Automatic Aquarium Feeder

Intro: Automatic Aquarium Feeder

Its An Automatic Fish Feeder / Powerhead or Airpump controller

Everyday I had to turn off my aquarium's powerhead/air pump and feed manually and turn on the air again after an hour. So I found very cheap alternative to make these process fully automatic.

STEP 1: What You Need?

Alarm Clock
555 timer IC
620K Resister
10uF Capacitor
DC Motor
AC/DC 12v Adoptor
Receptacle for food
Relay Switch
Soldering Iron

STEP 2: How Its Works?

I just hang the food receptacle In the aquvarium's hood, it has small holes in the bottom which small enough to hold or struck foods inside as long as stay still without shake. and attach a dc motor in it for make vibrate some seconds to drop foods, which controller by a 555 timer ic circuit triggered on by the hacked cheap alarm clock. so alarm'll automatically trigger 555 twice a day and 555 runs motor some seconds like 10 seconds in this circuit below. Normally these kinda clocks automatically snooze alarms approximately an hour. ie it took an hour to release the connection. so we can power relay switch through this and turn off the airpumps for an hour until foods clear off

STEP 3: Hack Alarm Clock

In most of these kinda clocks we can find two leads which connects when the alarm times up. if you can't find one, just open it and find where to solder and get leads. make sure remember the gear wheels which where it goes. so that you can assemble it back together.

STEP 4: 555 Timer

Solder the 555 timer with resister and a capacitor according to the the circuit

STEP 5: Step 5

Connect Motor and attach with receptacle
facilitate to attach it in the hood

STEP 6: Step 6

Connect DC 12v Adoptor the the 555 and the relay switch parallely alog with alarm clock.
connect the AC jack through the relay for powerup the pumps triggered by the electronic relay switch.which gonna disconect when times up and turns off ater an hour or less

STEP 7: Finish Up

Assemble and pack the components safely and attach the receptacle in the hood. make sure not diped in to water or water sprinkle in it then it makes the food like mud and never fall off.
thats all folks.. just make sure its workin well and forget about feeding and controling airpumps..ENJOY

Comments

[HaniA35]

I wonder what dc motor does? vibrate? it should be rotating? or something else please I need explanation.

[petercd]

The schematic motor label in step 1 and the motor weight photo in step 5 indicate that its function is vibrate.

[KalingoG]

Hi Paul,

I need your help to build the circuit you suggested in your post. Actually I couldn't get the idea of feeding +12Vdc into the alarm clock circuit. Also Pin 2 of 555 timer will remain high for an hour which causes hour long high output , instead of which we must required just a pulse as input from clock circuit. Can you please elaborate how you connect alarm ckt & 555 timer? Really appreciate your help.

[kleinkolin]

Hi Paul, I was trying to make the aquarium feeder as per your given instruction. But I couldn't get the idea of feeding +12VDc in to the clock circuit as shown in your post. I have assembled the remaining things like Relay & 555 timer. but I'm not sure how to trigger Pin 2 of 555 timer for a fraction of second if we use this as monostable timer. I mean clock o/p will remain high for an hour but we need just a pulse to get the o/p for approx 5 sec for rotating the motor. Can you please elaborate how clock circuit is going to connect 555 IC? Really appreciate your help.. Please..

[pitoyo]

how to determine the frequency of feeding? if within one day of feeding frequency was three times?

[TaNviR77]

Found the timer for my bomb... Time Bomb... ^_^

[frikkie]

Here a timer circuit you can also use.I also want to build an automatic feeder since Im not always with me fishes.

[antonoso]

 Hi could you upload to a website like flick.com or picassa.com to download or the link
Thanks

[-henry-]

What is the chip that you have in the schematic?
I want to build a fish feeder and this circuit sounds like it would work perfectly.

[frikkie]

In the circuit I put there?  Its  a Cmos Ic  4060 .  Theres quite a few ideas I want to use this circuit for.

[-henry-]

Thanks, that's exactly what I needed.

[magnum_357]

what is really the purpose of the relay switch????

[bwpatton1]

Hmmm.....I might have to do this, being that my $$14 walmart version crapped out on me.... :( so now I have to feed my fishies everyday

[PizzaPlanet]

very good instructable the diagram was very legible thumbs up!

[paulrobinson]

Thanks

[Kinnishian]

Wow, very cool. I especially like the expansion of turning off the pump. Our small tank however has little problem with the food.

[paulrobinson]

Thank You

[1up]

Video!!! (This is a great instructable, btw. Very innovative. :) )

[paulrobinson]

Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GHX5DoJFdr9
(Thank You)

[Gamernotnerd]

I dare you to bring this to and airport, especially if you strap it to your chest.