use it all the time now. I also use a feeding ring to keep it from going right down the overflow.

Thank you!!!!

srobertb · Jun 23, 2021

jazzfisher said:
Might be a dumb question but you can use this/attach it with a screen lid? I have tiny fish so can’t have gaps.

Not really as far as the clamp goes. You can set them on the edge and they will work just fine but eventually it fowls the screen.

srobertb · Jun 23, 2021

zoa what said:
I made it through a 2 week vacation with this AutoFeeder. At first I was thinking it was kinda toyish-looking. Something you'd buy on a Infomercial at 2am, lol.

But this feeder thrives and does an absolutely great job bc its so simple to use.

It give it 5-Stars.... and I still use it everyday after I'm back from vacation.

Dialing in the feeding schedule can be tricky in that if you are a person who doesn't slow down and read the instructions step-by-step bc you're a "oh I got this" person.....you might miss a programming step.

Before putting this unit into play on my tank, I held it in my hand and programmed it to feed at a specific time. I watched it spill out DRY PELLETS into a cereal bowl and adjusted it until I found what I wanted.....and then mounted it in the tank.

Before vacation I put it in play 2 weeks ahead of time so I could monitor it was doing what I wanted... AND.... the fish were eating what I was offering (Spectrum Pellets)

I also had the move the unit a few times to find the right spot for it to spill pellets out so they hit the waterline properly.

I choose pellets bc they were the easiest form of food to spill out. I can NOT comment on flakes. The device definitely doesn't do frozen.

They work best when food is uniform. I use a mix of tropic Marin pellets (m,l) and so long as they are mixed well it does a good job with consistent feeding.

I use the Apex version for my main tank and the idea and design is pretty similar. So long as the food size is consistent, it feeds consistently.

jazzfisher · Jun 23, 2021

srobertb said:
Not really as far as the clamp goes. You can set them on the edge and they will work just fine but eventually it fowls the screen.

I would just use for vacation-not long term so no problem! Thanks for the info.

taulgrl · Jun 23, 2021

This is really helpful! Just ordered one for use this summer.

Gtinnel · Jun 23, 2021

I got one to start using to feed NLS pellets to the tank to prepare for getting anthias. I haven't gotten the anthias yet but I will always use an auto feeder now. It's great that if I get busy and don't feed any frozen food to the tank for a few days I don't need to worry about the fish not being fed.

I have a screen top but I installed a feeding port with a funnel stuck down through the feeding port. It makes it to where the pellets won't get sucked into the overflow.

HomebroodExotics · Jun 23, 2021

Check out aquarium coop for a better version of this feeder.

DrMMI · Jun 23, 2021

jazzfisher said:
Might be a dumb question but you can use this/attach it with a screen lid? I have tiny fish so can’t have gaps.

I cut my screen lid around the feeding station and also glued a piece of egg crate inside the feeding station. I have multiple wrasses and gobies and never lost one through jumping thought the feeder opening.

Buckster · Jun 23, 2021

I have the Eheim which works great. I willing to try another as I have many fish in the 180 and wouldn't want a primary to stop working or run out.

Justin_Casper · Jun 23, 2021

It would be cool to experiment with the Eheim Feeder and freeze dried food. As long as you have a feeding ring it should rehydrate with.

It would also be the closest thing to an auto frozen feeder without spending a bajillion dollars. Rehydrated freeze dried would be comparable to thawed frozen.