Plank Auto Feeder Question

[JGT]

For those of you who have the Plank auto feeder, do you follow the instructions and have the hydration chamber/pump on constantly?
I was thinking to put that on a timer, have it come on an hour before my first feeding, remain on throughout the day and then go off after my last feeding. Figured it would result in less wear and tear on the Sicce pump and maybe save a few pennies on my electric bill.

 

[tzabor10]

I didn’t know they suggested that

 

[JGT]

I didn’t know they suggested that

Yes, it’s in the online manual. They say
“This helps to keep the feeding chamber flushed and clean at all times and is also
a convenient place to drop extra food or additives into the tank manually at any time.”

 

[A_Blind_Reefer]

My opinion on the “why” is more for operability. My thoughts are that if that micro pump is running 24/7, is that it will likely not stop. However, shutting it down when not feeding and expecting that little bugger to fire up every single time, and not become frozen due to some teeny piece of debris, is a gamble. Just my opinion, for whatever that’s worth these days.

 

[areefer01]

For those of you who have the Plank auto feeder, do you follow the instructions and have the hydration chamber/pump on constantly?
I was thinking to put that on a timer, have it come on an hour before my first feeding, remain on throughout the day and then go off after my last feeding. Figured it would result in less wear and tear on the Sicce pump and maybe save a few pennies on my electric bill.

I leave mine on per their documentation. I also shot them an email asking about it. It is a small utility pump so not taking up that much power in the grand scheme of my tanks power utilization. 3 watts maybe.

I feed pretty heavy. 6 x 3 minute feedings a day. 1 x 1 minute before lights on for my Yellow Assessor who is a early riser. Keep the pump running per their recommendation has kept the tube/pump chamber pretty free of buildup or left over food.

I do clean it about every 7 to 8 weeks. I'm not exact but I do like to keep it cleaned due to the variety of food I feed.

 

[JGT]

I leave mine on per their documentation. I also shot them an email asking about it. It is a small utility pump so not taking up that much power in the grand scheme of my tanks power utilization. 3 watts maybe.

I feed pretty heavy. 6 x 3 minute feedings a day. 1 x 1 minute before lights on for my Yellow Assessor who is a early riser. Keep the pump running per their recommendation has kept the tube/pump chamber pretty free of buildup or left over food.

I do clean it about every 7 to 8 weeks. I'm not exact but I do like to keep it cleaned due to the variety of food I feed.

Good info, thanks. Think I will follow the instructions.
I’m gonna move mine to my basement sump. I ordered a longer feeder tube to accommodate the change. I’m surprised more people don’t complain about it blocking a fair amount of lighting when installed in the tank. If I were to put mine towards the back, out of the way from corals and nit blocking lighting, it would be too close to my overflows and the whole reason for going with this feeder would be lost.

 

[areefer01]

Good info, thanks. Think I will follow the instructions.
I’m gonna move mine to my basement sump. I ordered a longer feeder tube to accommodate the change. I’m surprised more people don’t complain about it blocking a fair amount of lighting when installed in the tank. If I were to put mine towards the back, out of the way from corals and nit blocking lighting, it would be too close to my overflows and the whole reason for going with this feeder would be lost.

I think that is a great idea. Installing it in the sump that is. My fish have learned the timing pattern so a couple of my fish huddle around it just before food drops. Here is my Gold Lined Rabbitfish for example. I had it setup for a couple of days in the front of the display so I could get an idea of how it works. I've since moved it to the back corner out of the way near a rock so it can't get such a direct shot at it.

I feel moving it down below to the sump in front of the return will do wonders. It will jet out the returns so even if they figure out the pattern or timing it will spread out allowing more fish to get it. Not one place. I'll be doing that after the upgrade but in the mean time I've created some virtual outlets and use the apex osc code to make it somewhat more random with the day of week cmd. I've also made a couple of timers with the Tunze pumps although they are not as flexible but it does work.

Good luck with the plank. They did a great job on it in my opinion.

 

[JGT]

I think that is a great idea. Installing it in the sump that is. My fish have learned the timing pattern so a couple of my fish huddle around it just before food drops. Here is my Gold Lined Rabbitfish for example. I had it setup for a couple of days in the front of the display so I could get an idea of how it works. I've since moved it to the back corner out of the way near a rock so it can't get such a direct shot at it.

