What Preparations?

[eaglesaquarium]

Get a timer.  

 

[Noahsfish]

Get a timer.

 
 
O.  That's a better idea, especially if you have plants.  I always just leave my lights off because I have relatively low light plants and most of my tanks are near windows.

 

[calversbuyuk]

couldn't you get one of the food things that stick on the glass, or an automatic feeder there about £5-20 in the Uk on ebay...
http/www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Auto-Automatic-Aquarium-Fish-Tank-Bowl-Food-Feeder-Once-Twice-A-Day-/140968314139?pt=UK_Pet_Supplies_Fish&hash=item20d25dc51b
 
or how about things like putting cucumber on a spoon in the tank (not sure if your fish would like them but my Cichlids love it)
 
 
Hope it helps

 

[coolie]

Trouble is with putting in a strange food like a veggie or block is getting the fish to *recognise* it as food. And if they don't - they wont touch. I agree that the small timer units are the best solution.

 

[eaglesaquarium]

couldn't you get one of the food things that stick on the glass, or an automatic feeder there about £5-20 in the Uk on ebay...
http/www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Auto-Automatic-Aquarium-Fish-Tank-Bowl-Food-Feeder-Once-Twice-A-Day-/140968314139?pt=UK_Pet_Supplies_Fish&hash=item20d25dc51b
 
or how about things like putting cucumber on a spoon in the tank (not sure if your fish would like them but my Cichlids love it)
 
 
Hope it helps

 
 
Automatic feeders are notorious for failures, be it related to moisture getting into the food and spoiling it, gumming up the moving parts, etc.  I don't trust them.
 
Then there's the food blocks which dissolve entirely too fast, too slow-not at all, and it fouls the water.  Those are best for... the bin, honestly.

 

[calversbuyuk]

 

couldn't you get one of the food things that stick on the glass, or an automatic feeder there about £5-20 in the Uk on ebay...
http/www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Auto-Automatic-Aquarium-Fish-Tank-Bowl-Food-Feeder-Once-Twice-A-Day-/140968314139?pt=UK_Pet_Supplies_Fish&hash=item20d25dc51b
 
or how about things like putting cucumber on a spoon in the tank (not sure if your fish would like them but my Cichlids love it)
 
 
Hope it helps

 
 
Automatic feeders are notorious for failures, be it related to moisture getting into the food and spoiling it, gumming up the moving parts, etc.  I don't trust them.
 
Then there's the food blocks which dissolve entirely too fast, too slow-not at all, and it fouls the water.  Those are best for... the bin, honestly.
 

ahh see I haven't had the problem, I always had it above the tank also I use pellets as its for my Cichlid fish so slightly different but every time I use it it has worked fine. I leant it to a friend for a week for his community tank full of flakes and it worked fine for him.

 

[eaglesaquarium]

What brand are you using?   I've never heard of anyone having long-term success with them.  It seems that it is always a question of 'when' not 'if' it breaks down.
 
 
And how far "above" the tank?

 

[calversbuyuk]

its a 'Resun AF2-009D' got it cheap as well but I literally just put it on top of the lid really so a few inches above the water and it seems ok