Pond Boss Forums MANAGING AN EXISTING POND Feeding Inexpensive nice feeder.

Pondsters:

Wanted to give a heads up on a great feeder I have been using now for about a month at the pond, and several years feeding the deer here at my place in East Texas. It is made by Wild Game Innovations, is made from a 40g Poly barrel with a electric timer(6 volt re-chargeable battery) with solar charger. The "Aqua" model is directional, throws about 35'-40' in a 45 degree pattern, holds up to 200#'s of pellets, can schedule up to 9 feedings, each up to 99 seconds daily. I tested mine by catching a feeding and it throws 1/2# per each 40 second interval. The thing is well built and the timer is easy to use and protected in an easy to open compartment under the feeder away from the weather. Amazon sells these things for under $150.00 with shipping. Check it out if your are in the market, sure beats $700-$800!!!.....................Budster

Budster, let us know how it performs for you over the next couple of years. I've had a couple of their trail cameras and while initially they seemed great, time proved (at least to me) otherwise.

I have used it in my front pasture feeding deer for a couple years, moved it to the pond, No Problems, still works like new! I'm not trying to sell anyone, just thought I would pass it along. Haven't seen to many alternatives to the "high dollar feeders" that are acceptable, everything else seems to have a drawback, or two, not these.....................Budster

Budster - Where was the unit made / put together? Although the parts could have come from anywhere.

The Wild Game Innovations web site says the feeders and accessories are manufactured, made and warehoused in Texas, USA by B/A products Co. Apparently they have a TV show "Wildgame Nation" Sundays at 8:00 pm, but interestingly they don't show a TV channel on the web ad.

I don't know about the parts, not much of that kind of stuff is made here, but I don't know.........................Budster

IIRC, B/A Products manufactures AquaPro feeders?

I don't know that? Wildgame Innovations has a model of feeder they call the "Aqua", It was not shown on their web site but is available through Amazon. I am not familar with "Aqua Pro", so I don't know................Budster

Fellars this feeder has been discussed many times. Called many diff things made by BA products I got one still but fixed three times. It has impeller and throws very little food as mentioned. Budster states 1/2lb in 40 seconds. So if wanting to feed small amounts give it a try. If feeding as many of us do not the feeder for that. it will kill the battery at multiple times per day for that long a period.

I've tried Wildgame feeders and cameras and have been disappointed with their performance and longevity. I'm not disappointed with their customer service. They sent me 3 new cameras with no problems. The feeders have, as Greg says, a pretty weak motor.

I've given up on them.

I believe the Wildgame and the AquaPro low profile are the same feeders. In fact, the Amazon pic shows the AquaPro feeder in the Wildgame add.

I have one up and running and time will tell as to the durability of the unit. The impeller that drops the food into the thrower is rubber, and that is my main concern.

I understand the desire to pass on the more expensive feeders, and it's certainly a personal and financial choice. I almost fainted when I bought my first Texas Hunter Feeder, but it has been a workhorse.

I guess it's like a watch. Some inexpensive watches never break or lose time, so they are a good value. Others of the same make are constant problems. I hope for both our sakes, that the Wildgame/Aquapro turns out to be a good investment.

I bought 2 of the Aqua-pro Dx-25 hanging feeders because they are very inexpensive, about $100 each including rechargeable 6v battery and solar charger. The timer broke on the first one about 2 years after setup. I called them and said to send it in and they would replace it since the warranty is 3 years (I think). I sent it in about 6 months ago and never heard from them again. The timer on the second one recently went out but I'm not going to bother sending it in. Now, with that said, I replaced them with 2 of the same because they do work well and are relatively cheap.

As for the camera, I bought one of the cheaper cameras ($45) March, 2011 when it was on sale. I set it up in November, 2011 and it worked for about 2 weeks before failing. I couldn't find the receipt

This unit has a timer with 9 set times up to 99 seconds each = 11.1 #'s of food at 1/2# per 40 seconds. I doubt you feed more than that at each feeder.

As for batteries that's why God gave us solar chargers.

The impeller is rubber to avoid jamming pellets in the feed chamber, seems logical to me.

The warranty is 3 years, I think I would have made a second phone call to pursue replacement. Who know's, maybe it was lost in the mail? However I do understand your point, at the price it may be easier to just replace it.

dotn want to argue I can sell this feeder but in reality if doing much feeding it will not last long. You set that feeder for that many seconds that many times not going to hold up and not even a high end solar charger can keep up with that much usage. Other feeders throw abotu a half lb in a 3-5 second feeding. Hope you get my point. Good luck.

