Plank Feeder timing

kinetic · May 7, 2021

I'm at a loss at how to setup my AVAST Plank feeder timing.

I've always used an Neptune AFS, and now I'm replacing it with the plank. With the AFS, I had to block off the majority of the opening with tape, and it would do one drum rotation, twice a day.

I started using this on one of my apex controlled outlets

Code:

Fallback OFF
OSC 000:00/000:10/119:50 Then ON
If Time 11:01 to 08:59 Then OFF

On for 10 seconds
Every two hours
Except between 12am and 9am.

I tried timing it to 10 seconds and watching the food, but my fish had no idea it was time to eat so I just saw some stuff floating around. I guess that's OK, but not sure how I can tell if it's too little or too much.

I'm using the AVAST Reef Jerky mixed with TDO small pellets.

AVAST Marine · May 11, 2021

What we suggest is to turn on a stopwatch and plug the feeder into a normal outlet and dispense food onto a table/napkin. When the pile looks like the amount you would normally feed in a day, note the time on the stopwatch. Then simply break that up over 2, 5, 40 etc feeding cycles throughout the day using whatever timer interface you have available to you.

Give it a couple weeks, the fish will get trained on the dinner bell, they can sense the vibration of the motor even though it is silent to us.

Tcook · May 11, 2021

I have the plank and will use this, as others have suggested, when I set it up.

Sears.com

kinetic · May 11, 2021

AVAST Marine said:
What we suggest is to turn on a stopwatch and plug the feeder into a normal outlet and dispense food onto a table/napkin. When the pile looks like the amount you would normally feed in a day, note the time on the stopwatch. Then simply break that up over 2, 5, 40 etc feeding cycles throughout the day using whatever timer interface you have available to you.

Give it a couple weeks, the fish will get trained on the dinner bell, they can sense the vibration of the motor even though it is silent to us.

Unfortunatley, my old feeder was so inconsistent I have no idea what I should be feeding my tank. It was actually way too much food before, and there was always tons of food left over.

Are there any other suggestions that I can use to help me understand how much food I should be feeding my tank in general?

driftin · May 11, 2021

I started small and bumped it up and down based on observations. I only have four fish that will eat pellets, so I started with a 2-second feeding, and watched to see how much they ate versus how much got lost to the tank. I have noticed that such a short duration results in inconsistent amounts of food (because the screw barely gets a chance to turn) but it averages out over the day. My fish are on the schedule now and await the food, but I think I'm still only at 3 seconds feeding every 2 hours while lights on.

Tcook · May 11, 2021

driftin said:
I started small and bumped it up and down based on observations. I only have four fish that will eat pellets, so I started with a 2-second feeding, and watched to see how much they ate versus how much got lost to the tank. I have noticed that such a short duration results in inconsistent amounts of food (because the screw barely gets a chance to turn) but it averages out over the day. My fish are on the schedule now and await the food, but I think I'm still only at 3 seconds feeding every 2 hours while lights on.

What do you load in your plank?

AVAST Marine · May 12, 2021

I definitely suggest hand feeding whatever food you are using for a little bit, then you can get a feel for how much is eaten and how much is waste, then use the method I mentioned to set your Plank.

driftin · May 12, 2021

Tcook said:
What do you load in your plank?

Mix of small pellets, New Life Spectrum, SA, and TDO

DH78 · May 12, 2021

To give you a little reference from my 120 gallon tank, I have reef jerky, TDO small and medium pellets, and seaweed extreme pellets in my plank. I run it twice during the day for 2 minutes each time and once at night using a wifi timer. I then feed a chunk of homemade frozen food and nori sheet when I get home in the evening.

This has been keeping my fish fat and happy for a while now. My tank has:
5" Yellow Tang
6" FoxFace
3" lawnmwer blenny
3" fairy wrasse
3" clown fish
2 - 3" black and white Chromis
4" Blue Chromis
2- 3" Pajama Cardinals (I run the night cycle for the corals and Cardinals. i see them eat more when just the moonlights are on then during the day)
Various corals and a 7" Deresa Clam

kinetic · May 12, 2021

AVAST Marine said:
I definitely suggest hand feeding whatever food you are using for a little bit, then you can get a feel for how much is eaten and how much is waste, then use the method I mentioned to set your Plank.

A very good recommendation. That makes total sense. Thank you!