Pond Boss Forums MANAGING AN EXISTING POND Feeding Manuel Feeder

Keep in mind demand feeders put the fish in charge. Automatic feeders keep the pond manager in charge. Demand feeders are activated by fish, and the critters eat until full. A bag of feed may only last a week in a demand feeder, but can be rationed for a month with an automatic one.
The difference? Producing a population of fish requires a regimen of food sources, be they feed, fertilization, or managing numbers of fish. Demand feeders are excellent for attracting fish, or growing catfish as fast as possible. But, for a general management protocol, demand feeders aren't as good as automatic ones.
By the way, the neatest demand feeder I ever saw was built by a creative sort, a river guide. He took a 30 gallon plast barrel, with removable lid. He bought a rubber ball from the dime store, then cut a hole in the bottom of his barrel an eighth inch larger than the diameter of the rubber ball. Then, he ran a piece of all-thread through the barrel, six inches from the top. Then, he took another piece of all-thread, bent a loop on one end, the pushed the all-thread through the middle of the rubber ball. The loop hung over the first piece of all-thread, allowing the second piece to dangle down the middle of the barrel. He positioned the rubber ball right into the hole. At least 24 inches of all-thread dangles into the water when the feeder is positioned. Fish hit the all-thread, the ball bangs the side of the hole, feed falls out, fish eat. Pretty easy, pretty cool.