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View Full Version : Auto feeder in sump?


shiftline
01-16-2016, 07:40 AM
Is anyone running an auto feeder in there return pump chamber? I'm thinking of you dumped food right above the pump inlet it should suck the food up and spit it Into the display while keeping the rim of the tank equipment free :)

Is anyone else doing this? If so how's it working for you?

Myka
01-16-2016, 01:13 PM
That's an interesting idea. I imagine with pellets it probably wouldn't even chop them up. I'm going to give it a try simply by throwing some pellets in there at feeding time today.

soapy
01-16-2016, 03:35 PM
My perfect setup would have a frag tank or refuge in the fish room above the level of the display and the overflow would feed downhill into the display. So you would just feed the frags or the overflow and it would just flow out into the display. One pump to move water through two tanks. In the Frag tank you could have a big powerhead on a switch to blast the tank clear of debris after feed time.

swimfan
01-16-2016, 03:48 PM
I have my auto feeder drop pellets into my return section of my sump. Love it, the food ends up coming out in 8 different directions in the tank. Haven't seen a nipped fin since. Whenever I hand feed, my tusk fish and yellow tang flare up at each other. Even if I disperse from several spots. The pump catches them off guard, and mixes the two types of pellets well. Wouldn't change it.

shiftline
01-16-2016, 04:03 PM
Awesome! Sounds like this will work. I bought the apex auto feeder but it's load and big and bulky. So putting it in the sump should solve both of those issues :).

What kind of return pup do you have swimfan?

soapy
01-16-2016, 04:25 PM
I have my auto feeder drop pellets into my return section of my sump. Love it, the food ends up coming out in 8 different directions in the tank. Haven't seen a nipped fin since. Whenever I hand feed, my tusk fish and yellow tang flare up at each other. Even if I disperse from several spots. The pump catches them off guard, and mixes the two types of pellets well. Wouldn't change it.

Sounds like a great setup.

swimfan
01-16-2016, 05:38 PM
So far happy with the setup. I have a basement sump setup, with a reeflo hammerhead dialed back with a gate valve. The plumbing is 1 1/2" pvc that becomes a manifold in the canopy of four 3/4" pvc pipes, each with their own ball valve followed with "T"ed loc line. Hoping to put together a tank build this February, will attach some pictures