attempting to automate my tank for 7-10day vacations, which feeder?

miatawnt2b · 02/23/2007, 09:00 AM

I am looking for a reliable feeder to feed my tank flake food for a period of up to 10 days. I would love to hear some experiences and suggestions on which one to buy.

-J

oldsaltman · 02/23/2007, 09:07 AM

I hav one that I have used that works for me. It will only do dry stuff so I feed mine frozen before I leave and set up the feeder.

kodyboy · 02/23/2007, 11:15 AM

Unless you have fish that require constant feeding (young, anthias etc.) I usually feed heavily, put in some nori and then don't feed them for a week or so. I have found that this works fine as most species don't get fed nearly as often in the wild as we do in our aquariums and a week or so without food does not bother them. This also mitigates waste buildup during the vacation. I usually do a water change a few days before I go as well, and make sure the sump is filled or the autotop is all set, although both of those should really be monitored by someone. This would not work for all species, but for many.

keeperofthefish · 02/23/2007, 12:15 PM

I used the Eheim feeder for two weeks and fish were happy and healthy. I used a combination of Formula 2 flakes and Formula 1 pellets. That's what I had available.

miatawnt2b · 02/23/2007, 12:23 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by keeperofthefish
I used the Eheim feeder for two weeks and fish were happy and healthy. I used a combination of Formula 2 flakes and Formula 1 pellets. That's what I had available.

Yea, the eheim feeder looked pretty nice to me.

pvtschultz · 02/23/2007, 12:23 PM

I too don't feed if I'm going to be gone for less than 2 weeks. I usually just have my mother-in-law fill my auto-topoff tank so that doesn't run out though. When I get home, they are waiting for me, but not is any worse shape than they were when I left. IIRC, I have read about fish normally fasting in the wild to clean out their guts (and food can become scarce), so I wouldn't worry about it.

kodyboy · 02/23/2007, 01:27 PM

I have a feeling that I should not feed for a few weeks myself......Naaaah

Steverino · 02/23/2007, 01:34 PM

I've got 2 kinds, the wheel kind shown in the second post, and one called a daily double? or whatever, I think they sell them at WalMart for $10. Anywho, both work fine, but the one recommendation I have after using several times (on my former freshwater tanks,) is that any kind of humidity that gets up into those little chambers of flake ends up gunking them up. I have since switched over to only using them with pellet and crumble food. I once came back to a feeder full of gunky flake, and apparently not a single bit fell into the tank the whole time!!
Also, turn them on 24 hours before you leave to make sure they are set to the right schedule, that they are indeed turning and working, and that the food falls into the tank as you expect it to.
hth.

beaniebeagle · 02/23/2007, 02:25 PM

they will be fine without food for that long

02/23/2007, 09:00 AM	#1
miatawnt2b Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: Tucson, AZ Posts: 1,467	attempting to automate my tank for 7-10day vacations, which feeder? I am looking for a reliable feeder to feed my tank flake food for a period of up to 10 days. I would love to hear some experiences and suggestions on which one to buy. -J __________________ Proud member of the JTCCB (jebao tuners club for cheap bastards)

02/23/2007, 09:07 AM	#2
oldsaltman Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Ga Posts: 1,333	I hav one that I have used that works for me. It will only do dry stuff so I feed mine frozen before I leave and set up the feeder. __________________ "No honey I can't just send it back. It's all wet and they won't take it back now!" Current Tank Info: 90g inwall with a 30g sump

02/23/2007, 02:25 PM	#9
beaniebeagle Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: baltimore md Posts: 387	they will be fine without food for that long __________________ stupid questions do not exist, just too many stupid people Current Tank Info: 120g,1260 eheim,reef octo skimmer,vortechs x2,tek 8X54w, 2 false percs,1 bartlett anthia, 1 baby mandarin, 2 purple firefish, 2 green gobies, 1 citron goby, 1 bengai cardinal

02/23/2007, 11:15 AM	#3
kodyboy Moved On Join Date: May 2003 Posts: 2,990	Unless you have fish that require constant feeding (young, anthias etc.) I usually feed heavily, put in some nori and then don't feed them for a week or so. I have found that this works fine as most species don't get fed nearly as often in the wild as we do in our aquariums and a week or so without food does not bother them. This also mitigates waste buildup during the vacation. I usually do a water change a few days before I go as well, and make sure the sump is filled or the autotop is all set, although both of those should really be monitored by someone. This would not work for all species, but for many.

02/23/2007, 12:15 PM	#4
keeperofthefish Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Washington, DC Posts: 228	I used the Eheim feeder for two weeks and fish were happy and healthy. I used a combination of Formula 2 flakes and Formula 1 pellets. That's what I had available.

02/23/2007, 12:23 PM	#6
pvtschultz Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: New Berlin , WI Posts: 1,247	I too don't feed if I'm going to be gone for less than 2 weeks. I usually just have my mother-in-law fill my auto-topoff tank so that doesn't run out though. When I get home, they are waiting for me, but not is any worse shape than they were when I left. IIRC, I have read about fish normally fasting in the wild to clean out their guts (and food can become scarce), so I wouldn't worry about it.

02/23/2007, 01:27 PM	#7
kodyboy Moved On Join Date: May 2003 Posts: 2,990	I have a feeling that I should not feed for a few weeks myself......Naaaah

02/23/2007, 01:34 PM	#8
Steverino Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: western Chicagoland, IL Posts: 1,114	I've got 2 kinds, the wheel kind shown in the second post, and one called a daily double? or whatever, I think they sell them at WalMart for $10. Anywho, both work fine, but the one recommendation I have after using several times (on my former freshwater tanks,) is that any kind of humidity that gets up into those little chambers of flake ends up gunking them up. I have since switched over to only using them with pellet and crumble food. I once came back to a feeder full of gunky flake, and apparently not a single bit fell into the tank the whole time!! Also, turn them on 24 hours before you leave to make sure they are set to the right schedule, that they are indeed turning and working, and that the food falls into the tank as you expect it to. hth.