A Community and Forum For Aquaponic Gardeners

Making An Automatic Fish Feeder For Your IBC (or any fish tank)

Not wanting to be tied down to feeding time I came up with a simple feeder design using an auger, 1" T, 1" 90, 1" plug, short 1" S&D pipe, an impulse timer, a gear head motor, and a timer clock with battery BU. Here are a few pics of the first one off. The next 4 will be easy. The fish will be so happy.

This timer will also run a second unit that requires the same amount of food. Any others will need their own impulse timer but only one digital timer will send the impulse at feeding times to all 5 eventually.

You have to make some tweaks like reversing the motor direction, which is very easy, in order to unscrew away from the motor and push the food into the 90. I place it over the center hole lid of the ibc.

When I get the second one finished I'll take some pics of them in place. If anyone is interested I'll post some parts sources and numbers. I had all the parts kicking around from my chem company days but I have good sources to help out finding more.

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Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Matt Miskinnis on March 25, 2013 at 3:10pm

That is awesome, I would be interested in knowing the parts! I would love to try and build one!

Permalink Reply by Jim Fisk on March 25, 2013 at 3:23pm

I'll get the parts #s posted soon. Meanwhile ck out ebay for a 3/4" wood auger at a good price if u don't have one kicking around the shop. They can be old bit and brace types as you just cut the end off. The gh motor is from a commercial washer drain and would run under 50.00 delivered. I.E. http://www.bonanza.com/listings/-gt-gt-Generic-DRAIN-VALVE-MOTOR-11...

Permalink Reply by George L Smith jr on March 31, 2013 at 5:23pm

I have been thinking about using a game feeder with something to deflect the feed down to the water. A 5 gallon feeder has everthing you need timer battery solar recharger and is adjustable as to amount of feed.

Permalink Reply by Leo White Bear on April 22, 2013 at 1:36pm

Jim-

Looks like a great DIY set up, If you have the parts list, could you please send it to me

Permalink Reply by Jim Fisk on April 22, 2013 at 2:27pm

Hi Leo, The plumbing parts are 1" and easy to find and listed above. The timer for the motor run time is one I had left over from my commercial laundry chem business but a 12v off ebay should do although you will need a small 12v power supply.: http://www.ebay.com/itm/221214835533?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:VRI&...

And the clock that sets the time of feeding is a 2 settings per day BATTERY BU timer from Wally World at about 12.00. The auger is a 3/4" that I had kicking around from a yard sale but easy to pu at big box store.

The gearhead motor is from a Wascomat drain and the best deal I have seen is here: http://www.bonanza.com/listings/-gt-gt-Generic-DRAIN-VALVE-MOTOR-11...

Hope this helps. It has been working great for weeks now with one exception and that is the screw I used on the one threaded adapter wich caused a blockage on that one until I backed it out. I set it for a basic amount of feed and trip it again when I get out there if I see no leftovers. It has taken the pressure off being there at feeding time as designed:-)
Leo White Bear said:

Jim-

Looks like a great DIY set up, If you have the parts list, could you please send it to me

Permalink Reply by Leo White Bear on April 22, 2013 at 5:04pm

Thank you for the info. I will need to make 16 of these feeders for my system. I have a 16-unit IBC system still in the construction phase with 12 IBC's cut and ready for the plumbing, actually 4 of the 12 are up and cycling at the moment.

Permalink Reply by Jim Fisk on April 25, 2013 at 6:56am

I found a few more pics that I hadn't posted and they would be helpful to anyone wanting to make their own version.

Permalink Reply by Jim Fisk on May 23, 2014 at 6:11am

Here are a few more pics after I recently painted and mounted the feeders. I used aluminum paint to reflect heat and light. I have mounted them so they can be swiveled away from the IBC opening for cleaning and I mounted them high enough on a shelf that there is an air gap to avoid moisture getting to the food in the nozzle. Also I placed a strip of electrical tape on each side of the jug before painting so I can view the level of the food in the feeder. Of course you remove the tape after painting and before the paint dries to avoid pulling paint off.Here you can see the air gap better.And again the air gap is even bigger on feeder 2. The funnel is just a 1 1/2" to 2" adapter that I use on the top of my bell siphons. It is set in the IBC cap.