DIY Refridgerated Auto Feeding Unit

So I've been trying to figure out how to make one on the cheap for a while now, and I may have an idea.

Minifridges are a dime a dozen, but I'm trying to build something more compact. I found a desktop micro fridge that runs about $30-$40 and a cheap dosing pump ( so cheap I'm sure it will fail ) in the $14 range. I'll need a pump to feed water up out of the tank then through the microfridge and back into the tank, which I have laying around. Then a venturi valve setup to plumb into the line running from the pump into the fridge and back into the tank.

Hook all this up onto a digital timer mount, mount it on the wall above my tank, and voila.

Now lets see if it'll work, other than in theory

I should have everything for it by next weekend.

Lol great idea! Patent your design if it works .

Its based off an idea I got from Steve Weasts setup, this one will just be a little slimmer and more affordable. It'll only be able to house 1-2 bottles of liquid food instead of 3-4. And it doesn't have a cool magnetic stirrer..........yet

Haha. I can't wait to see how this works out. When you're done could you post a cost so I can have an idea of how much it costs .

Man I am just saving money all the time, lol. Figured out how to make my own magnetic stirrer using a an old computer fan some pvc and some magnets.

Total cost, maybe $5 when I'm done gathering leftovers from my garage.

I am going to splurge a little on the refrigeration unit though, only $66 but more than my free mini fridge sitting in the garage doing nothing. Found THIS ONE ON EBAY It houses the wine bottles upright so It is only 10 inches deep which will allow me to mount it on the wall. Also liked the idea of a viewable front.

Found this neat thread on a DIY dosing system, going to try and use something similar for dosing food into my tank, but keep it all refrigerated.

http://www.thereeftank.com/forums/f76/diy-dosing-pump-26883.html

Well the DIY magnetic stirrer works, I just need my stir bar I ordered off ebay to show up now. All I need now is a variable voltage regulator to control the fan speed and a project box to house it in.

I also tested out this idea in my garage over the weekend with just water. So far it seems as though it should work. The only problem I've had is limiting the air going into the jar. The cheapo plastic turn valves are not going to do it. Just gotta pick some metal ones that can hold back the air pressure without leaking like the plastic ones are.

I hooked what I have so far up and tested it out on a digital timer. I set the timer for 1 minute and it easily drained 2 cups worth of liquid out of the "feeding" jar and into my measuring cup and then turned off with out any syphon since I put a 1 way valve on the air line.

AquaticEngineer wrote:Found this neat thread on a DIY dosing system, going to try and use something similar for dosing food into my tank, but keep it all refrigerated.

http://www.thereeftank.com/forums/f76/diy-dosing-pump-26883.html

Here's a pic of the fridge I got on ebay. Its dimensions are 13W x 10D x 16H and it can hold 4 bottles of wine, so it should have plenty of room for what I need it for.

Good thing you're good with the DIY stuff. It's all over my head .

Pufferfreak wrote:Good thing you're good with the DIY stuff. It's all over my head .

Haha, agreed.

I might have understood half of what he posted...

My advice is to not go the stirrer route. While it sounds like a good idea....it's really not that practical. I seldom use mine. The real problem comes with the refrigerated shelf life of defrosted foods. In my case, I wanted to dose cyclopese over a several week period. It turns out that the shelf life of defrosted cyclopese (even at 38 F) is a couple of days. I'm sure other foods are similar. Without the preservatives, it spoils quickly even if kept just above freezing. I occasionally set it up....but, IMO, it was a failed experiment.....not from a functioning standpoint...but, from a food preservation standpoint. If you have another food in mind that needs constant stirring...but, does not spoil....then go for it.

I was planning on mimicking your feeding style actually and going with the Reef Nutrition foods. The stirrer was more or less something for me to build while I wait for stuff from ebay to show up I thought I might use it for dosing a cube of frozen plankton or something on occasion.

Picked up 2 of these dosing pumps off ebay for a smoking deal.

Found info on them here:
http://www.cannonwater.net/dr-2000.aspx
http://www.beta-technology.com/Industrial_DR-2000.html
Its no bubble magus, but it should get the job done.
Total price for entire setup should be under $150.

The whine chiller fridge should be here tomorrow, then I just gotta wait until pay day to buy some pipe and fittings and we are into the test phase

Perfect!