Long weekend feeder options for salt water?

reefwars · #1 03-25-2013, 03:19 PM

absolutely, 4 days is nothing , they could go 2 weeks i bet if needed.

Myka · #2 03-25-2013, 03:40 PM

I wouldn't worry about 4 days either.

However, I've found some awesome fish feeders recently. Fish Mate F14 feeders. It stores 14 meals for 1 feeding per day for 14 days, or it will feed up to 5 feedings per day. You can feed 1 pellet per day if you want or up to about 1 tsp per meal. It is very versatile and very simple. It also has an airline hook up if you need it. Drs Foster & Smith used to carry them for $25 (sale for $18-20), but they don't carry them anymore. Amazon.ca has them for $37 I think it is.

don.ald · #3 03-25-2013, 03:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Myka

I wouldn't worry about 4 days either.

However, I've found some awesome fish feeders recently. Fish Mate F14 feeders. It stores 14 meals for 1 feeding per day for 14 days, or it will feed up to 5 feedings per day. You can feed 1 pellet per day if you want or up to about 1 tsp per meal. It is very versatile and very simple. It also has an airline hook up if you need it. Drs Foster & Smith used to carry them for $25 (sale for $18-20), but they don't carry them anymore. Amazon.ca has them for $37 I think it is.

These are what I use, it allows for different foods in the same feeder if you wish.
I find them through amazon.com and they only ship to U.S. addresses (correct me if I'm wrong) and wish they were avail through Canadian suppliers.

kien · #4 03-25-2013, 03:58 PM

I will also add to the '4 days is OK' crew. I now use an EHEIM auto feeder but prior to getting it my fish would often go for 3-4 days without feeding during long weekends or short vacations. Once my fish even went 7 days without food when my auto-feeder broke. It fell into the tank while I was on vacation and I instructed my tank sitter not to bother feeding because I didn't want them to OVER feed the tank.

Myka · #5 03-25-2013, 04:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by don.ald

I find them through amazon.com and they only ship to U.S. addresses (correct me if I'm wrong) and wish they were avail through Canadian suppliers.

They will ship to Canadian addresses, but you can also order through www.amazon.ca which is the Canadian version of www.amazon.com.

www.amazon.com is $27.54 plus about $9 shipping.
www.amazon.ca is $35 or $37 with free shipping. I don't see anyone offering the feeder on amazon.ca right now though.

Reef Pilot · #6 03-25-2013, 04:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Myka

I wouldn't worry about 4 days either.

However, I've found some awesome fish feeders recently. Fish Mate F14 feeders. It stores 14 meals for 1 feeding per day for 14 days, or it will feed up to 5 feedings per day. You can feed 1 pellet per day if you want or up to about 1 tsp per meal. It is very versatile and very simple. It also has an airline hook up if you need it. Drs Foster & Smith used to carry them for $25 (sale for $18-20), but they don't carry them anymore. Amazon.ca has them for $37 I think it is.

My problem with fish feeders, is that I can't lower my pump speed at the same time as the auto feedings. As a result, the food gets whipped around so much the fish have a hard time catching it.

Would be nice to be able to connect a feeder to my Apex.

kien · #7 03-25-2013, 04:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Reef Pilot

My problem with fish feeders, is that I can't lower my pump speed at the same time as the auto feedings. As a result, the food gets whipped around so much the fish have a hard time catching it.

Would be nice to be able to connect a feeder to my Apex.

don't most feeders have timed feeding? I'm not familiar with any other feeders other than the EHEIM that I use, but mine is set by the time. Because of this I can program my controller for a 5 min feed pause to sync with the auto-feeder's set time(s).

Reef Pilot · #8 03-25-2013, 04:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kien

don't most feeders have timed feeding? I'm not familiar with any other feeders other than the EHEIM that I use, but mine is set by the time. Because of this I can program my controller for a 5 min feed pause to sync with the auto-feeder's set time(s).

Yes, but the timer is stand alone, and can't connect to anything else. So you have to ensure the time is in sync with your controller. And if you have a power outage while you are gone on vacation, for sure you will be out of sync.

In my specific case, even that is a moot point, as my pumps aren't connected to my Apex anyway.

kien · #9 03-25-2013, 04:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Reef Pilot

Yes, but the timer is stand alone, and can't connect to anything else. So you have to ensure the time is in sync with your controller. And if you have a power outage while you are gone on vacation, for sure you will be out of sync.

In my specific case, even that is a moot point, as my pumps aren't connected to my Apex anyway.

This is true, both clocks are independent but the EHEIM is battery operated so no power outage worries there. The controllers have battery backups for their clocks. The two clocks do tend do drift over time but for me that's in a matter of 8-10 months before they are completely out of sync. My feed pause runs for 5 minutes which is a huge feed pause since the food is mostly gone within 1 minute. That gives me a 4 minute margin for error for drift.

Reef Pilot · #10 03-25-2013, 04:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kien

This is true, both clocks are independent but the EHEIM is battery operated so no power outage worries there.

Actually, you're right. Had a bit of a brain fart when I wrote that... So I guess if you set both to the same times, and give your pumps some extra time, you should be OK.

But again in my case, because my pumps are not connected to my Apex, it still bugs me that I can't slow my pumps when my feeder comes on.