How to slow release feed a single frozen cube of food? Need ideas

[IPWitan]

I am looking for a means of feeding my fish frozen food where that cube is slow released over time, such as over a time period of a couple of hours.

My thought is that if the food is disbursed over a longer period of time, as opposed to simply dumping it in, more of it will be eaten by the fish. Second, this could be a means of feeding the fish 2 or more times a day, but in an automated fashion. Third, this must be relatively inexpensive and not look unsightly.

My Idea -

Put a small tuperware container floating in the tank. In it, put a frozen cube each morning. The container has 2 holes. The first hole would attach to a tube, connected to a doser, connected to a reservoir of water. The second hole will exit the container and into the tank. Then, several times a day I would use a doser to inject water into the container at controllable times and amounts. Ultimately, the cube would melt, water would mix with it, and some of the food would escape out of the container. Food may also simply escape the container with time too, once it defrosts and mixes with the water.

Maybe the food will mix on its own and the dosing pump will merely rinse the container each day. This will NOT be the ATO, but may pull water from the ATO reservoir.

Current Art -

A google search revealed numerous feeders that incorporate a freezer. These systems seem to feed 1 cube a day, but do not slow release a single cube over the course of time. Also they seem to be too complex and expensive. I didn't see anything that allowed a 1 time addition to be spread out over the course of the day. Essentially, I am looking for an automatic feeder that uses pellet food, but for frozen food.

This won't be live food either, so I cannot rely on it simply crawling over some edge or going towards a light.

Ideas oh great creative minds of the aquarium world, what say ye?

 

[CAPSLOCK]

You could hook it on a little fish hook over the water, and as it thaws it will drip in
:victorious:

 

[this is me]

Not practical for most cases.
1) Slowly feeding the tank over a couple hour will guarantee the most aggressive fish get all the food and the slower one will get none.
2)Need a fridge to keep the thawed food cooled
3)Need a dosing pump that won't clog up the line or an automatic back flush dosing pump.

Good luck.

 

[Chris A.]

Your probably better off with something like this
http://www.bulkreefsupply.com/gourmetdefroster-frozenfeeder-auqagadget.html


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[Newguy]

Your probably better off with something like this
http://www.bulkreefsupply.com/gourmetdefroster-frozenfeeder-auqagadget.html


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I actually use that. And I agree with this is me. The same thing happens. It releases slowly as the cube melts ensuring the more aggressive inhabitants receive the lions share. I still use it once or twice a week though. Just when I'm in a hurry it seems. I'm tagging along to see what better minds come up with. One of the downsides with an automatic frozen feeder would be the additional maintenance I think. Anything holding onto that cube i.e. Tubes or plastic is going to smell horrendous fairly quick. Just my 2c

 

[s_kelley]

Thaw the cube in a small cup of tank water and dump, everyone gets an even shot at the food, at least thats what I do

 

[IPWitan]

s_kelley - that is what I currently do. I dump a frozen portion in the tank when I get home from work. I actually bought a sheet of mysis and broke it up into many small pieces. I add a small piece each day. A cube is too much and I fear half is wasted. But if I could use that cube to create 2 feedings, that would be cool. I used to have an automatic feeder that adds some pellets twice a day. maybe I will go back that.

I don't have a highly stocked tank -

med yellow tang
2 clowns
2 cardinals
1 flame angel
1 wrasse
2 shrimp

all in a 75 gallon tank.

 

[s_kelley]

You have a decent amount of fish they would take care of a whole cube I bet, you can even like dump half in and the. The other half a while later

 

[Docstach]

To slow it down a little, you could refreeze your cube of mysis in a much larger volume of water and as it melts it would release the mysis within. This likely would not take hours but would extend the time some. The trick would be to try and keep the mysis evenly distributed while the water freezes. Maybe easier said than done. Alternatively I guess you could do it in layers.

 

[mpsteve]

Talk to rob at frag freaks he just showed me a new item he is making for just this

 

[s_kelley]

I remember Paulb had a build thread of a slow release feeder somewhere on here

 

[Frag Freaks]

Here is the one we will be releasing for sale soon. Its based on similar products in the industry now but we put our own touches on it and will be at a more affordable price.

 

[IPWitan]

Interesting. Is that device going to be magnetically attached to the side? I have a bunch of Koralia magnet pieces to attach to the device if not.

This device looks like it would cause the delivery of the food to be delayed a bit, which seems ideal. Certainly better than dumping a cube in the tank, having it stick to a powerhead, and then the powerhead chopping and jetting 3/4 of a cube all at once. I don't know if this is preferred over something that would somehow turn 1 cube into a 2 a day feeding, but certainly better than what I am doing now.

Please be sure to post again when it is finished.

To the other idea of adding food to a large volume of froze ice would work too. I had considered this too. Perhaps take a ice tray, fill and freeze half way. Then put the food plus water and top off. Then I would simply store a small box of special ice cubes. This would take up space in freezer, but we shall see. Hope the guests don't grab one by mistake.

 

[IPWitan]

s_kelly - Pauls method dealt with slow release of live food. As I recall, the food would squeeze through a mesh which manderines (and others) would pick off one by one. His idea was very creative but I don't think it would apply here.

 

[Frag Freaks]

Interesting. Is that device going to be magnetically attached to the side? I have a bunch of Koralia magnet pieces to attach to the device if not.

This device looks like it would cause the delivery of the food to be delayed a bit, which seems ideal. Certainly better than dumping a cube in the tank, having it stick to a powerhead, and then the powerhead chopping and jetting 3/4 of a cube all at once. I don't know if this is preferred over something that would somehow turn 1 cube into a 2 a day feeding, but certainly better than what I am doing now.

Please be sure to post again when it is finished.

To the other idea of adding food to a large volume of froze ice would work too. I had considered this too. Perhaps take a ice tray, fill and freeze half way. Then put the food plus water and top off. Then I would simply store a small box of special ice cubes. This would take up space in freezer, but we shall see. Hope the guests don't grab one by mistake.

Yes, it would attach to your tank via a magnet. I am hoping to have some pictures of it in action by next week. Based on trials we may make some adjustments.

 

[Paul B]

I remember Paulb had a build thread of a slow release feeder somewhere on here

I use this. It is a tiny pump that pushes water into a small plastic container that has holes in it. The food thaws and gets circulated around the tank. I use it only when my tank sitter is watching the tank because she just has to put food in it and leave. I am not interested in slow feeding but if I were I could just put a timer on the pump and have it go on for a minute every 2 hours or so. I hang it on the front of my tank but I could also put it in the back.