# Automatic Feeder Recommendation?



## crtsoln (Dec 6, 2016)

Pretty new to the saltwater world. Had a bunch of success and a few failures over the last 4 months but looking to take a trip for a week and while I have someone coming to check on the tank and top off with RO water, but I figure I need to feed the little buggers when I'm gone. Any recommendations anyone has on an automatic feeder system. They are eating pellets as their primary food.

It's a Read Sea Reefer 350, 71 gallon display tank with 2 tangs, a few clowns (ok 8 juveniles) , mandarin goby, cardinal, couple starfish and clean up crew. 

Thanks for any advice.


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## tom g (Jul 8, 2009)

*welcome*

welcome to the forum ....sounds like u have things set up ... my suggestion is take away your food from the person whos watching your tank . go to shoppers and get the pill capsule contaners labled sat-sun
put the amount of food u want in the container for each day , I have seen so many mis haps where others think the fish didn't eat enough and kept putting and adding food .. u don't want that ..what do u have for auto top off ..
have some pails of top off water in the area where tank is ....
eheim auto feeder is a good one , but I don't trust any feeder just in case it dumps too much food in tank ...fish can go quite a bit with out being fed daily .
I suggest u slow down feeding maybe skip a day or two leading up to your trip so that they get used to not being fed ...
good luck


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## carl (Feb 11, 2010)

I would suggest that no one feeds your fish while you are gone, I get a lot of calls from people who's fish were overfed when they went away and everything is almost dead when they get back, I never get calls from people who's fish weren't fed, if you're concerned about the mandarin you might add some live pods before you go


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## tom g (Jul 8, 2009)

*Feeding*

Hence why the recommendation of the pill case with predetermined amount of food and specific days ...


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## carl (Feb 11, 2010)

Portioning the food is a good idea that often works, in the past I have had customers that portioned out the food and the person feeding the fish still managed to overfeed, apparently they missed a couple feedings and thought they had to catch up and they dumped a few days worth of food in at once. We had to write "each" after the prices on our website because many people thought that if we had twenty clown fish and the price said $24 that meant they could get 20 clownfish for $24 total.


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## Windowlicka (Mar 5, 2008)

After much research, I ran 3 of the Eheim units that Tom mentioned earlier when we had our tanks (SW & FW). We RV'd every summer weekend, and a couple of weeks for vacation time. We'd set these units up on a Friday to work through Sunday night (or the whole week if we were on vacation). They were very simple to programme/operate, and not once did they cause me any issues. They were also far more reliable than the alternate "friendly (yet potentially over-zealous) neighbour" option.

Granulated foods (e.g.: New Life Spectrum) worked awesome. If using flake, be sure to crush the larger flakes a little so they don't get stuck. And be sure test it for a full 5 or so days before you head away - to make sure the slot is open wide enough to allow enough food through, but not too much.


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## Car2n (Jun 7, 2011)

I have a 150 of African Cichlids that have been fed by an Eheim for the past 6 years without fail. I think I changed the battery once (I can't remember).
Yeah, granulated foods. I feed small pellets.


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## tom g (Jul 8, 2009)

*Auto feeders*

Good info guys ..only one other thing I would recommend 
Is run auto feeder for a week prior or 2 before u go away 
Just to get the portioning right .
Jmho


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## edwinf (May 28, 2014)

Hi - I use the eheim everyday fish feeder and find it reliable. If you are feeding flakes, remember to crush up the larger flakes.


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## Cichlidrookie (Apr 6, 2014)

*Eheim*

I have also used the eheim to feed my cichlids for about 3 years now and I find it very reliable.

Good Luck with your decision.


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## wtac (Mar 17, 2006)

Eheim "Classic" auto feeder...bar none the best auto feeder on the market.

No matter what autofeeder you use, pelleted foods work best. As others have suggested, set it up a few days/a week prior to leaving so you get to know how much it is dispensing and how it flows in your aquarium before going down the overflow.


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## Rookie2013 (Jan 17, 2013)

Perfect Thread...answers my questions too...Tom and Carl great input...


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## crtsoln (Dec 6, 2016)

Thanks for all the advice. Very helpful.


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## twobytwo (Oct 25, 2014)

Anyone know the best place/price locally for the eheim feeder?

Big als is $59
https://www.bigalspets.com/ca/eheim-feed-air-digital-automatic-feeder.html

Amazon is $51 with free shipping
https://www.amazon.ca/Everyday-Feeder-Programmable-Automatic-Dispenser/dp/B001F2117I

Reefsupplies is $37 but shipping is $11
http://www.reefsupplies.ca/online-store/Eheim-Feed-Air-Automatic-Feeder.html


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## guelphjay (Mar 10, 2014)

Another vote for the Eheim. I have it as well as the Apex AFS. I like the Eheim better. 

I rarely hand feed. My work hours swing all over the place and I'm away quite a bit. The auto feeder has been a really good investment for me. Honestly takes so little time to dial in the feeder. A couple test spins with your food (not into the tank) adjust to the amount of food you want and your set. 

I just got back from 15 days away, had a big tank of ATO and the auto feeder going. Everything was alive and happy upon my return. No tank sitter.


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## ameekplec. (May 1, 2008)

Another vote for eheim. I've used them with NLS pellets for years on my 100g reef as the main feeding for the tank, and supplemental feedings (whenever I had time/felt like it). Never once had a problem with it, and would allow me to be away for weeks at a time if needed (as long as you cn automate/cover every other aspect of the tank too).


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