Greg:

Just visited your home-page and as I expected your status as a "pro", has clouded your prespective. I would think that after all the years on this forum you would have a better sense of who is a "hobbiest with a 1/2 acre pond and an even smaller fixed income, someone who's challenge is to accomplish all those dreams on a retirement income and those that manage profesionally resorts and lake communities, etc.
Maybe though, I'm in the wrong forum, maybe this place is for the "fat cats only". Now you got me wonder'in, I really enjoy the knowledge and experience I can access here on Pond Boss, but maybe I'm out of my league........Budster

Well I consider myself a hobbiest also. I have a small pond too. After several attempts to save on fish stocking, and feedersfrom others, I came to realize you get what you pay for. I have personnally purchased items from Greg,and he has always treated me very fair,plus taken a few minutes of his day to help by answering some questions. He carries quality products, and top notch services.The cost of doing business in this economy is challenging, compare his prices to others, he is very reasonable when you compare apples, to apples.

Budster, I know how hard it can be to find one's place in an online forum, and that applies right here at PB too. I hope you stick around and give it some more time, after all you've been here less than two weeks.

You have to remember that a lot of folks on here, pro or not, have been where you're at, and have tried what you're trying. I don't think anyone is trying to dismiss your statements out of hand, rather they want to be sure that the details, both good and bad, are put out there for everyone to see. Including those who are just visitors to the forum, and may be looking for advice or tips on a new feeder purchase.

I think you're correct in stating that not everyone needs a 7-800 dollar feeder, but a 150 dollar one may not live up to the standards expected or desired by some pondowners.

lots of knowledge here, hang around and continue to contribute and we'll all be a little wiser for it.

Budster, your in the right place for sure. Greg's all around good guy so don't be too hard on him. You are correct that in his line of work oftentimes he has to make recommendations that are commercial duty.

There are tons of people looking for advice and product recommendations on this forum everyday so its great to have real life experiences for every situation to help in that research. Your effort in posting your info and experience is utilized by tons of people who never actually make a post.

It would be nice if more people would post what works for them!!

If your feeder lasts just past the warranty, you have buy another feeder. Do that 3 or 4 times and you are at the price of an "expensive" feeder. I think you get want you pay for.

Maybe it will work for you. But ultimately its your choice.

budster, look at it from the other side of the street - Greg's side (and mine, n8ly, Bob Lusk, etc.) Many of the customers want an inexpensive feeder (I do too) that works flawlessly (yep, me too). But, if you sell one that doesn't work 24/7/365, how does that reflect on you in your customers eyes? Does the customer expect you as the seller to come out and fix it if they aren't handy with tools? Do they expect you to do that without charging them for a service call because they bought the feeder from you? How many trips can you make before that sale ceases to be profitable? Remember, no profit, we can't pay ourselves, our employees, and we wouldn't be in this business for very long.

It doesn't take very many sales of inconsistent quality controlled products to turn me away from them. How can I best serve my customers if I have to tell them "We sell this feeder for less than 1/4 the price of our Cadillac feeder, but we can't guarantee how long it will work for you. If it quits working, you'll have to take it apart and send it to them to be fixed, or we'll have to charge a service call to come back out."

Years ago I called Greg about an AquaPro feeder that I purchased (not from him). I called because he sold them, and I was getting the run-around from Stren. He sent me parts for it at no cost, and I wasn't even a customer. After spending the $ on 2 of those feeders, I would be $$ ahead (and my fish & pond) would be better off if I would have spent the (IIRC $125 each) extra $$ on a TH feeder. Less wasted food, more precise feed dispersal (amount) and I wouldn't go a couple of weeks at a time without feeding because the feeder jammed and I wasn't around to notice it.

If you're handy with tools, and are willing to spend the time on the feeder if it quits, then I see no problem with buying the less expensive feeders. Maybe your feeder was built on Wednesday and it'll work flawlessly for years. But, experience has shown that in regards to feeders, 90+% of the time you really do get what you pay for.

I am in the same shoes you are budster and I also agree you get what you pay for. I bought 2 aeration systems(eBay) and a windmill for my pond because I could not afford the Cadillac vertex systems. Well I wasted 2-3 years aerating my pond with systems that gave me nothing but trouble. I have 2 compressors collecting dust and a windmill that's bent to crap because a 100mph wind and 1000ft of poly pipe that I can't wait to cut into pieces and make structure( hope I can sink it! Never had much luck at sinking that mess when it was an aeration setup). I spent $4000 on crap that doesn't work now.

