Eheim 3581 Everyday Fish Feeder

Feeder

Rating:

Awards: 2009 Best Product

Purchase link coming soon...

Today's aquariums can be mostly separated into three categories: high-tech, average, and low-tech. Some products fit nicely into a low-tech setup, and others are loaded with features and are perfect for aquarium techies. However, finding a product that is fitting for the average is aquarium is difficult, and finding a product suitable for all types of aquariums is nearly impossible. The Eheim 3581 Everyday Fish Feeder is one of very few products that break the barrier.

The 3581 is a very simple, yet complex automatic fish feeder. It is simple in terms of programming, filling, and cleaning; but when you look inside the motor housing, you see much more.

The feeder accepts flake foods, pellet foods, and granular foods. Live food, or wet foods will not work in this feeder as it will spoil quickly, and you will soon ask yourself why you purchased an automatic feeder.

The outside appearance is very sleek and clean. The feeder looks unobtrusive on aquariums 20 gallons or larger, and is almost silent during operation. The feeder has a large drum capable of holding approximately 100 mL. The opening on the drum is variable by using a sliding door, which allows for remarkably precise small doses or reliable large doses for heavily stocked aquariums. The food is protected by an internal wall above the hatch opening to prevent water splashes from entering the drum and spoiling food. The 3581 lacks an airline hookup to control humidity, but employs something much more intuitive. The 3581 has a built-in impeller that drives air into the rear of the unit from a small hole, and is forced into the drum through a grated opening, and forced out of the hatch on the drum putting humidity where it belongs - on the outside. This feature also frees up an outlet since a noisy air pump is not necessary. This feature is one of the best we have found on an automatic feeder, however it does have a drawback. If the humidity above your aquarium is unusually high, the impeller system will be ineffective as it will be pushing humid air right through your fish food. If it is of concern, it would be relatively simple to attach a piece of airline tubing to the intake hole and route the end of the tube to a dryer environment, such as behind your aquarium stand.

Unlike the higher end model 3582, the 3581 is very simple to program. It allows for four separate feeding times with the option of a double feeding portion based on a 24-hour clock. On the top of the unit are four buttons and an easy to read LCD display. The largest button initiates a manual override, and the other three are used to program the feeder. The buttons push hard, which is nice, acts as a protection against an accidental feeding or alteration of your preset feeding schedule. The display shows the current time in 24-hour format. This panel allows you to check your preset feeding times, and will display a warning when your batteries are low.

The 3581 is a well balanced feeder due to a weight placed on the back panel of the motor housing. When full of food, the unit still sits firmly in place even when the drum rotates to dispense food. For added stability, Velcro can be added to keep the feeder from sliding across a surface if bumped. The feeder is powered by two AA batteries, rather than on outlet power, eliminating the chance that the cord gets tugged accidentally knocking your feeder down. That also means there is less electricity involved with operating the feeder, which is much safer if the unit accidentally falls into your aquarium.

Cleaning the feeder is a snap - literally. The drum separates from the motor housing and the back panel snaps off. The now cup-shaped drum can be rinsed along with the back panel using purified water and dried. The drum can be filled with food and attached to the motor housing. A damp paper towel will be all that is required to clean the motor housing. The most difficult part to clean is the barrier between the hatch and the inner drum, but if water doesn't do the trick, a damp paper towel will. This feeder is by far one of the easiest to clean available today.

The Eheim 3581 Everyday Fish Feeder is one of the most versatile automatic fish feeders available to consumers today. It's simple style, yet comprehensive integrated technologies make this feeder a must have for those frequently away from home. It is simple to program, and the process is clearly outlined in the easy to read instruction manual. The feeder accepts most types of food and will dispose food up to four times daily, meeting the needs of even the most demanding fish.

|Discuss this Review|

This product was sent for testing at no charge. Read more about this here.