Continuous feeding NPS filter feeders
- Thread starter uhuru
- Start date
slapshot
Active member
It difficult, I don't know maybe impossible. Most I believe plum the output of the feeder line right to the tank. I mix mine because it's in the basement but I use a complicated combination of 1/4 inch back flow preventers. I run the risk of it blowing out and spraying water all over but my filter is in an unfinished section of the basement with a drain so no harm no foul. I would plumb it to the display if you don't have a long way to go. Another thing you could try is to insert the feeding line back into the main line with a Y connector not a T. That is what I did. I think the angled side has less back pressure.
nicewicz
New member
I'm looking for a bit of advice for a compact automatic feeder for a small aquarium. I plan to house a dosing pump in a refrigerator, but don't have the room to plumb the return flow through the refrigerator. I realize that if I simply have a line going from the dosing pump to the aquarium, that food will remain in the line between the refrigerator and spoil.
Here's my proposal, it's a bit naive, but I'm looking for a simple solution. What if one of the lines on the dosing pump simply follows up dosing of food with dosing of RO/DI water; just enough to purge the line? Yes, you're adding some volume of freshwater to the system, but no more than an ATO system would. That way you'd just need a food line from the refrigerator directly to the tank. Of course you'd sacrifice one of the dosing pump lines, but that is a price I'm willing to pay for a streamlined system. Please let me know your thoughts on the feasibility of this proposed system.
Here's my proposal, it's a bit naive, but I'm looking for a simple solution. What if one of the lines on the dosing pump simply follows up dosing of food with dosing of RO/DI water; just enough to purge the line? Yes, you're adding some volume of freshwater to the system, but no more than an ATO system would. That way you'd just need a food line from the refrigerator directly to the tank. Of course you'd sacrifice one of the dosing pump lines, but that is a price I'm willing to pay for a streamlined system. Please let me know your thoughts on the feasibility of this proposed system.
slapshot
Active member
My original system just fed it to the tank. I did two things to mimimized the spoilage. First, I kept the distance between the fridge and the tank small. Second I just fed less more often. I really never had an issue. Moving R/O water through the system will not solve the problem. Food bulids up on the wall of the tubing and in the pump. That will contaminate the water causing the same problem.
nicewicz
New member
OK, good to hear. Yes, I plan to have a very short line directly to the tank and just do multiple very small feedings. Thanks for the advice.
herring_fish
Crazy Designer
Wall Clogging
Wall Clogging
I didn't think that a venturi would work for my set-up because peristaltic pump output is too low. I want the dosing pump for the main pump just as it is because I am metering out the amount of water that comes from the main tank and goes into multiple plankton cultures.
I talked to Bulk Reef Supply and they thought that my idea world work but they really had no idea for sure. I was going to go ahead as planned to test it but this wall clogging issue sounds like something that this design might fall victim to.
Then I thought about those drippers that are used for intravenous medication.
Perhaps I could build something that worked like that but just a little different size. Would this be a lot of trouble that would not get the results that I want either?
Wall Clogging
I didn't think that a venturi would work for my set-up because peristaltic pump output is too low. I want the dosing pump for the main pump just as it is because I am metering out the amount of water that comes from the main tank and goes into multiple plankton cultures.
I talked to Bulk Reef Supply and they thought that my idea world work but they really had no idea for sure. I was going to go ahead as planned to test it but this wall clogging issue sounds like something that this design might fall victim to.
Then I thought about those drippers that are used for intravenous medication.
Perhaps I could build something that worked like that but just a little different size. Would this be a lot of trouble that would not get the results that I want either?
Just drilled my fridge and went through the electric wires to the thermostat LOL
the route that it taken was not the way you would have done it
any way I have by passed the thermostat and will be controlling it with my aquatronica instead just got to extend the cable on the sensor for that now
the route that it taken was not the way you would have done it
any way I have by passed the thermostat and will be controlling it with my aquatronica instead just got to extend the cable on the sensor for that now
nicewicz
New member
So is it truly luck that you drill in the correct location, or is there a way to determine where to drill the fridge so that you don't destroy wires?
the cable went into the fridge about 4" up and on the right (looking from the front) and the thermostat is near the top of the fridge again on the right
so one would think the cable would take the quickest route NOT as I drilled below by 1.5" (top of hole) and there was the cable :deadhorse1:
lil urchin
New member
Will do! I think figuring out the correct amount of food to dose with the kalk reactor is the key now. Here is a pic I just took of my dendro:
wow. i want one!
thanks for this posting. i was looking for automatic feeders for wet food like rotirich, and could only find ones for dry foods.
do you have sponges in your tank? i'm wondering how they'd enjoy the frequent feedings like your corals
SantaMonica
Well-known member
My newest version of a feeder is still to use a wine cooler on top of the tank with a dosing pump next to it, but now I'm mixing up powdered foods with water:
20 ml dry copepods
10 ml dry rotifers
10 ml dry phyto (spirulina)
10 ml dry arcti pods
1/2 teaspoon sodium alginate
16 oz water
I blend it up and put it in a fridge overnight, and the next day it is thick and I blend it again. Then I put it in the wine cooler where it sits with an open top for about a month until it runs out. I'm currently feeding 36 ml a day, down from 72 ml a day.
20 ml dry copepods
10 ml dry rotifers
10 ml dry phyto (spirulina)
10 ml dry arcti pods
1/2 teaspoon sodium alginate
16 oz water
I blend it up and put it in a fridge overnight, and the next day it is thick and I blend it again. Then I put it in the wine cooler where it sits with an open top for about a month until it runs out. I'm currently feeding 36 ml a day, down from 72 ml a day.
SantaMonica
Well-known member
SantaMonica
Well-known member
I'll be transferring that feeder to the new home for the inhabitants... a 16" tall poly trough with circular gyre flow.
ZephNYC
New member
Have had these dendroneptheas for 13 months now without a continuous feeder. I SOMETIMES set up a drip if I am going to be out all day/night, but other than that I just target feed.
http://imageshack.us/a/img203/4152/dsc1104e.jpg
http://imageshack.us/a/img203/4152/dsc1104e.jpg
