Think that's the capacity of the smaller model we have on our 2 acre pond. I read the "15 minute rule" but that looks like an obscene amount of feed right now in my pond. Is "30 seconds" for dawn/dusk feedings "too much" in your opinions?
The fish take 5-6 minutes at that setting before the surface is completely pellet free. Just wanted to make sure I was in an "ok" zone or could/should feed more or less.
LMB/CNBG/CC/GSH are what I see at feedings (and only species in the pond with RES). Mainly CNBG though. Feed is AM600. Thanks in advance.
It's impossible to compare TH feeding times between inidividual feeders-there is an adjustable gap between the bottom of the hopper and the motorized feeding tray below-which is a great feature, and lets you use different sizes of food very efficiently-but the feeders all seem to have slightly different gaps, which allow very different amounts of food to reach the throwing chamber.
A couple thoughts- Fish are pretty much gorging right now, prespawn in most of the country but possibly post spawn for you. A better measure of how much food you're using might be bags/month of food you're using...CC are serious pellet hogs, if you've got very many, and of any size, they'll eat you out of house and home. And your CNBG are no slouches, either.
It's a new pond (BG/bait last April, 200 bass/200 cats in early fall) , and the CC are about 1/2 lb on average. I originally stocked 200, but I've taken out 26 of those.
Using a little more than a bag per month of the AM600.
Taylor, you might be mis-understanding the 15 minute recommendation. It's not having the feeder throw feed for that long, that 15 minutes is how long it takes the fish to clean up the food that is thrown. Less than that is O.K. but if it's longer, cut back on the amount of feed thrown. It all depends on how fast you want the fish to grow. I just use it as supplemental food since I don't want the fish dependant on the food during the winter.
I have some clients that only throw food for 5 seconds 2x day, others throw food for a total of up to a minute per day spread out among 3 feeding times.
I only feed the final 60 minutes of dusk to help BG predation in low light conditions. 1-2 second feeding 15 minutes apart. Results have been great for me using that method.
Many men go fishing all of their lives without knowing that it is not fish they are after. ~ Henry David Thoreau
Essup, I understood it was 15 minutes of feeding time, I just realized that was a LOT of feed for me and was asking for input from you guys who've been around and know more of what is expected and what has worked.
I have mine set at 7 seconds twice a day. It seems like a little light but the fish usually leave a small amount of food floating after about 10 minutes of feeding.
It's true hard work never killed anybody, but I figure, why take the chance? Ronald Reagan _______________ The good Brian
Cisco, just jumped 600 Cargill up to 10 seconds twice a day on TH feeder - next week 10 seconds morning and 15 afternoon. Depending on activity then to 15 seconds twice a day. When near surface water temps hit 80+ we begin tapering off on similar schedule ... next six weeks will be fasting growth period until fall IMO.... G/
N.E. Texas 2 acre and 1/4 acre ponds Original george #173 (22 June 2002)
I feed for 2 seconds in the morning that's it. Course I only have a 1 acre pond and a lot of other things in my pond for BG to eat. After 3 years or so you can end up with CNBG like this one. Caught this guy on Sunday. We caught a couple other that were 9.5 also. Wanting to see that true 10 incher this year I hope.
RC
The only difference between a rut and a Grave is the depth. So get up get out of that rut and get moving!! Time to work!!
Cisco, just jumped 600 Cargill up to 10 seconds twice a day on TH feeder - next week 10 seconds morning and 15 afternoon. Depending on activity then to 15 seconds twice a day. When near surface water temps hit 80+ we begin tapering off on similar schedule ... next six weeks will be fasting growth period until fall IMO.... G/
That was my thought on my feeding, and I plan on pulling it back in early June, even if it looks like the fish would eat more.
My bluegill look great though. We have lots of fish 9" or better with fish born last year in my pond of all sizes with some pushing 8".
