My DIY all day frozen food dispenser.

Reefs anonymous · Sep 7, 2020

I got a spice bottle and pool noodle for insulation to make a slow melting dispenser.

Then I bought some long ice cube containers. I chose this dimensions initially because I was going to use a beer bottle and hugger. Then I was looking around I liked the spice bottle idea better. The long ice cube will melt and drip out of the container all day. The fish will have food until the entire food ice melts. I will also add RO ice cubes above the food cubes for 2 reasons. 1 to aid in slowing the melting process and 2 so they will melt and “wash” out all the food out of the container.

then I made shelf for the idea. It sits above a power head so all the fish will have a chance at the melting dripping food.

I’m currently testing the idea to see how long the frozen food takes to completely melt and how clean the bottle will be after th RO melts.
The initial plan was to have a way for someone to feed my fish when I’m on vacation. I don’t like any of the dry food dispensers and is rather feed frozen food. I didn’t want the reef sitter to throw a cube into the tank because it may float to the overflow and basically gets pulled into the sump and pollute.

josephxsxn · Sep 7, 2020

Like this idea alot, right now I am using pellet autofeeders and would love to do frozen foods or even freeze coral foods for all day feeding.

jimk60 · Sep 7, 2020

I also like this. I don't think it will take very long to melt but definitely a great feeding idea for vacation or anytime!

SteveG_inDC · Sep 7, 2020

This is clever. Following along to see how it works.

Reefs anonymous · Sep 7, 2020

jimk60 said:
I also like this. I don't think it will take very long to melt but definitely a great feeding idea for vacation or anytime!

When I used the beer bottle, the ice took 5 hours to melt. The bottle had one of those sleeves insulator. Don’t know if that’s a better insulator than a noodle. So I’m Testing the noodle insulation now.

Reefs anonymous · Sep 7, 2020

Here’s the drip. Now sure how to upload a video when I’m using iPhone, so hopefully this works.

Reefs anonymous · Sep 7, 2020

Here’s a better pic of the shelf I made as it sits atop of a MP10.

Reefs anonymous · Sep 7, 2020

jimk60 said:
I also like this. I don't think it will take very long to melt but definitely a great feeding idea for vacation or anytime!

ok, the cubes melted at a much faster rate than the beer bottle. Took Just over 2 hours. Gonna have to find a better way.

Reefs anonymous · Sep 7, 2020

The food also got caught on the bottle top. Going to have to make bigger holes too. Will try again tomorrow. Don’t want to dump too much food into the tank

Karen00 · Sep 7, 2020

Interesting! Following.

PicassoClown04 · Sep 7, 2020

Try getting a artic cup (yeti cup copycat brand). I have the yeti and arctic cups, i put ice cubes in there in the morning, drink my juice on the way to work, leave the cup in the car all day, and get back into the car at night with ice cubes still in there!! Hot car, Houston summer, 100+ degrees outside. It’s a little expensive so maybe find a knockoff brand of these? The insulation is incredible though

Ippyroy · Sep 7, 2020

Instead of the pool noodle, try a larger cup and the spray insulation. Similar to a yeti, but way cheaper.

92Miata · Sep 7, 2020

You might try with some foam pipe insulation. The R-value of pool noodles may not be particularly high. And make sure the back end of the bottle is insulated.

The idea is fantastic though.

Ippyroy · Sep 7, 2020

How about a funnel with a very small opening. Put it in a container, and use the spray insulation to fill in the gap. Fill up the funnel and freeze it. Figure out a good insulated removable lid. Should melt slow, and the food will not be caught by any filter, nor should a big frozen piece fall out.

Reefs anonymous · Sep 7, 2020

Just realize why the food is melting much faster than when I initially tested the setup. The leds are throwing off some heat into the bottle. I might have to put a styrofoam cup over it, or somehow make a styrofoam covering.

Reefs anonymous · Sep 7, 2020

footgal said:
Try getting a artic cup (yeti cup copycat brand). I have the yeti and arctic cups, i put ice cubes in there in the morning, drink my juice on the way to work, leave the cup in the car all day, and get back into the car at night with ice cubes still in there!! Hot car, Houston summer, 100+ degrees outside. It’s a little expensive so maybe find a knockoff brand of these? The insulation is incredible though

yea, I was thinking the same, but trying to go cheap. Lol. I think the idea is sound, just want to find stuff around the house to test first before committing to spending g $. Lol

Reefs anonymous · Sep 7, 2020

92Miata said:
You might try with some foam pipe insulation. The R-value of pool noodles may not be particularly high. And make sure the back end of the bottle is insulated.

The idea is fantastic though.

Yeah, I made a pool noodle “cup”. I think the heat from lights is making the ice melt rapidly.

Reefs anonymous · Sep 7, 2020

Ippyroy said:
How about a funnel with a very small opening. Put it in a container, and use the spray insulation to fill in the gap. Fill up the funnel and freeze it. Figure out a good insulated removable lid. Should melt slow, and the food will not be caught by any filter, nor should a big frozen piece fall out.

thought of that but figure the ice would conform to the funnel and clog the spout until it all melts and then dump all the food at once.

Larry L · Sep 7, 2020

Sounds a lot like the Reefsicle ( https://smarterreefs.com/shop/ols/products/reefsicle-starter-pack ). Except it has an outer sleeve that you also freeze, which makes the food-containing ice cube in the middle last a lot longer.