Current USA Aquachef Auto Fish Feeder
by ADVANCE AQUA TANKS
|
List Price: Our Price: $23.89 Availability: Usually ships in 4-5 business days Buy Used: from $22.99 (click here) Category: Pet Products See more product details |
|---|
Kitchen and Housewares Reviews of Current USA Aquachef Auto Fish Feeder
Customer Review: Works well with some adjustments
Summary: 5 Stars
I am happy with the AquaChef feeder. I like the simple design: at each programmed feeding time the clear plastic drum slowly rotates for one full turn, and the plastic door at the top of the drum falls open by gravity when it reaches the bottom, releasing the food. The door shuts again as it rotates back to the top position, preventing water from (easily) getting into the drum. A small plastic paddle is set to control how much food is released each time. The feeder works on two AA batteries (included). Mine has been working regularly for about two weeks now, with only these minor adjustments needed:
1. My aquarium has a metal lip around the top edge of it on which rests the glass aquarium cover. Even though the lip is not very wide, it was wide enough to prevent the clamp from clamping properly. However, the clamp is removable (it slides off), and the feeder comes with a square of velcro to attach the feeder's base directly to the top of the aquarium cover. I wanted the feeder to be a little higher above the water level, so I sawed off the bottom of the clamp and rubber-banded the top part of the clamp to a handle on the glass aquarium cover.
2. When I first tried the feeder out, I set the plastic paddle to a medium setting, but because the fish food I use is small pellets, it dropped an ENORMOUS amount of food into the aquarium. I would recommend doing some practice runs into a bowl to make sure it is releasing the right amount of food.
3. Once I had the right amount set, I let the feeder do its job for a few days, but because the airstone was right under the feeder, the bottom of the plastic drum was staying wet because of the bubbles rising to the surface. After a few days, some water did seep through a seam between the drum and its plastic backing, and the pellets began to get a bit damp. However, I moved the airstone to the other side of the aquarium, and now the feeder is staying dry and working fine.
Programming the feeder wasn't too difficult (as other reviewers have said, it's like setting an alarm on a digital watch), though I had to read the instructions a few times and experiment to figure it out. You can program up to four feeding times per day, and each of these can be a single feeding or a double feeding (in a double feeding the drum turns twice at each feeding instead of once, with 60 seconds between turns). I like the fact that there is also a button you can press to feed immediately (though this doesn't cancel any of the programmed feedings). This was helpful in testing it out.
So, I find that once it was mounted and adjusted properly for my aquarium and food, it is pretty dependable.
Customer Review: Works, mostly
Summary: 3 Stars
First, the batteries that were included lasted no more than one day. Second, I cannot reduce the feeding amount as low as I would like (I have a 10 gallon tank). Third, the programming interface is poor. But, it works and I continue to use it when I'm away from home.Customer Review: absolutly horrible
Summary: 1 Stars
wow, what a terrible product!!!!!! i used this product for less than two weeks and threw it away! filling the feed tank is a chore in itself and there is no way to clean it out. the feed tank is a horrible design and any sort of humidity causes the food to rot and again with no way to clean the feed tank this make it useless. this product is supposed to be for feeding fish how are you supposed to do that if you can't use the item near water? horrible design and a total waste of money, i should have saved the money and used it to pay someone to feed my fish when i go away. wish i could get my money back so do yourself a favor and save yours!Customer Review: auto feeder.
Summary: 2 Stars
The clamp wouldn't open far enough to go over the top of the aquarium. Had to modify it and make my own bracket. It's hard to program the feeding time. Too many steps. It works now but the clamp opening needs to be enlarged.Customer Review: 5 Stars
I bought 3 of these little suckers, the first took a few minutes to program. the third was done in about a minute. the little plastic door inside the hopper is alittle cheesy but for the price the unit as a whole is awesome. program up to 4 feedings a day with a choice of single or double feedings each time. remember to set the clock using military time. also very important to put a piece of cardboard under it when set and check the amount of food being dispensed with the manual feed button atleast 3 times so as not to blatently overfeed by accident. 3 times. by the third you'll have a true amount for you to judge if its perfect, too much or too little. read the directions and I'm sure you'll be as happy as I am.