Cisco, just jumped 600 Cargill up to 10 seconds twice a day on TH feeder - next week 10 seconds morning and 15 afternoon. Depending on activity then to 15 seconds twice a day. When near surface water temps hit 80+ we begin tapering off on similar schedule ... next six weeks will be fastest growth period until fall IMO.... G/
That was my thought on my feeding, and I plan on pulling it back in early June, even if it looks like the fish would eat more.
My bluegill look great though. We have lots of fish 9" or better with fish born last year in my pond of all sizes with some pushing 8".
Yeah, we can get them to about a lb in a year on this schedule. G/
Last edited by george1; 04/14/1401:09 PM. Reason: fastest spelling
N.E. Texas 2 acre and 1/4 acre ponds Original george #173 (22 June 2002)
I estimate my HSB get about 50%, SMB 30%, and my other fish combined [BG, GSH, YP] fight for the final 20%. My total in the prime feeding times [Spring, Early Summer, Early Fall] is about 8 seconds daily, but I'm also trying to encourage BG predation and watch the feed bill - so I cut it a little closer. Still that's a far cry from G's 30 seconds daily - every fishery/goals are different!
Many men go fishing all of their lives without knowing that it is not fish they are after. ~ Henry David Thoreau
TJ, 30 seconds/day feed time is for 2 acre pond - what size pond for your 8 second feed time? No feeder on ¼ acre pond - only occasional hand feeding - forage trained HSB..
Reaching back on a rusty memory, IIRC someone from TH once estimated 10 seconds of 600 AQMX was about 1 ½ lbs - also a rusty memory someone recommended ~3 lbs/acre feed per day? Do I remember correctly, or old brain syndrome? G/
N.E. Texas 2 acre and 1/4 acre ponds Original george #173 (22 June 2002)
I only feed the final 60 minutes of dusk to help BG predation in low light conditions. 1-2 second feeding 15 minutes apart. Results have been great for me using that method.
TJ, can you explain this?
The way my BOW lays, it gets a tremendous southerly wind, and the food floats away faster than the CNBG can eat it. I've been feeding 2 seconds, 4 times a day, but am gonna bump the frequency up next week. I mix sizes to make sure everybody gets fed, but the biggest CNBG always eat first. The smaller fish only seem to eat after the biggest bulls quit eating. My experience has been that the 8"+ CNBG won't even bother with the 400 size fish food unless the feeder's been off for a while.
Cisco, I ALWAYS have feed left over from the wind and/or aeration current pushing feed to bank. Our HSB prefer to feed on the deep water feed pattern whereas CNBG feed closer in and forage fish nibble and clean up feed at bank. 15 minute rule very arbitrary IMO. G/
N.E. Texas 2 acre and 1/4 acre ponds Original george #173 (22 June 2002)
TJ, 30 seconds/day feed time is for 2 acre pond - what size pond for your 8 second feed time? No feeder on ¼ acre pond - only occasional hand feeding - forage trained HSB..
Reaching back on a rusty memory, IIRC someone from TH once estimated 10 seconds of 600 AQMX was about 1 ½ lbs - also a rusty memory someone recommended ~3 lbs/acre feed per day? Do I remember correctly, or old brain syndrome? G/
G I wonder what would happen if I fed that much? I don't have aeration or surface aeration so I'd likely develop water quality issues your system is designed to address already. Can you please relate your best estimate for feed usage by species?
Many men go fishing all of their lives without knowing that it is not fish they are after. ~ Henry David Thoreau
I only feed the final 60 minutes of dusk to help BG predation in low light conditions. 1-2 second feeding 15 minutes apart. Results have been great for me using that method.
TJ, can you explain this?
The way my BOW lays, it gets a tremendous southerly wind, and the food floats away faster than the CNBG can eat it. I've been feeding 2 seconds, 4 times a day, but am gonna bump the frequency up next week. I mix sizes to make sure everybody gets fed, but the biggest CNBG always eat first. The smaller fish only seem to eat after the biggest bulls quit eating. My experience has been that the 8"+ CNBG won't even bother with the 400 size fish food unless the feeder's been off for a while.
