How to Auto Feed while on vacation for the entire water column?

[Hank The Tank]

I plan to be on a 3-week vacation. My tank only has three fish, a 1" clown, a 1.5" bristle-tooth tang, and a sand gobie. I purchased an Eheim auto feeder, a feeding ring, and an ATO. I purchased two types of pellet foods that are labeled as slow sinking to test in the Eheim. Here is my current challenge. The pellets are staying afloat and not sinking where the sand gobie is hanging out. My fear is that the sand gobie will starve to death while I'm on vacation. Has anyone on this forum have a solution to get food to both top and bottom of the water column?

I searched the forum but couldn't find a thread about this subject. Would any one on this forum have a recommendation?

 

[Lps_lover12]

Have you seen him eat pellets before? He might not like them, my royal gramma won’t eat pellets. If you have seen him eat them then try NLS pellets or PE mysis pellets. They are the two I use and sink within a minute or so

 

[Hank The Tank]

Have you seen him eat pellets before? He might not like them, my royal gramma won’t eat pellets. If you have seen him eat them then try NLS pellets or PE mysis pellets. They are the two I use and sink within a minute or so

Yes. The gobie had eaten these pellets but I had to swish it around the water for a bit by hand before dropping them in. But without this step, the slow sinking pellets stays afloat and the two other fish will eat them all before they sink. Thanks for the advice on the other pellets, maybe they will sink faster.

 

[DrMMI]

I have my auto feeder set up with the feeding chimney. I also stuck a piece of egg crate towards the bottom so the food has to sink before the fish can get to it or it goes over the overflow. It's also positioned near my wavemaker. So the second it starts to sink, the wavemaker blows it all over the tank. I've fed my diamond goby that way for over 3 years.

 

[monkiboy]

Avast marine plank feeder. A very very very good solution.

 

[Hank The Tank]

I have my auto feeder set up with the feeding chimney. I also stuck a piece of egg crate towards the bottom so the food has to sink before the fish can get to it or it goes over the overflow. It's also positioned near my wavemaker. So the second it starts to sink, the wavemaker blows it all over the tank. I've fed my diamond goby that way for over 3 years.

I like this ideal. I was looking at those on Amazon too. I'll give this a try. Thanks! By the way, I have my return pump on a smart switch timed with my auto feeder. The timer shuts off the return pump for 30 mins. during the feeding to mitigate food going into the overflow.

 

[Hank The Tank]

Avast marine plank feeder. A very very very good solution.

Thank you. I will check this plank feeder out.

 

[monkiboy]

Thank you. I will check this plank feeder out.

You won’t be disappointed. The company and service is impeccable and constantly innovating.

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Thread with hundreds of happy users. Do it right the first time and get yourself a plank.

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[DrMMI]

I like this ideal. I was looking at those on Amazon too. I'll give this a try. Thanks! By the way, I have my return pump on a smart switch timed with my auto feeder. The timer shuts off the return pump for 30 mins. during the feeding to mitigate food going into the overflow.