The happy ending is my Cadillac vertex system I bought is flawless in every way.
I want a feeder also but I am waiting until I can buy the texas hunter. If I buy something different it will put me that much further from it.

Hope this helps and I hope you stick around like the rest say Greg is a great guy and he knows how to get a good bang for your buck and get fast results.

blair did you cement the anchors of the windmill or just drive them in the ground? Just wondering.

I hadn't cemented yet but had 2 inch rachet straps tied around trees and a fence post. The strap on the one side snapped and the head of the windmill was in the pond in the morning. I don't think it would take much to fix( new blades and tail) but haven't got around to it.

Thanks Guys.
Budster you are wrong on your commetns about me. I get paid nothing for post here and super busy but took time to give PB readers my my opinion of this feeder. I dont just work for fat cats. I work for the working man that wants to spent money wisely.

I tried to be nice in my comments however wanted another opinion before a customer only heard your version of this feeder. You have one of these feeders and glad it is working for you. I was the one of the first to have one after meeting with BA products at trade show. Gave them fed back to the chinese folks for development. They were excited about it. It was modified and it is what it is.

I tried to be positive and mention it might work for small amounts of food. In fact there is one running on my ponds where I need just a small amount of feed (after we fix jams about once every two weeks). I also have had many complaints abotu them. Thought it my duty to let PB readers know if they want to be throwing alot of food not my choice for dollars wisely spent. I hope this clears the air.

budster, I've got no dog in this hunt, but let me say this. Greg Grimes is one of the guys that keeps this board relevant. It has, based on my 20 years of BB postings on everything from guns, computer software, fishing, fire fighting, zombies, etc the best info available.

I don't know Greg, and might not even like him if I met him, but don't diminish or classify his value to this board based on his occupation. I had no clue he was even in the aquaculture business. That says volumes about his ability to keep his postings and business separate.

As far as the cost of feeders, I certainly get your point. Feeders are expensive, but providing protein or slinging corn is not the same as feeding fish. If one of my deer feeders doesn't throw, then no harm no foul. If my fish feeder quits, then I lose fish.

I've got several inexpensive feeders that are so old that American Pickers would love them, and they're still working. But, that's the exception. I've also got $300-$400 feeders that I work on every year.

I hope your WGI feeder gives you and me, many years of dependable service, as I have one also.

I have both types of feeders and others. I have had to fix the AP on occasion. AP has always fixed them or sent me parts at no cost. This is just one more of those "it depends questions" as to what to buy. Many factors to consider.

Greg and I are friends and I have and will continue to use his services. They are above board in every respect. His point was (and was correct and in accord with PB mission)that all the facts need to be out in the open so forum users , both posters and readers , can make their best decision.

The instruction from Bob to the Mods is to be welcoming to all and in giving advice be fair and protect the members/readers out there who rely on what is posted. Provide the info that is available so good choices can be made. Over time the members here reflect those instructions and help in that regard. That is evident from several of the posts here. That is exactly what Greg did. The Mods usually watch threads about products to be sure that Bob's policy is carried out. We were late on this one so Greg helped us out.

Budster we hope you keep participating and please understand that the comments were not directed to you but were made so others could have the benefit of our collective experience. Keep adding yours as it helps us all make good decisions.

I can attest to the fact that Greg is out to help the little guy of which I am one of. He has always been very open and willing to answer my questions and for that I try to buy everything I can from him.

You're off base Budster. 95% of us are DIYers. The Pro's on here understand that and try to help.

If you are in the market for a fish feeder, Texas Hunter is having a Winter sale on feeders up until Mar 29th 2013. For those DIY people they have a game feeder kit for $99.00 (reg $149, 5 yr warranty) that you can mount on the bottom of a bucket, barrel, big plastic taper bottom flower pot, or other container. Other models are also on sale. TX Hunter advertises in PBoss and is a sponsor at the Conferences. I don't own an auto feeder but if I needed one and for $99 I would try the kit and mount in on something and set it on my dock.

Man I really like my small non directional Texas Hunters they work great, just small, I'm adding extensions to them before spring.. Ill make a thread on it guys.. Greg's a straight up guy and honestly his straight shooting is a little too blunt for some to handle.. But it's a quality I admire..

BGK, have you, or anybody else, ever tried a protein feeder for corn? The reason I ask, is I don't throw corn because of hogs. I have several gravitational feeders, but they're a pain to keep refilling.

A protein feeder would let me fill the feeders a lot less often. The deer we have coming in can empty a pvc gravitational feeder in a few days.