I only feed the last 60 minutes until dark, so mainly during the dusk/twilight times, for 1-2 seconds at 10-15 minute intervals. I do this for several reasons:
Evenings are the best times for me to monitor feeding as I'm buried all AM and earlier PM and I like to witness feedings
Feeding in the evening brings BG into deeper water and close to surface in low light conditions which tip the favor to the predators. I need to encourage BG predation and feeding in low light in deeper water helps, I'm guessing/hoping, with BG predation.
I hate wind drift to the banks as coons end up tearing up the banks looking for pellets. So, that's why I only feed what can be cleaned up in 3-5 minutes, which is 1-2 seconds. I keep feedings 10-15 minutes apart as it's proved to be the best interval to ensure pellets are cleaned up but I'm not starving the fish.
Admittedly I could feed a 5G bucket of AM LMB formula to my HSB every night - but again, I'm trying to avoid excessive nutrient loads, encourage BG and GSH predation, and try to save some money in the process - so I do feed on the light side. I think I could easily double my daily feeding to get closer to George numbers, but am not equipped to handle the water quality or bg management issues that might arise.
Many men go fishing all of their lives without knowing that it is not fish they are after. ~ Henry David Thoreau
Tj, in my pond I feed approx. 50# per month, and there's some left floating after 15 min. (AM600). I have a client with a .7 ac pond with aeration (LMB/BG) that feeds 100#/month and he could feed more as it's all gone by about the 10 minute mark. George, I agree, that 15 minute rule is VERY arbitrary. But, I don't know any other way to explain it.
This is just MO but this food is just to dang expensive to be feeding in 7, 8 and 10 second intervals. If you can afford it great but I use it as a secondary feed. And yes it promotes great fish, but at 35 to 45 bucks a bag a little on the pricey side for me to be feeding more than 2 to 3 seconds a day.
RC
The only difference between a rut and a Grave is the depth. So get up get out of that rut and get moving!! Time to work!!
TJ, 30 seconds/day feed time is for 2 acre pond - what size pond for your 8 second feed time? No feeder on ¼ acre pond - only occasional hand feeding - forage trained HSB..
Reaching back on a rusty memory, IIRC someone from TH once estimated 10 seconds of 600 AQMX was about 1 ½ lbs - also a rusty memory someone recommended ~3 lbs/acre feed per day? Do I remember correctly, or old brain syndrome? G/
G I wonder what would happen if I fed that much? I don't have aeration or surface aeration so I'd likely develop water quality issues your system is designed to address already. Can you please relate your best estimate for feed usage by species?
TJ, not being on-site, there are few times that I can observe feeding but I love to see the CNBG and HSB splash water onto the bank.
Due to 2011 drought fish kill, there is no way I can estimate feed usage by species but do know there were more survivors than first suspected. I don’t keep records - just fish for fun and maintain photo journal to document growth and condition. I cull all female and inferior male CNBG between 5 and 8 inches to transfer to un-aerated ¼ acre pond so population numbers constantly change. The small pond has FA problems controlled by tilapia.
As you know, I have both bottom diffuser system and surface aeration on 2 acre pond and have observed improved water quality with addition of surface aerator. Occasional hand feeding only and no aeration on small pond - to best of my knowledge have never had a fish kill - fabulous HSB pond to about 5 lbs - larger HSB in larger water body.
G/
N.E. Texas 2 acre and 1/4 acre ponds Original george #173 (22 June 2002)
I only feed the final 60 minutes of dusk to help BG predation in low light conditions. 1-2 second feeding 15 minutes apart. Results have been great for me using that method.
TJ, can you explain this?
The way my BOW lays, it gets a tremendous southerly wind, and the food floats away faster than the CNBG can eat it. I've been feeding 2 seconds, 4 times a day, but am gonna bump the frequency up next week. I mix sizes to make sure everybody gets fed, but the biggest CNBG always eat first. The smaller fish only seem to eat after the biggest bulls quit eating. My experience has been that the 8"+ CNBG won't even bother with the 400 size fish food unless the feeder's been off for a while.
