Review on 🐟 EHEIM TWIN Automatic Feeder with Battery Operation by Leslie Smith

Eheim TWIN battery automatic feeder overview The automatic feeder used in a large aquarium has stopped working for some time and had to be replaced before leaving. . The residents are bottom feeders and some cichlids, so I considered buying two automatic feeders - one for bottom feeders and the other for cichlid feeders. While searching I came across this double feeder that got good reviews so I ordered it. It arrived on time and was well packaged by the sender. The packaging of the device is well done and thanks to Eheim for not overdoing it with too much foam or plastic. It even came with a Duracell Dry Cell Kit. The feeder is a large unit with a large LCD panel and four buttons on the back and a sort of ramp with a lid at the top on the front. The battery compartment is a removable block that snaps onto the bottom of the feeder. Feeding hoppers are large with large openings for easy filling with hinged lids. The funnels are made of smoky gray plastic and you can easily see how much food is left. The business end is a pair of snails with a hinged lid that pops open when either one walks, then snaps shut to keep moisture and food out. Covers, augers and battery compartment are removable for easy cleaning. This thing is big and tall; Food outlet a few inches above the base. This is good because it's protected from moisture and splashes, but because it's tall it requires a fairly large hole in the aquarium lid. First I installed the feeder on the right side panel and moved the other panel a few inches to the left. It was a temporary measure until I came up with a permanent install. I took a page from another reviewer's book, cut off the top and bottom of a large scented water container, and used it as a funnel through a large slotted hole cut in the plexiglass cover behind the lantern. (Two overlapping 2" holes were cut side by side and the tips sawed off.) This seems to work fairly well - feed gets in, aggressive splashing of fish while feeding is not a problem, and fish cannot jump out. easy, if not entirely intuitive. The instructions are in over a dozen languages, I used the UK English version and found it (mostly) understandable. Each auger can be programmed to run up to 3 times a day and rotate 1 to 9 times. You can set the time or randomize it for each run. Each snail can also be set to pause on the seventh day. You start by programming the current time and then program the left auger by sequentially going through three passes, first setting the start time and then the number of revolutions for that pass. If you select zero turns in the program, it will jump that snail to the end and ask (with a flashing pause icon) if you want your fish to starve on the seventh day. When the left auger is programmed, repeat the process for the right auger. Once programmed, you can select one of your programs and press Enter to immediately start that program manually. She seems to handle a fairly wide range of products; I distributed both small and large round croquettes, chips and flakes. Flakes are not suitable for feeders, they are prone to static electricity and therefore stick to plastic parts, and the unevenness leads to clogging. This feeder handles flakes fairly well - better than the previous one, but I still prefer using Tetra Crisps at this stage because they run and dose more evenly than flakes. I've been using this feeder for about six months now and have found that although it's large and a bit noisy, it delivers feed to the bottom and middle feeders with no problem. The fish "hear" him running and know that food is coming. They also seem to be aware of the schedule and come out of hiding just before delivery. The battery indicator still shows the cells are full, even though I only turn the augers about five times a day. Getting used to the aquarium wasn't easy, but it was worth the effort; it's pretty versatile and one day it's easy to fill. I didn't mind leaving him for two weeks while we were away from home. It is far more reliable and in my opinion better suited for delivery than the rotary valves I have used in the past. Honesty, does what it says on the tin and is worth the effort hence a 5.