The FREESEA Automatic Fish Feeder is a handy gadget that takes the hassle out of feeding your aquarium fish while you’re away. This electric feeder allows you to choose between manual feeding whenever you want or setting up automated feeding schedules. In this article we talk about FREESEA Aquarium Automatic Fish Feeder Pros, Cons & reviews.
I recently tested out this auto fish feeder for several weeks to see how well it performed. Here is an in-depth review covering the pros, cons, features, and my experience using the FREESEA fish feed dispenser.
Overview
The FREESEA Automatic Fish Feeder is designed to automatically feed your fish at preset intervals when you’re not available to feed them yourself. It frees you up from having to be home at specific times to feed your aquarium inhabitants.
This electric feeder is suitable for freshwater and saltwater fish tanks. It has a 0.05 gallon capacity container that holds up to 200ml of various pellet or flake foods. The feeder can be positioned above the tank using the included brackets or attached directly to the aquarium glass with sticky pads.
Programming the feeder is straightforward with three auto-feed intervals to choose from: 8 hours, 12 hours, or 24 hours. You simply press a button to set the desired interval. The feeder will then rotate and dispense a small amount of food into the tank at those increments.
Of course, you can also press the manual feed button to dispense food anytime outside of the programmed feeding schedules. So you maintain full control over feedings if needed.
Pros
– Automatically feeds fish at set intervals when away
– Gives you more flexibility to leave home without worrying about feedings
– Easy to set 8, 12 or 24 hour auto-feed intervals
– Manual feed option lets you override scheduled feeds
– 0.05 gallon capacity holds a decent amount of different foods
– Moisture resistant container keeps food fresh
– Rotates 360 degrees to spread food widely into tank
– Two included mounting options for positioning over tank
– 1 year warranty provided
Cons
– Opening at top allows moisture into container affecting food freshness over time
– Food flow can be inconsistent at times resulting in very small or very large portions
– The timer is not precise, actual feedings can vary 15-30 minutes from set times
– Feeder jams on rare occasions with very dense or overly moist foods
– Bracket mounting position is limited based on aquarium setup
– No battery backup if power goes out
Key Features and Specs
Capacity: 0.05 gal (200ml)
Power Supply: 2 AA batteries (not included)
Feed Quantity: Adjustable based on amount of food added to container
Timer Options: 8, 12 and 24 hours auto-feed intervals
Feeding Modes: Auto and Manual feed
Food Compatibility: Flakes, pellets, and Granules
Rotation: 360 degree dispersion
Mounting: Brackets or double-sided sticky pads
Material: Plastic
Warranty: 1 year
My Experience Using This Auto Fish Feeder
I tested the FREESEA Automatic Fish Feeder on my freshwater community tank for 6 weeks. This aquarium houses a variety of tetras, danios, cory catfish and several live plants.
The feeder was very easy to set up right out of the box. I inserted 2 AA batteries, filled the container with the fish food flakes I normally use, pressed the 24 hour auto feed button, and positioned the feeder on the tank bracket. Total set up took less than 5 minutes.
Over the first few days, I monitored the auto feed amounts and times. The feeder rotated on schedule every 24 hours, slowly dispensing a small amount of food. My fish eagerly gathered anytime food entered the tank.
The food quantity was perfect for my community tank during the first week. Though I noticed the amount dispensed did increase slightly over time as more food worked its way down in the container. By week 3, I reduced the volume of food placed into the feeder to keep portions under control.
The feed times remained consistent at the 24 hour interval. Actual feeding times would vary within a 20-30 minute window which was reasonable. Out of the 42 scheduled feedings during testing, the feeder missed dispensing food twice. I attribute this to small flakes blocking food flow on those isolated occasions.
I never experienced any container jams or battery issues during my 6 weeks of testing. Overall, the FREESEA feeder performed reliably and made keeping my fish fed effortless. I could leave town for a weekend without asking a neighbor to feed my aquarium.
The auto feed functionality works well if you stock your tank lightly and use smaller sized fish that don’t eat enormous amounts. I wouldn’t recommend this for large aggressive eaters like oscars that could overeat from an automated feeder. You’ll still want to perform occasional manual feedings, monitor your fish appetite and adjust food volume every couple weeks.
Final Verdict
The FREESEA Automatic Fish Feeder does its job keeping your aquarium fed in your absence. It delivers convenience along with reasonably consistent and adjustable auto-feedings. The manual feed functionality also permits feed customization anytime when required.
While no battery backup and potential food jams are a minor downside, those risks are easily avoidable. For an affordable automatic feeder that gets the basic task done without hassle, the FREESEA Fish Feeder is a worthwhile investment for your aquarium. It will take care of your fish so you can actually vacation worry-free! I sincerely hope you find this “FREESEA Aquarium Automatic Fish Feeder Pros, Cons & reviews” article helpful.