I only feed the last 60 minutes until dark, so mainly during the dusk/twilight times, for 1-2 seconds at 10-15 minute intervals. I do this for several reasons:
Evenings are the best times for me to monitor feeding as I'm buried all AM and earlier PM and I like to witness feedings
Feeding in the evening brings BG into deeper water and close to surface in low light conditions which tip the favor to the predators. I need to encourage BG predation and feeding in low light in deeper water helps, I'm guessing/hoping, with BG predation.
I hate wind drift to the banks as coons end up tearing up the banks looking for pellets. So, that's why I only feed what can be cleaned up in 3-5 minutes, which is 1-2 seconds. I keep feedings 10-15 minutes apart as it's proved to be the best interval to ensure pellets are cleaned up but I'm not starving the fish.
Admittedly I could feed a 5G bucket of AM LMB formula to my HSB every night - but again, I'm trying to avoid excessive nutrient loads, encourage BG and GSH predation, and try to save some money in the process - so I do feed on the light side. I think I could easily double my daily feeding to get closer to George numbers, but am not equipped to handle the water quality or bg management issues that might arise.
OK, I gotcha. It was the predation thing I was asking about. You're trying to make the BG easier targets to control the numbers?
I hand feed only in our ponds, and have noticed that the bluegills appear to be after something better?? for lack of a better term. By this I mean that they are waiting for me when I arrive, and there's always a surge for that initial, first handful of feed thrown. But then, they will leave the remaining feed floating on the water and follow me instead.....I feed the entire length of the dams on a couple of ponds, and they will follow me, eating as they go. But they continue to move with me until I reach the end, whereupon they reverse course and eat their way back across.
It's almost like they're expecting that next handful of feed to be better than the last, and nobody wants to miss out just in case it is.They will clean up the entire batch, just not at one location at a time. I always figured it was a competitive response or stimulus from food being in the water, but really don't know.
I do know that they will eat better if I break up the feeding sessions similar to what TJ describes. I throw some out, then return 10-15 mins later after they have cleaned it up and throw out an additional amount. That always seems to fire em' back up, and they eat very well. Much more aggressively than what they did when I fed the total amount all at once. Another instance of a competitive feeding response??
"Forget pounds and ounces, I'm figuring displacement!"
If we accept that: MBG(+)FGSF(=)HBG(F1) And we surmise that: BG(>)HBG(F1) while GSF(<)HBG(F1) Would it hold true that: HBG(F1)(+)AM500(x)q.d.(=)1.5lbGRWT? PB answer: It depends.
I only feed the final 60 minutes of dusk to help BG predation in low light conditions. 1-2 second feeding 15 minutes apart. Results have been great for me using that method.
TJ, can you explain this?
The way my BOW lays, it gets a tremendous southerly wind, and the food floats away faster than the CNBG can eat it. I've been feeding 2 seconds, 4 times a day, but am gonna bump the frequency up next week. I mix sizes to make sure everybody gets fed, but the biggest CNBG always eat first. The smaller fish only seem to eat after the biggest bulls quit eating. My experience has been that the 8"+ CNBG won't even bother with the 400 size fish food unless the feeder's been off for a while.
I only feed the last 60 minutes until dark, so mainly during the dusk/twilight times, for 1-2 seconds at 10-15 minute intervals. I do this for several reasons:
Evenings are the best times for me to monitor feeding as I'm buried all AM and earlier PM and I like to witness feedings
Feeding in the evening brings BG into deeper water and close to surface in low light conditions which tip the favor to the predators. I need to encourage BG predation and feeding in low light in deeper water helps, I'm guessing/hoping, with BG predation.
I hate wind drift to the banks as coons end up tearing up the banks looking for pellets. So, that's why I only feed what can be cleaned up in 3-5 minutes, which is 1-2 seconds. I keep feedings 10-15 minutes apart as it's proved to be the best interval to ensure pellets are cleaned up but I'm not starving the fish.
