Pond Boss Forums MANAGING AN EXISTING POND Feeding Aqua Pro Feeders..

Sorry for another Aqua Pro thread, but rather than search old topics this one needs a life of its own.

What is Aqua Pro's position on the negative feedback and complaints? I have two that I am not satisfied with. I have replaced the timers on several occasions. Aqua Pro has been good about sending new timers, but the feeders need to be checked on a daily basis for performance. Between bad timers and hopper jams I spend my time tossing feed to the fish. Feeding the Aqua Max is a total waste of time. It immediately jams the feeder.

If anyone here has had positive results with Aqua Pro fixing these problems for good, please let me know. If not, I'll be glad to contact the company for those of us with issues.

I just had the timer go out on an ADF25 I bought in June. Pretty annoying.

This is a subject talked about with gret lengths. basically they had issues and contineud to have bad timers sentout. Then earlyier this year apperaed to have fixed th issue with new style timers. Search aquapro and you should see lot of discussion.

Walt did the one you bought in June have the new timer?

I bought mine new in June from Native Outdoors. That's all I know. That and the fact it's already crapped out after less than six months of operation.

I should add that in July I ordered a second feeder of the same model, and that one arrived with a bad timer. I had already noticed that the feeder didn't throw the food well, as in I have to set it to a twenty-second cycle to throw the same amount of food the other feeders I use throw in six seconds, so I just asked Native if I could return the whole unit and get a different brand. I got the Moultrie 6-gallon feeder, which I have not enjoyed due to its less-than-great design that requires one to remove a cover at the bottom of the unit whenever one wishes to test it or reset feeding times, and the cover does not fit well over the wires leading to the solar panel so each refilling - which is a weekly event for me in the summer since it holds less than twenty-five pounds of food - is a brand new adventure...I haven't been able to use the test function for months because the unit drops a lot of food right at its base such that it has to be positioned directly over the water, and the last time I tried taking the cover off without moving the feeder back away from the water's edge the wing nut that keeps the control-box cover on fell into the pond and sank into six feet of water, so the only way I can make sure the feeder is still working properly is to re-set a feeding time for a couple minutes after when I'm refilling it, but then there's the adventure of whether or not I'll be able to get the poorly-fitting cover back over the wires without knocking the clips off the posts and get the feeder back into place over the water before the feeder goes off and throws food all over the raft and bank...Truly a horrible design in my opinion. I have two of the 30-gallon Moultries running on a large lake I'm managing; the owner bought them on my recommendation in July; and the timer has already gone out on one.

So I will never, ever again buy a cheapo feeder. I've got three of the Aquapro ADF75's, their more expensive feeder, running on three different BOW's and they won't even throw Aquamax 600. I'm trying the Moultrie "commercial-grade" model at the moment on another pond, just because it's still less than half as expensive as a TH or Sweeney, but if Sweeney or TH ever came out with a feeder under $400, I'd never buy another Aquapro or Moultrie.

Is that the feedcaster that you are talking about?

I had the motor that opens the hopper go out on mine. Haven't got around to getting a new one yet. When I called Moultrie they said they wanted me to send the old motor in to see what the problem was. The lady I talked to couldn't even give me a price for a replacement when I called.

Yes, it's the feedcaster, the standing one with the metal body. If the motor goes out (or anything else) my association with Moultrie products will be decidedly in past tense.

I would encourage whomever is facing issues to contact AP directly - my experience with the 75 has been satisfactory to date and I know they care a lot about their customers from the feedback I've seen [George, etc]. My 75 broadcasts 600 and 500 mixed just fine...maybe I got lucky. I sure hate to see guys going thru these issues...would be nice to think an affordable feeder could also be functional...maybe I'm just dreaming.

My AP is probably 4 years old and other than replacing the battery, and feeding too much 500 (a reducing plate fixed the problem - Thanks Greg!) I haven't had any problems with 500 or 600.

If AP ADF 75 continues jam problems, switch to AQMX 500 or mix with 600.
AP customer service has been outstanding in my experience.


My TH has performed well after initial jam problems and if you want to spend the extra bucks - go for it.

I feed 500 in them. My point was that I would like to be feeding 600, so the bluegill get twice as much per bite, but do not have the option due to the feeder. I tried mixing and even that resulted in an immediate jam.

+1

And honestly, a 600 pellet is more like 4-5 times the volume of 500 pellet.

Agreed, Theo - I just didn't have the exact dimensions in front of me and wanted to not exaggerate.

In a few weeks I am going to try just 600 in one 75D for the HSB.

You'll probably want to check it very shortly after filling it with the 600, as in the next day, unless you want your HSB going hungry.

I will test it repeatedly with only a little food in it. It is a chore to empty one that is even half full.

I have two AP 75's. Neither one will throw the 600. I agree that customer service has been attentive, but if the feeders don't work properly, or at all, being friendly and sending out new timers isn't really customer service. A full refund would be nice. Or an AP feeder that actually works.

As someone who has been in the bulk material industry for 30 years, with LOTS of experience in bridging and ratholing within silo's, hoppers..etc, I can't seem to find any design drawings, internal operation or anything an engineer would appreciate to read on the AP feeders. I did find one small caption indicating the side wall slope on the AP is 45 degree's, which is considerably different then our standard 60 degree hopper walls. This would indicate they don't feel bridging is an issue, OK.
CEMA standards for an opening from a cone needs to be at least three times wider then the largest particule of material. Meaning that three particules, horizontally in line, need to be able to easily fit through the outlet opening. IS this the case with this feeder??, I can't tell, no drawings, nothing, nada. I am familiar with the Feed, as I use it, but in a Small moultrie feeder, and beleive that the surface tension on the pellets is very course, allowing for easy bridging and jamming.

Ok Ken you wnet over my head but many of the cheaper feeders do not address this isuue you bring up. I do belieiv the opening is much larger than three times the size of the pellet. Mositure I feel is critical consideration as well. This is why a powerful motor combined with the opening size if important to having a well functioning fish feeder. MUCH diff than slinging hard corn

Ken:

Thanks for the info. I put one ADF75 in storage yesterday for the winter, so it will be easy to measure the opening. Check back later this evening for the answer.

Were you able to measure the opening? There is clearly something wrong. Mine jams on 600 every time it throws food.

Yup, sorry. The opening in my feeder is a 1 3/4" dia. circle. I also measured the depth to the spin plate, and the plate is 1/2" below the opening in the bottom of the hopper. That's the 1 3/4" dia. opening.

Safe to say that's the problem?