ctenophore January 22, 2014 Share January 22, 2014 We've been working on a system for automatically feeding frozen food for a few years now. I finally got the prototype working and installed today. I've always wanted to keep schools some of the more difficult anthias, but knew that I couldn't hope to give them enough food throughout the day. This device will automatically dose pretty much any type of frozen food as many times per day as needed by fish like purple queen anthias (they need 8-12x/day) in small amounts. It is also useful if you want to feed high quality food when you're on vacation without relying on a tank sitter to do it every day. The design is fairly simple, but will only be the size of a small protein skimmer (roughly 6" diameter footprint and 14" tall) rather than a big dorm room refrigerator like some have used. The goal is to have it hold about a week or two worth of food at a time (depending on fish load of course) so maintenance is reduced. Anyhow, I'm not ready to show off the device itself (still too prototypey-looking ), but here's a video of it feeding my fish: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Squishie89 January 22, 2014 Share January 22, 2014 Very cool! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JR-Tanked150 January 22, 2014 Share January 22, 2014 That is awesome. How long until you think until it's ready? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ctenophore January 22, 2014 Author Share January 22, 2014 Well, I've already got rev2 of this design (actually more like rev6 overall) that I am going to start on as soon as parts arrive. Now that it's actually installed and working, the little tweaks should get done a lot faster. After all, a few dozen anthias are depending on it, so I have a lot of incentive to keep on it. Maybe by late spring? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt LeBaron January 22, 2014 Share January 22, 2014 Can't wait for this to be available! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lnevo January 22, 2014 Share January 22, 2014 Awesome! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RJT January 22, 2014 Share January 22, 2014 Yes! That's an active tank. Looks good. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coral Hind January 22, 2014 Share January 22, 2014 It's about time, seems like five years I've been waiting on you to finish that thinig. Add my name to the pre-order list for the production model or if you want a tank to beta test on let me know. Can it handle semi chunky foods like the frozen mysis from the group buy? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AlanM January 22, 2014 Share January 22, 2014 Neat. It looks plumbed into the return nozzle somehow? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
roni January 22, 2014 Share January 22, 2014 It's about time, seems like five years I've been waiting on you to finish that thinig. Add my name to the pre-order list for the production model or if you want a tank to beta test on let me know. Can it handle semi chunky foods like the frozen mysis from the group buy? +1. I definitely need one...and happy to pre-order or test. My fish thank you in advance. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tomtom2245 January 22, 2014 Share January 22, 2014 Awesome idea! I've always wondered when somebody would get around to making something like this. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Supernova26 January 22, 2014 Share January 22, 2014 Very cool idea. Are you using a cooler for holding the food or is it active refrigeration? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Valeria January 22, 2014 Share January 22, 2014 This is a great!!!! Is this standalone or is it connected to a controller? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AlanM January 22, 2014 Share January 22, 2014 This is a great!!!!Is this standalone or is it connected to a controller? My bet, given Avasts history with other products, is that it will come with a separate plug for the doser part which can be plugged into any timer or relay powerstrip. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scott711 January 22, 2014 Share January 22, 2014 very nice! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Max Ivers January 22, 2014 Share January 22, 2014 Awesome! Looking forward to it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
worm5406 January 22, 2014 Share January 22, 2014 I have seen people make fridges and put dosing pumps. Your feeding seems so much better than theirs. I would be willing to preorder and test it out too. I have an Apex and have plugs free. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ctenophore January 22, 2014 Author Share January 22, 2014 It's about time, seems like five years I've been waiting on you to finish that thinig. Add my name to the pre-order list for the production model or if you want a tank to beta test on let me know. Can it handle semi chunky foods like the frozen mysis from the group buy? Yes, I am using jehmco mysis in it Neat. It looks plumbed into the return nozzle somehow? Sort of. My return pump actually splits to feed my skimmer, so I ended up using a temporary mag pump to deliver sump water + food to the tank. More on this later. Very cool idea. Are you using a cooler for holding the food or is it active refrigeration? Active refrigeration, but yes an insulated container too. This is a great!!!! Is this standalone or is it connected to a controller? The thermostat is standalone, but the pump I use to meter the food is plugged into an apex. A controller won't be necessary though, but will probably need a simple wall timer at least. Haven't decided if it's worth building a timing circuit to run the pumps or just require people to use their controllers/digital timers. My bet, given Avasts history with other products, is that it will come with a separate plug for the doser part which can be plugged into any timer or relay powerstrip. Yes we don't want to force you to have a $400 controller to use this product. But I suspect most of our initial market will have controllers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ctenophore January 22, 2014 Author Share January 22, 2014 Also, no need to clean gunky smashed up food out of a dosing pump's rollers. That was a big design goal of mine There is no dosing pump on this. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sharkey18 January 22, 2014 Share January 22, 2014 Looks like you are already keeping schools of small mouthed hard to keep anthias! Can wait to get one of these. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ctenophore January 22, 2014 Author Share January 22, 2014 They are mostly dispars, but there are also 6 rubrizonatus. None are really too challenging. The smaller dispars won't take mysis yet, but are ok on cyclopeeze and small live artemia. I got them to serve as a kick in the pants to get the feeder built and running Nothing like having to thaw & pour food in the tank by hand 6 times a day to drive the development of an automated system! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AlanM January 22, 2014 Share January 22, 2014 I dont get how you will meter out frozen food, thaw it, then deliver it cleanly to the tank, but thats why you are the inventor and not me. 8) I was just considering a neptune autofeeder to drop food into the return pump intake rather than into the tank before my next trip so i dont have to trust the catsitter. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paul b January 22, 2014 Share January 22, 2014 Very exciting, good luck Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
st9z January 23, 2014 Share January 23, 2014 Brilliant idea can't wait for the final product to be on the market. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dmatt56 January 23, 2014 Share January 23, 2014 I agree - this sounds like an AWESOME new product. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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