Admittedly I could feed a 5G bucket of AM LMB formula to my HSB every night - but again, I'm trying to avoid excessive nutrient loads, encourage BG and GSH predation, and try to save some money in the process - so I do feed on the light side. I think I could easily double my daily feeding to get closer to George numbers, but am not equipped to handle the water quality or bg management issues that might arise.
OK, I gotcha. It was the predation thing I was asking about. You're trying to make the BG easier targets to control the numbers?
Correct. In the past Eric noted that he feeds earlier in higher light situations to help prevent BG predation - when I read this I inverted it for my own purposes. Makes sense, but I'm not sure how much good it does in the end.
I also like feeding later to encourage YP to feed - they definitely favor low light conditions, but also probably get hammered by predators when feeding.
Many men go fishing all of their lives without knowing that it is not fish they are after. ~ Henry David Thoreau
Tony/TJ/George/others this is what's cool about all the different ways we feed. We're all trying to hit that sweet spot for our particular situations, or for different results.
TJ, I know you don't have much shade on your pond, but in mine, I see fish feeding on pellets in the shade rather than in the full sun. Even YP in the middle of the day feed in the shaded portion of the pond.
While I know my feed trained LMB also eat fish, when there are pellets on the water they aren't interested in fish, only pellets.
Has anyone ever studied about how many pellets a fish will consume in a feeding? I know that is going to depend on size of fish and size of pellet.
But I was just curious, do they eat just one? Probably not. Probably like Lays potato chips, can't eat just one. But do they eat 25 pellets? Probably not also. So what would a fish consume on average. 4 or 5 maybe????
Inquiring minds want to know! You can make something up if you just want to shut me up with the stupid questions.
TJ, what size and how many? Lemee check the stocking regs for NE. Instead of coming out with an empty tank I could come out with one full. I have access to 4"-6" up to a couple pounds each.
snrub, I think it all depends on the size of the fish and the size of the pellets. CC in my pond probably consume more than 50 AM600 pellets each. I've seen LMB suck up 5-10 AM600 pellets in one gulp.
Has anyone ever studied about how many pellets a fish will consume in a feeding? I know that is going to depend on size of fish and size of pellet.
But I was just curious, do they eat just one? Probably not. Probably like Lays potato chips, can't eat just one. But do they eat 25 pellets? Probably not also. So what would a fish consume on average. 4 or 5 maybe????
Inquiring minds want to know! You can make something up if you just want to shut me up with the stupid questions.
They'll eat quite a bit. I once watched a single, northern strain female BG lazily eat 15 AQ500 pellets in a row.
"Forget pounds and ounces, I'm figuring displacement!"
If we accept that: MBG(+)FGSF(=)HBG(F1) And we surmise that: BG(>)HBG(F1) while GSF(<)HBG(F1) Would it hold true that: HBG(F1)(+)AM500(x)q.d.(=)1.5lbGRWT? PB answer: It depends.
snrub, I've wondered the same thing. I wouldn't mind throwing 10 pounds a day for the next few months, but it irks me to see wasted fish food floating against the bank and not get eaten.
My CNBG have the length to put on much more weight than they're carrying, I just can't figure out how to get that last little jump I'm looking for. I really don't see them adding much weight after June/July.
snrub, I've wondered the same thing. I wouldn't mind throwing 10 pounds a day for the next few months, but it irks me to see wasted fish food floating against the bank and not get eaten.
My CNBG have the length to put on much more weight than they're carrying, I just can't figure out how to get that last little jump I'm looking for. I really don't see them adding much weight after June/July.
You need shrimp in there. Good excuse to come up and visit again - especially when Scott rolls into town this Spring for CSBG and another project you're gonna want to witness.
Many men go fishing all of their lives without knowing that it is not fish they are after. ~ Henry David Thoreau
hmmm...just found out this morning that my fish won't feed with a dead cormorant foraging over their feeding grounds.
Wow my water color changes pretty fast when there's that much unused feed. Lost about 3-4 inches in vis, and I'd wondered if it was just runoff or algae bloom.
I hadn't checked my pond in the morning in a while because I thought those bastages had migrated by now...
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