peninsula owners- where do you place your Auto feeders??

[Devaji]

question for all you peninsula owners out there.

I have a still in the box red sea 650P that I am trying to order a lid for but not sure where I should add the cut out for a Auto feeder.
normal feed door will be on the short end across from the overflow.
options I was thinking:
1. forgo the cutout and some how attach it to my light and have it dump on to the screen?
2. forgo the cutout and some how attach to over flow and dump into screen.
3. 6-12" from once side of overflow side of tank so the PH and push it down the tank.
4. dont get/use an auto feeder they will fail and mes up your tank.

I will only use the AFF when I travel for once a day feeding then will have someone come feed once a day too. but I go away for 3-4 weeks once a year.

 

[Gablami]

Don't make a cutout on your lid, dump on the screen! I made a cutout for my first tank, and I regretted it later. Fish can still jump out of the cutout, so I ended up putting egg crate over it. Better just to have it drop on the screen and clean it once in awhile.

It looks like all 4 options forgo the cutout. I think since you're going to be away from home (and don't care if it's unsightly), just install the feeder on the opposite side of the overflow, to give it more time to sink and have the fish eat it. Preferably with a feeder ring or something. Worst is feeding close to overflow and having the pellets float and go into your sump.

If you're going to use the autofeeder when you're home as well, then attaching it to the light fixture is an interesting idea.

 

[Devaji]

Don't make a cutout on your lid, dump on the screen! I made a cutout for my first tank, and I regretted it later. Fish can still jump out of the cutout, so I ended up putting egg crate over it. Better just to have it drop on the screen and clean it once in awhile.

It looks like all 4 options forgo the cutout. I think since you're going to be away from home (and don't care if it's unsightly), just install the feeder on the opposite side of the overflow, to give it more time to sink and have the fish eat it. Preferably with a feeder ring or something. Worst is feeding close to overflow and having the pellets float and go into your sump.

If you're going to use the autofeeder when you're home as well, then attaching it to the light fixture is an interesting idea.

I thought the cutouts where to attach the AFF and not the dumping / feeding area.
so if you dont have a cutout then how did you attach it the the tank? got a pic?

 

[Devaji]

oh and the AFF I have is the Ehiem one.

 

[DaneGer21]

Mine is in my sump. I have a Neptune AFS. I have it dump into a small funnel that drops in into a piece of pvc pipe that rests on my return pump strainer. My return pump sucks it up as it sinks and pumped upstairs to my display.

 

[Kfactor]

What food are you guys using in them ?

 

[Devaji]

Mine is in my sump. I have a Neptune AFS. I have it dump into a small funnel that drops in into a piece of pvc pipe that rests on my return pump strainer. My return pump sucks it up as it sinks and pumped upstairs to my display.

now that is a brilliant idea! why did i not think about that??
guessing it working well for you?
shar some pics would ya. I love this idea.

 

[Devaji]

What food are you guys using in them ?

i have only used mine a few times a while back i used flakes and some pellets mixid in if i remember right. but moving forward i will just use a med. sized pellet. neptune does make a food for there auto feeder never used it tho.

 

[DaneGer21]

now that is a brilliant idea! why did i not think about that??
guessing it working well for you?
shar some pics would ya. I love this idea.

I’ll search back through my phone and see if I have any, if not, I’ll post some when I get home from work

 

[salty150]

I’ll search back through my phone and see if I have any, if not, I’ll post some when I get home from work

Yes, pics!

 

[DaneGer21]

Found two pics and two videos...







I have used this method since the AFS was released. Only maintenance I do, is refill the feeder and clean the pvc pipe every once in awhile because some food eventually sticks to the inside of the pipe before it’s sucked down. Although it takes awhile for this to happen.

 

[Devaji]

Found two pics and two videos...







I have used this method since the AFS was released. Only maintenance I do, is refill the feeder and clean the pvc pipe every once in awhile because some food eventually sticks to the inside of the pipe before it’s sucked down. Although it takes awhile for this to happen.

now that is cool. do you have your PH pluged in to the apex so they turn off when its feed time?
also how do you like the apex AFS? I hear mixed reviews if there worth the $$ or not.

 

[DaneGer21]

now that is cool. do you have your PH pluged in to the apex so they turn off when its feed time?
also how do you like the apex AFS? I hear mixed reviews if there worth the $$ or not.

I do not turn off my vortechs when the AFS is activated by its own programming but you absolutely could.

I only turn off my vortechs when I “force” a manual feed scenario, for example “Feed A”, “Feed B”, etc. I usually only use those for spot feeding or something like that.

I would NOT have/keep the AFS if it had to be mounted on the tank and in sight. I actually have two, and they are both equally loud.

Since mine is out of sight, and technically down in my basement where my sump is, noise is not an issue for me.

Overall I like it, it does its job. Hasn’t skipped a beat yet.

On my DT the AFS feeds 2 times while I’m at work, then I lightly feed 1-3 times in the evenings manually.

The one on my frag tank only feeds once while I’m at work(less fish), then I again manually feed in the evenings.

 

[lakai]

What food are you guys using in them ?

I pack mine 3/4 full with flakes, 1 tbsp pellets, 2 tbsp reef roids or benepets then shake it around a bit so it mixes