Pond Boss Forums INTRO Questions & Observations Fish Feeder Choices - Scatter Feeders

I am about to order a bunch a feeders and want to do a little homework.

I have used the Stren Aquapro ground level scatter feeders for the past year. I have 5 of them on a 3 acre pond and they have mostly performed well. I have one unit that keeps getting clogged up...I'm not sure why this one is having a moisture problem and the rest don't.

Anyway, I'm leaning towards purchasing more of these units for my new ponds but I wanted to see what else may be out there and what people's experience has been with them.

Also - I will need a few vibratory minnow feeders and have no experience with these...anybody have experience with these....any suggestions (or any to avoid)?

Thanks.

I'll give you a bump here Jeff. The experts I'm sure will jump in soon.

Jeff most folks here who have said use either Aquapro or Sweeney feeders in the standing feeders. Not sure on the other type what you are describing. Some folks have smaller hanging scatter feeders. Both are PB advertisers and have good products.

Jeff, PM me again about feeders or give me a personal call. I've used them all, but I don't necessarily like to make direct criticisms, because not all feeders of the same brand are created equal. I'd look more for customer service issues.

Jeff F.,

One feeder you may not be familiar with is the new 6.5 gal directional feeder from Moultrie. I've been replacing my other worn-out and poorly working small feeders with this one. It's new, relatively small, holds about 40 lbs of feed, can feed multiple times each day with variable feed settings, has a solar panel option, and runs about $80 (solar panel option is another $25 or so).

I've owned just about every feeder over the years from large to small. For a small feeder that can be replicated many times without breaking the bank, this one is the best I've found...I've bought three of them so far and will add more. You can probably get them at most places that carry feeders but I get mine from Ken Hale @ www.boatcycle.com

As my wife and I have to be away from the ranch and pond for up to 6 weeks at a time with our job, I built my own 30 gallon (approx 150 lbs of feed) scatter feeder out of a Remington game scatter unit. It is digital and (Harbor Freight 15 watt/ 1 amp) solar powered. I have it anchored in the pond on floats for now (a hassle to fill) but will soon build a deflector shield and mount it off the new dock. Cheap to build, and very efficient.

OK - let me ask a follow up question.

Does anyone have experience with the remote control units the fit the Aquapro and Remington feeders? Do they work well? I assume they do not interfere with the normal feeding schedule on the timer?? When you push the remote to activate the feeder does it just throw feed for the number of seconds set for your first feeding time of the day (ie the way the "test" button works on the Aquapro).

Now - here is a more wild follow up. For those who read Bob's article's on Richmond Mill Lake in NC - is anyone aware of a commericially available option to setup a computer network to control feeders? From the article, it sounded to me like Sweeney came in and set that up as a fully custom gig...I can imagine that was a bank breaker and there are better uses of an aquaculture budget (when the budget has a limit versus the Richmond Mill deal that, if it had a limit, was a BIG one). Anyway, I'd love to have something like that if I could set it up for a reasonable price....Mr. Pond Boss Lusk, any suggestions on this one?

Jeff I have an aquapro and a sweeney and my aquapro is always getting clogged. I wish I had bought another sweeney and gotten the largest one they make. However the aquapro was much less expensive and if it wasn't always getting clogged I would be happy with it.

I have several Auqapros that stay out all year. They have not clogged in the 3 yrs I have been using them. I have a hanging feeder that clogs only when I use larger size high protein food that is more oily.

James have you checked to see if your food is getting moisture in it either before or after it goes in the feeder?

Jeff, I've run three AquaPro/Stren feeders for five years now without a lick of trouble.
Best equipment and customer serevice ever.

One time, one feeder clogged and found lumps of moldy fish food - not the feeders fault.

As Ewest mentioned to James, probaby damp feed...
With all the rainy weather we have been having, I don't fill completely and re-supply fresh feed more often.

All I can say is that I put the same feed in both feeders once a week and the sweeney never clogs and the aquapro clogs half the time. Maybe I bought a dud.

George are your feeders scatter feeders or are they the airdrive directional feeders? Mine is the directional feeder.

James, we have three Stren/AquaPro ADF 70 airdrive directional feeders.

Are you filling the feeders to capacity each week? With all the rain we've had, I would think moist feed?
Have you cleaned the feeders to make sure you don't have any moldy clods of fish food in the bottom of feeders?

Ask todd when he delivers your HSB.

James,

My AquaPro clogs also but not as frequently as yours. On mine there is a small hole for wiring input for a solar panel. If you aren't using a solar panel be sure to plug that hole. If you are using a solar panel, make sure that the wire that leads into the unit goes in below the hole....in other words make sure that the wire does not carry moisture with it into your feeder. Put a bend in it so gravity will keep the small moisture amounts out. After doing that on mine I reduced the clogging significantly....but it still does on occasions. It does not take very much moisture to foul them up.