I feel moving it down below to the sump in front of the return will do wonders. It will jet out the returns so even if they figure out the pattern or timing it will spread out allowing more fish to get it. Not one place. I'll be doing that after the upgrade but in the mean time I've created some virtual outlets and use the apex osc code to make it somewhat more random with the day of week cmd. I've also made a couple of timers with the Tunze pumps although they are not as flexible but it does work.

Good luck with the plank. They did a great job on it in my opinion.

That’s too funny. He’s like sucking the food out of it.
Yes, the Plank is a nice product. The longer feeding tube will allow me to get it down towards the bottom of the sump so the return pump can suck it up and spit it out of the returns. I have 8 returns so the fish won’t know what hit them.

 

[vittpsu21]

I leave mine on constantly, I think its way less likely to break when its kept on all the time. Turning on and off constantly makes me think it would break much quicker, but just my two cents. As others have said it doesn't really pull much, my hydros confirms that for me. To each their own, but I think probably just easier to follow their instructions on this one, the other problem is, if it doesn't start then you have food just sitting in the chamber not being release and just dumping nutrients into tank

 

[JGT]

I leave mine on constantly, I think its way less likely to break when its kept on all the time. Turning on and off constantly makes me think it would break much quicker, but just my two cents. As others have said it doesn't really pull much, my hydros confirms that for me. To each their own, but I think probably just easier to follow their instructions on this one, the other problem is, if it doesn't start then you have food just sitting in the chamber not being release and just dumping nutrients into tank

Yes, seems like following their recommendations makes sense.

 

[JGT]

My opinion on the “why” is more for operability. My thoughts are that if that micro pump is running 24/7, is that it will likely not stop. However, shutting it down when not feeding and expecting that little bugger to fire up every single time, and not become frozen due to some teeny piece of debris, is a gamble. Just my opinion, for whatever that’s worth these days.

Yep, makes sense.

 

[christinna77]

I turn mine off for 30m to let the food soak first, then turn it back on. I found that some freeze dried food would still float on the surface when I didn't wait. Otherwise the pump runs all the time.

 

[exnisstech]

I don't use the feeder but I have the tube mounted on the tank and it runs 24/7 . I feed the tube in front of a powerhead. When I'm conditioning new fish in observation (which isn't often) I use the tube and they recognize it as a food source when I add them to the DT.

 

[Blitheran]

Mine turns on at 8am and turns off at 8pm.

I may just let it run 24/7 due to the on and off cycling may cause more of an issue than I thought after reading these comments

 

[WhatCouldGoWrong71]

For those of you who have the Plank auto feeder, do you follow the instructions and have the hydration chamber/pump on constantly?
I was thinking to put that on a timer, have it come on an hour before my first feeding, remain on throughout the day and then go off after my last feeding. Figured it would result in less wear and tear on the Sicce pump and maybe save a few pennies on my electric bill.

I do, I have never shut it off on any of the 3 Planks I use daily.

 

[Alexander1312]

I did not know they recommended this.

I tried both, always on, and only turn on 30 min before and after each feeding.

I don't have visible algae in my tank but there was a lot of algae in the tube after a few months running it only intermittently.

I run it 24/7 again, squeaky clean inside the tube. Replacing the pump is cheap, and so is the power for consumption.

 

[JGT]

I turn mine off for 30m to let the food soak first, then turn it back on. I found that some freeze dried food would still float on the surface when I didn't wait. Otherwise the pump runs all the time.

Interesting, will see how the rehydration goes, esp for freeze dried Mysis and brine and may have to do the same.

 

[JGT]

I don't use the feeder but I have the tube mounted on the tank and it runs 24/7 . I feed the tube in front of a powerhead. When I'm conditioning new fish in observation (which isn't often) I use the tube and they recognize it as a food source when I add them to the DT.

Creative way of using the Plank.

 

[JGT]

I do, I have never shut it off on any of the 3 Planks I use daily.

Seems to be the way I’m leaning.

 

[BeanAnimal]

Creative way of using the Plank.

He is not using the plank

He needs to send it to me.