Budster, FYI,I am in the same boat you are. Though I want a TH feeder, but I am way over budget on this project so far, and have more in my pond vision to go. So as I look around, and read all I can, I see one of the down falls of the "cheap" directional feeders is lack of throwing distance for short timer bursts. I believe I have this figured out. Yesterday I aquired parts for testing @Chinamart. I paralled 2- 6 volt batteries and there was a significant difference on the low end to bringing it up to full speed, for the short bursts. That being said it is only one of a few issues I must weigh cost benefit. So far though, I have built my own diffused aereation system for $300 (weighted line, rebuilt oiless air pump, 2- 9" diffusers and a NEMA box)and it has ran for the past 4 months flawlessly, (I need to work on a slight db reduction though) but I should have found this site sooner in my endevor last year to listen to the many valuable opinions and advice that could have saved me the current issues that I do have. Their input is great!

Mike

To any one who cares!

I see this thread was revived this morning. Well I learned my lesson and have remained in the dark with my un-popular opinions, but I do need to tell ya'll that the cheap crummy feeder is going strong, doing it's job with just a little TLC. I'll return to the man cave now...............Budster

Fire I have not.. But like I said for not even 1/2 the price of a TH directional feeder you can get the smaller TH non directional that is the same quality just smaller I have 2 of them on my pond and a Moultrie Directional all 3 were under $1000

Many of the Texas Hunter feeders including their new big (600lb) protein feeder are now on sale until Mar 29, 13.
budster - don't get too intimidated and scared away by critics. When one makes a comment they have to be tolerant of those that disagree. They have their opinion and you have yours. One just has to be cautious in that they qualify and soften negative comments that could be considered offensive. Everyone here has pond experiences that they can share.

budster, post anytime you want, don't remain in the dark. Like I said earlier, I bought the same AquaPro/WGI. It's thrown all year, and hasn't burped once. Time will tell, but so far so good.

I also pull my feeders once a year, and really make sure they are clean and dry before I replace them. At least around here, I get fish food powder that tends to cake up if I don't service the feeders annually.

No need to stay in the dark. Come share the fun - everyone is entitled to their own opinion.

I have a long history of Aquapro use. Several still in use. They do require work as they tend to break. I have posted my thoughts and they can be looked up in old posts. I also have TH which have worked flawlessly.

Very good advice and tip by firelsHot about the fish food fines that can accumulate and cause feeder problems: ""I also pull my feeders once a year, and really make sure they are clean and dry before I replace them. At least around here, I get fish food powder that tends to cake up if I don't service the feeders annually.""

It is a wise person that maintains their equipment.

The fish will find the food. Some people like to launch it 100', some people like to scatter it 360 degrees, and some like to contain it in side a "hoola hoop" type ring, and some just hand feed when they feel the urge. It ain't brain surgery - the fish will find the food.

We are all unique, just like everyone else!!!

Cody we have sold that kit for $95 for years but I don't recommend them to clients that want it done right or shoudl I say easily. Due to it being a THP it is high quality but im not a DIY type so making it work directionally is a challenge. If you attach the kit to a bucket out over the water it will work just fine. It will not work as well on some size pellets it seems.

This is used to contain the feed so that less is wasted by blowing up on shore where the fish can't access it. It is basically a big plastic tube wrapped in a circle or oval.

I thought I was going to wait until next year to purchase a feeder but the sale prices on the Texas Hunter Feeders might be too good to pass up. Is there a good way to secure the feeder to a tree to prevent it from being stolen? My biggest concern is spending that kind of money and someone stealing it. We are eventually going to build a house behind the pond but looks like that is a year away.

The only thing that I can think of is to drill a couple of holes thru the bottom of the feeder near the corner and run a chain or cable thru it. The legs are bolted on, so unbolting the legs is easily done.

Realistically, if someone wants to steal it, they will.

Pour a concrete pad and bolt it too it.. But if someone really wants to steal it they'll get it no matter what..

I like the concrete pad idea. TH feeders have holes in the pads on the bottom of the legs for bolts. Epoxy can be put over the heads of the bolts that are holding the legs to the unit so they can't get a wrench on them.

I have thought about placing it on my island and chaining it to a tree. It would mean putting my waders on and wading out to the island each time to fill it but someone would have to do the same to steal it. But I understand if someone wants to steal it, no mater what I do, they will steal it. I am just trying to think of things I can do to at least make them work for it.

I have several of the cheap Moultrie directional feeders that attach to 5 gallon buckets. One has survived three seasons, including a swim in the pond from hurricane force winds. I did have to replace the timer on that one. The other has gone two complete seasons, and the newest was in use this season from mid-May through October. Depending on season, and other factors, they are set to go off anywhere from one to four times a day.

