Hi guys,
I'd like to start pellet feeding my BG so I've spent some time to look around about automatic feeders.
I found that nobody sells nothing similar here so I have to get it online.
I read TH are the best but I don't want to spend that much and the shipping would be more expensive than the feeder.
The only one I found I can have shipped here at about 130 bucks is the Moultrie 6.5 Gallon FeedCaster.
http://www.moultriefeeders.com/6-gallon-automatic-pond-fish-feeder
Does anyone use it? Any feedback?
They suggest me to buy, with the feeder, a 6V Moultrie rechargeable battery and a solar panel charger for others 120 bucks. Are these needed or a simple 6V battery like this http://www.velamp.it/fr/zinc-carbone/183-4r25-batteria-quadra-4r25-6-volt-8003910900615.html could make the job? How much does it lasts? I can find them for less than 4 bucks here.
Thank you

I had 2 of the Moultie's, and they did the job I needed at the time. The one thing I might do though is to make sure you check them early and often for moisture. The bucket rusts at the bottom seams, and I would have gotten more use out of them if I had brought them inside during the winter.

Thank you FH.
I think I could avoid rusty bucket paintng it with a silicon paint and bringing it inside in winter or covering it.
Do you use rechargeable battery? With a solar panel?
How long does the battery lasts if you don t use rechargeable one?

Anyone else have this feeder?

Italy BASS, I didn't have solar on these, but I do on all my feeders now. The Moultrie's only have a single corn type slinger, so they really don't take much juice.

IIRC, I got 3-4 months out of a battery charge, but I would always have a spare battery and small maintainer/charger onsite. Especially if fish food is the primary food source for your fish.

I have a Moultrie feeder with the solar battery charger. I got the 30 gallon one, It is plastic and mounts on a pole. I have had it up and running three years. All I have ever done is add food to it and adjust the time when the time changes seasonally. could not be happier with it ...

FH my fish have always fed (and they are feeding now too) on what they found around in nature.
Pellet food would only be an integration to speed up my BG's growth and population.
If the battery lasts for 3 months I won't spend 120 USD for rechargeable Moultrie one and solar panel. I'll change it with normal 6V torch battery non-rechargeable I can find here for less than 4 bucks.

Hi Bobby,
is this the one you're talking about?
http://www.moultriefeeders.com/moultrie-30-gallon-feedcaster

I just set this one up in our pond.

http://www.sportsmansguide.com/product/index/moultrie-30-gallon-easy-lock-feeder?a=1163915

We had the one above posted by ItalyBASS. We didn't like it because to mod the spreader to be directional it was difficult and the feed would get under the spreader paddle. The Easy lock one I have posted a link to had parts that can easily be replaced and the aluminum shield I put in place for directional feeding was a snap. Just cut heavy aluminum to 2.25" tall about 6"s long and placed it in as you installed the motor base.

If you look at the two bottom spreaders they are different.

Cheers Don.

P.S. now that I have had two I have two sets of legs. We could set it out much deeper and farther off shore.

I have had one like Italybass has linked above for almost 2 years, and I have a Texas Hunter. Obviously the Texas Hunter is significantly better. But if you can put the Feedcaster out on a dock that sits over the water it throws feed well enough that its worth the money. It doesn't throw it well enough to work from shore. I purchased a Moultrie rechargeable battery and was not pleased with it. I subsequently bought one from American Hunter and that seems to work much better. I only have to charge it once per summer and mine had been used for several feedings per day. They do tend to plug whens its damp out. If you can check on it regularly that's not a big deal. If you can't check on it, I would look to purchase feed in the 5mm range.

PS They are very susceptible to damage from raccoons.

yes, but mine is pole mount and not on legs but other than that looks pretty much the same. nit sure if that one is plastic. Mine is basically just a black plastic drum with a lid.

this is mine , but not sure if they sel the pole mounted ones any longer?

http://www.bing.com/images/search?q=moul...&ajaxhist=0

I put mine on a pole out in shallow water so animal would have to swim a bit to get to it and all pellets fall into the water.

I just wade a few feed and have underwater steps right at the pole for me to reach it top.

Thank you guys, I really appreciate your hints.
I've just ordered the feeder without battery and solar panel. I'll try the feeder with a normal 6v battery and see if it will last a season, otherwise I'll see what to do.
About the food I have a 5mm sinking pellet and a 3mm floating.
Is it possible to mix them or is better to use only 1 type of food per time?
I'm at the pond at least 3 days per week, so no problem to keep the feeder checked.
Luckily no raccoons here

I don't know much about feed, but I see no reason not to mix them. You should be able to find a good 6V rechargeable battery and charger for a reasonable price. I got one like this....

http://www.amazon.com/Moultrie-6-Volt-Ba...ery+and+charger

And a rechargeable should be 15-20$ as well. So for 35-35$ you should be ok.

So I've received and installed the feeder.
Filled it with 3 mm pellets. The feed is thrown no more far than a couple of feet.
Filled with 5 mm pellets. Same as with 3 mm or maybe a little more but I'm talking of inches.
I have seen videos on youtube of the same feeder throwing pellet far away like a gatling.
This is one video
What am I doing wrong?
Is there a way to mod it to improve the range?


Another question I was forgetting.
Is there something I have to do to train fish to pellet food?
Or do they train by themselves simply feeding them daily? How long does it take?
The feeder is now set to feed 7 am and 6 pm, 3 seconds each and the pellet is only for forage fish.

Not sure the quantity it throws in 3 seconds, but you may want to go for 1 second for the first week or so, till some of the fish start finding it.

Battery not fully charged? I don't know anything about the Moultrie.

If you can't get it to throw further, you might consider setting it up further out into the water.

A full charge good battery is a must for this feeder.

I run a good EverReady none rechargeable. I was thinking of building a sub C pack that was 7.5 volts and rechargeable with nicad's. Not sure how much extra voltage you can put to these. The next step would be to put a 6volt relay in and run 12volts to the motor.

If I can get an extra bottom motor part I might just get a relay to try it.

We run mixed 2.5mm high fat sinking and 6mm floating in ours and the water and action is just high enough now to put a second shot of 2 sec on her.

Cheers Don.

Fil, the best way that I have found to train fish is to add some fish that have been feed trained. The others follow their example.

Mine has never thrown far. But I don't really need it to as I have it on my dock. Mine also plugs quite a bit this time of year when moisture is high. Also not a big deal because I usually set mine off manually every few days.

The new spinner wont clog up like the old one. There is a funnel shape under the spinner with more clearance then the old spinner motor end.

See attached picture. Then take a look at the bottom of your feeder.

Excellent. Thank you.

Is this spinner directional? Or is this more of a game feeder?

360° is what I'm going with.

A little update.
The feeder is doing its job.
Yep it doesn't throw far and clogs sometimes due to the moisture, but it worth its money.
For now, the only ones who are eating the pellets are the crawfish, the pseudorasbora and just born LMB.
I hope LMB will grow pellet trained, isn't it?
To answer @Dave Davidson1 unluckily here there are not fisheries that have such fish pellet trained. I'm trying to train some PS in my 4000 gal garden pond. The little ones start eating pellet but the bigger ones not. I will free them in the big pond hoping they will train others to feed pellets (btw is better to stock them this fall or next spring?).

Yep, it's a 360 degree game feeder. You can put some sort of shield on the back half to keep it from throwing toward the shore.

Fil, I like the idea of Spring stocking. I think there is a pretty good chance that the bigger ones will finally start eating the feed.

Ok Dave, I'll do it next spring then.
Thank you