EHEIM TWIN Automatic Feeder, Battery Operation, Random

Review of the “Eheim TWIN Automatic Feeder, Battery Operation”The auto feeder in use on the large aquarium had stopped working some time ago and it needed replaced before we went on vacation. The denizens are bottom feeders and some Cichlids so I was thinking about purchasing two feeders - one for bottom food and another for Cichlid food. While searching I happened upon this twin feeder which was getting good reviews so I ordered one.It arrived in a timely fashion and was packaged well by the sender. The unit packaging was well done and kudos to Eheim for not overdoing it with a lot of foam or plastic. It even came with a set of Duracell dry cells.The feeder is a large unit with a large LCD panel and four buttons on the back side and a sort of ramp with a cover at the top of the front side. The battery compartment is a removable unit that snaps onto the bottom of feeder. The feeder hoppers are large with large openings for easy filling with hinged covers. The hoppers are a smoke-grey plastic and you can easily see how much food is left. The business end is a pair of augers with a hinged lid that swings up as either auger runs then snaps down keeping out moisture and preserving the food. The covers, augers, and battery compartment are all removable to facilitate cleaning.This thing is big, and it’s tall; the food output is some inches above the base. That’s good because it’s away from moisture and splashing, but because it is high it requires a pretty large hole in the aquarium cover. Initially I set the feeder on the right side cover and slid the other cover to the left a couple of inches. This was a temporary measure until I could come up with a permanent set up. I took a page out of another reviewer’s book and cut away the top and bottom of a large flavored water container and used that as a funnel that’s passed through a large oblong hole cut into the plexiglass cover behind the light. (Two overlapping 2-inch holes were cut side by side and the points filed away.) This does seem to work pretty well - food goes in, aggressive fish splashing while feeding do not cause problems and fish can’t jump out.Programming is easy, though not completely intuitive. The instructions are delivered in over a dozen languages, I was using the British English version and found them (mostly) clear. Each auger can be programmed to run up to three times in a day and can turn from 1 to 9 times. You can set a time or select random for each run. Each auger can also be set to pause on the seventh day. You start by programming the current time, and then program the left auger - riffling through the three runs in turn - first setting the time to run and then the number of turns for that run. If you select a zero number of turns on a program it skips to the end for that auger and asks (by flashing the pause symbol) if you want your fish to fast on the seventh day. When the left auger is programmed you repeat the process for the right one. Once programmed, you can select any one of your programs and hit the enter button to manually run that program immediately.It seems to handle a pretty wide variety of food; I’ve dispensed both small and large round pellets, crisps, and flakes. Flakes do not lend themselves to auto feeders, they tend to be staticky and therefore stick to the plastic parts, and the lack of uniformity causes them to clog. This feeder handles flakes pretty well - better than the previous feeder, but I still prefer to use Tetra Crisps at this point because they flow through and meter more consistently than flakes.I’ve been using this feeder for about six months now and find that though it’s big and a little noisy when it runs, it delivers food to the bottom and middle feeders with no issues. The fish “hear” it running and know that food is coming. They also seem to be cognizant of the schedule and come out of hiding just before it delivers. The battery indicator still shows the cells are full - I’m only spinning the augers about five times total per day, though. It was a bit of a challenge to adapt to the aquarium but well worth the effort; it’s quite versatile and once going is easy to keep filled. I had no reservations about leaving it in charge for two weeks while we were away. It is far more reliable and in my opinion better at delivery than the spinning hopper feeders I’ve used in the past.I'm tempted to allow four stars because of the size and the difficulty that causes in getting set up, but in all honesty it does what is promised and is well worth the effort and so five then.

Over the years I have purchased four Eheim twin automatic feeders. As you would expect from German engineering, the unit is built with integrity and reliability. The instruction booklet is 61 pages (see picture) and illustrated with black and white photos and in several languages. Pretend you're back in college and taking notes from that professor who entered school at five years of age and never left. This is not an easy-to-use feeder despite the considerable effort by Eheim to break down the information in a logical fashion (I felt like I was reading a manual to operate my Mercedez Benz!). The unit provides multiple capabilities for various food types, times, cycles, including "random" feeding times. Closely follow the instructions step-by-step and try to memorize the system behind the programming. Assembling the unit requires multiple steps and a sensitivity to how parts fit together. Do not rush this process. I found the list of multiple languages somewhat tedious as you need to progress to the next step by keeping your place in the programming outline. Once programmed, you can expect flawless operation if this sensitive unit is safely secured to whatever platform you have. The tiny velcro tabs for the tiny rubber feet are more a gentle joke than a security system. CAUTION: If you change food types, or alter the number of fish, or modify your tank environment in any way that would necessarily require modification in how you feed your fish, you will need to test again if the proper number of feeding cycles is adequate. This will require adjustments to the feeding unit. For me, I have to consult the instruction pamphlet once again to ensure I understand the multiple step process. This requires flipping through the 61-page pamphlet all over again. ALSO: If this unit comes into contact with any moisture (definite possibility given this unit is for aquariums), WATCH OUT! Twice my housekeeper -that's right, TWICE - knocked the pricey unit into the tank. Once the Eheim unit went to the bottom of my 55-gallon tank like a rock. The tank was thick with food flakes! Another time the unit barely touched the surface before my housekeeper, amid screams of "Not again!" scooped the expensive unit from the tank. In both times the unit was completely ruined and malfunctioned like a bizarre creature from a Sci-Fi film, spitting out clumps of food in a continuous grind, opening and shutting its lid, and finally clunking to an irreversible death. I had to purchase a new one. Yesterday my fourth Eheim unit was sprinkled with a few drops of water as I moved an algae scrapper across the tank. The unit started whirring and whining and continuously pushed fish food from both cylinders at an alarming rate showering food into my tank like rain. EHEIM SUPPORT: I emailed support and wondered if there is any way they could prepare this fine unit to exist around water with more confidence that it would not react like a touchy robot (remember, the Witch in the Wizard of Oz melted with one drop of water!). Eheim Support was cordial and professional and sent me a replacement, although that is not what I requested. Thank you, Eheim! Yes, I will buy this unit again. Several times I've traveled out of the country for several weeks at a time. This Eheim feeder worked like it's supposed to work. The fish were fat and happy.