Pond Boss Forums MANAGING AN EXISTING POND Feeding new feeder

After losing way too many brain cells fretting about my POS Aqua Pro fish feeder, I took the week of Thanksgiving off to deer hunt with my kids in West Texas. A friend of mine recently dug out a stock tank, lined it with bentonite and added fish. In West Texas, rain is a very valuable commodity and a fishing hole is a true novelty out there.

I noticed a Monarch deer feeder on the edge of the tank and asked my buddy how much work it was to re-engineer the set-up into a fish feeder. My friend grew up in the oil field and his idea of fun is re-building an engine over a weekend, so I knew I had to temper his evaluation of the difficulty of the set-up.

He laughed, said it would almost impossible for me to achieve given my mechanical ineptitude, but added an easy solution would be to buy a fish feeder from Monarch directly.

Now, I have used Monarch products-deer stands, quad pods, feeders etc since 1996 and still have a '96 vintage deer feeder that works like a champ.

I ventured over to Monarch located in Arlington and asked to see a fish feeder. We discussed the set-up, basically a 3 sided metal box around a typical deer feeder spinner set-up. It performed flawlessly. I think it would handle the AM large mouth food with one minor change of increasing the funnel size, which they would do for a customer at the store.

Monarch has great products, and unbelievable service. I just wish I had paid more attention to what they had to sell prior to purchasing the junk heep that Aqua Pro calls a feeder.

The Monarch website is http://www.deerfeeder.com

Oh, if anyone wants a slighty used fish feeder, I have a great one I neeed to sell.

Mike those generally do not handle the moisture of fish food very well. They "gum up". I call them temporary might last a season but a couple is pushing it I feel. Game COuntry,moultire, dock something, on time, kens fish farm all sale a similiar style. I have seen more than a few used as a container for feed and they now throw by hand. Sure Monarch makes good product as you say but doubt that design will holdup over time with fish food.

Greg, I always appreciate your insight and expertise. Howvever, given that out of 6 months of use with the AP feeder, I've only been operational about 50% of the time I'll take my chances.

With a similar funnel system in both the AP and Monarch, I don't see the difference. Is it the spinner v. a wheel distribution that makes a difference?

The Monarch feeder has been in use March with no problem.

Mke, thanks if the way you describe it is not the same as AP. Maybe the AP is not a good comparision b/c they have had some issues. BUT a motor setup with a spinner throwing vertically instead of horizontally is big difference. The way you describe the monarch and I could nto see a pic on the website it is horizontal spinner with a box to force the food out one side. this is what I'm reffering to causing issues over the time. thanks

Mike can you not send the AP feeder back to where you bought it and get your money back? I had one three months to the day and had so much trouble I sent it back to where I bought it and got my money back.