They come in all shapes and sizes, pond feeders. These devices are used regularly, especially in koi ponds. After all, it ensures consistent feeding, which promotes growth. A number of factors are important for koi to grow up well. These are the water quality and fish stocking, potency, and nutrition. It is not only about good and healthy food with the right ingredients, but also a consistent feeding schedule.
What are the advantages of a feeder in a koi pond?
Feeders can be extremely useful for several reasons. It is an invention when you are little near the pond. It can also help to achieve good growth and the dosage of food can be dosed throughout the day.
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Feeding times with regularity and fixed pattern
A major advantage is that feeding can be done consistently and regularly. The timer of the automatic feeder can be set so that it always feeds at the same time. This ensures that you can spread the food that the koi consume throughout the day. What a promotion for growth means.
Certainly at warmer temperatures, once a day is not enough if you want to achieve good growth. A feeding schedule is not a bad approach, it gets even better when you know for sure that the fish are fed at the right time. With a feeder, you can use a pattern so that the fish, for example, receive a small portion of food every 3 hours.
Better distribution of nutrition, resulting in better water quality
Suppose 300 grams per day is fed in one feeding session, or 75 grams is given four times a day by a vending machine. It goes without saying that four feedings ensure a better distribution of the waste. The bacteria in the pond have to process waste all day long so that the ammonia value in the pond has fewer peaks and troughs.
Little at home or on vacation
If you are not in the vicinity of the pond, it is still possible to feed. For example, one of these moments could be a vacation. With a feeder, it is not necessary to ask an acquaintance or neighbor to feed the fish. This way you can be sure that the fish are getting the right amount of food and nothing more or less.
What disadvantages are associated with a feeder?
A feeder is extremely useful, but it does not only bring advantages. There are three drawbacks that are likely to occur.
Pests can easily get into the vending machine
You won’t be the first to get pests in his feeder. These can be all kinds of critters. The worst are slugs, which can even block the exit, preventing pellets from passing through. In addition, with the sticky mucus, ensure that grains can stick.
It is a good idea to put small amounts in the feeder at a time. Never more than food for one full week.
The fish are getting shy
Koi people generally associate with food. When someone comes near the pond, the fish usually come right away. Not for nothing, they know exactly where the food comes from that they love so much. By using a vending machine, the fish usually become a bit shy.
It is best to use a feeder for support. Therefore, do not allow the feeder to provide the full portion of food that the fish need per day. For example, let the feeder give half, early in the morning, until the middle of the day. When you are at home, later in the afternoon or in the evening, you can give a rest.
The food gets wet in the machine
Many feeders are located on the edge of the pond. Some splashing from the fish can cause the feed in the vending machine to get wet. This can result in a sticky substance that can no longer leave the machine. Another reason is condensation that is present in the summer.
Solutions are to use an extension at the exit so that splashes can no longer reach the food. This also makes a big difference for condensation, but it is not the real solution. To avoid wet food as much as possible, it is best to work with small amounts of food in the vending machine, never more than food for one week if possible.