I added cheap solar panels, used for charging solar flood lights (about $10 each, including the light), to keep them charged. I have never run out of battery. I use the flat 4-pin waterproof trailer wiring connectors for easy and reliable connecting between the panel and battery.

I use translucent 5 gallon mixing buckets, and water tight screw-off lids from Lowes/HomeDepot. I use the translucent buckets so I can easily tell how much feed is in the container.

The feeder assemblies have all come from Cabellas when they have been on sale for $39.95. The rechargeable batteries have been $12-$15 each. The bucket/lid combo is about $10, and the solar panel is about $10.

One hangs on a bracket I welded/fabricated, from a post on my dock. The other two hang from hangers I made with 7' T-posts, where I welded some rebar near the top of the post, and welded chain link fence clips to the rebar for hooks.

I fully agree with all that has been said by Greg Grimes and others about cheap vs. DYI vs. high quality feeders. I'm willing to take a chance on cheap feeder assemblies. I'm at my ponds most every day, and it wouldn't be a disaster if one of the feeders died. I figure I'm pretty handy when it comes to fabricating and repairing things. I also take mine in for the winter, fully clean them, and lubricate them.

But, my kind of feeders ain't for everybody. If I was in the pond management business, there is no way I would ever sell or recommend one of my contraptions to a valued client.

Cat thanks for saying that, you nailed my thoughts. We use refurb Aquapros here because we know how to fix them and have a big supply form past clietns riddign of them. When a feeder goes bad we will hear about it to spite us only being a dealer. In fact I lost one good client over a feeder going bad so yes that is why we only sell the best. Most of our clients don't read PB because they hire us to educate them. I wish I was more mechanicial many times.

Fastpitch FYI our prices are better than Texas Hunter direct and then give an additional discount to PB subscribers.

Well, all I own on our deer lease are On Time feeders. Most are solar. Bad to the bone throwers. I've got plenty of extra ones cause nothing likes a feeder more than a coon, and they will destroy them. Hence the extra equipment.

I'm considering feeding fish now, just how many feeders does a 3+ acre require if bluegill is the target fish? And, how much to throw? You know, there's quite a learning curve for those of us new to pond management. I thought I'd know it all by now.

It all depends on how much you want to spend a month on feed and how much they will eat in 15 minutes.

I have about a 3 1/2 acre pond I run 3 feeders twice a day I'd love to run more but 6 bags of AM a month aint cheap..

I'm thinking talipia are a lot cheaper and more better for bass food and as a bonus they're muck eaters....much more better. 2 'more betters' mean bluegill get some relief and get a more better chance to grow. That's 3 more betters.

Ha Ha...budster dont remain in the dark. I enjoy your posts. It's sorta funny watching "the gospel" challenged sometimes. At least I've always been that way. I've mellowed a lot, but in HS and college I drove my liberal professors crazy challenging their "gospel" every day. Just like in life there are going to be a million opinions about how to tackle problems or the "proper" way to do things. Many times experts in a particular field whether it be religion, medicine, computer science, car repair, whatever,...don't always agree. And many breakthroughs have happened because someone "went against the grain". I've gone to doctors that say "oh you can't do that", then go to another doctor that says "sure you can do that". So dont get offended when people say your feeder is a mistake...just be aware of what they say, consider it, but walk your own journey. Some may think I'm crazy for adding hybrid crappie in my pond...but I've got my own path to walk.. I appreciate the input, and I take a lot of the advice these great guys offer...because they are very knowledgeable and experienced..and they are usually dead on right...but that doesnt mean you have to take everything verbatim. All that really matters is if your feeder works great for you!

Stan, years ago I figured I knew what I was talking about. Then I learned enough about ponds to see the depth and breadth of my ignorance.

Budster, We all hope you'll stick around....I believe the point Gregt made was valid, and since he said he had the experience with the feeder as well...accurate in his experiences...

From what I know of electronics, 9, 99 seconds cycles, under load, would toast a light duty motor. I can build a car engine that puts out 100hp and it will last a long time when used lightly...or I could build a 1000hp drag car engine...and be damn happy if it lasts a quarter mile.....feel blessed if it lasted a half mile.....

I am also now considered a "Pro" in the aquatics industry, yet I have an old American hunter feeder for deer corn attached to a 55 gallon barrel on a tripod on top of a submerged island that lasted 5 years....last time I saw it...the tripod had gradually sunk and now it ain't only the island that is submerged...lol....I did mine on a budget too, and it worked for me!

I've learned I'm loaded with ignorance.