DIY - Automatic Feeder for aqua-cultures

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Automatic Feeder for aqua-cultures

Printed From: Utah Reefs
Category: Specialized Discussion
Forum Name: DIY
Forum Description: Do it Yourself
URL: http://www.utahreefs.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=581
Printed Date: July 18 2026 at 12:28am
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Topic: Automatic Feeder for aqua-cultures

Posted By: WhiteReef
Subject: Automatic Feeder for aqua-cultures
Date Posted: June 04 2003 at 7:20am

I have been working on trying to come up with a design that would allow me to dose rotifers/algae or brine into a fish rearing tank or even a main tank. The thought is to have a tank that has three separate compartments that could hold the aqua-culture and a bulk head attached to each compartment that has a sprinkler valve that is connected to a sprinkler timer. This would allow the valve to open when it should feed the tank. Any thoughts or has anyone seen something that would acheive the same thing?

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Richard

Former 47G Column Reef, Magna
20" x 18" x 31"H

Replies:

Posted By: Mark Peterson
Date Posted: June 04 2003 at 8:35am

Automatic irrigation sprinkler valves require main-line water pressure to open. Try another idea.

The chemical industry has used these kind of things for years. Jon Finch probably knows where to get this sort of thing if you are willing to spend the $$$$.

The need is for something that would deliver a dose, right?! So the "timer" would be best served as a computer controlled valve rather than a sprinkler timer.

On the other hand, the smallest unit a sprinkler timer can be programmed for is a minute. I imagine that is why your idea for the middle compartment between two valves. One valve to open, fill the dose compartment, then close. The other valve to open, deliver the dose to the tank, then close. A tank stirrer may also be necessary, since single celled algae fall to the bottom, rotifers tend to hang near the sides and brine shrimp nauplii go to the light!

Have I opened pandora's box?

Posted By: WhiteReef
Date Posted: June 04 2003 at 10:18am

Actually I was mainly looking at an automatic feeder of sorts that would dispense the aqua-culture into the system. I actually have another idea on this since my idea on the sprinkler valves probably won't work. The over all problem is that during the day I would want to dose the tank about 3-4 times, and it is nearly impossible for me to accomplish this as I work. so my thought was to have a holding chamber that would have a valve that would 'dump' the food into the tank. So the other idea is to use 2liter bottles and have a seal on it, a line that runs into the bottle above the fill line, and a second one below the water near the bottom. The line above the fill line would then be attached to an air-pump to provide pressure in the bottle, thus forcing the aqua-culture through the other line. The problem with that is I would need to have a timer and pump for each bottle. This would only allow me to put in fresh aqua-cultures each day, so I would need a separate setup for the culturing.

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Richard

Former 47G Column Reef, Magna
20" x 18" x 31"H