Question about diy mandarin feeder

Derrick0580 · Jul 8, 2022

So I found @Paul B brine shrimp feeder through a google search and had pretty much all of the materials laying around except the mesh. I don’t have a scrap ro membrane nor does my wife own any hosiery…..i do however have some different types of media bags and mesh fabric on hand. Does anyone know off hand what micron is going to work best? I know the brs media bags are 200 micron. I also have some red sea media bags that came with filter cups which are 225 micron. And I’m pretty sure the 50 micron material I have for diy pod sieves is too small anyway. Any help is appreciated!

fishguy242 · Jul 9, 2022

@Mibu ?? @dvgyfresh ??

Goaway · Jul 9, 2022

fishguy242 said:
@Mibu ?? @dvgyfresh ??

I never used a feeder for a mandy. I got no idea on this one. 200 micron would probably work though. It's just to keep the other greedy fish away. I am sure nylon is a bit more tightly woven than 200 micron. While nylon socks are about probably 50-75 un-stretched.

rmorris_14 · Jul 9, 2022

@NowGlazeIT I think he built one of these based of the PaulB. He might also have some helpful info on it.

NowGlazeIT · Jul 9, 2022

You’ll want to test them out first. Place a piece of food inside the sock. If the food slips through as it thaws then the micron is too large. Next go to the sink turn the water on and spray the food through the sock. If the food does not pass through then the micron is to small.

NowGlazeIT · Jul 9, 2022

My feeder did not use a mesh, I used a long enough tube that the inside was cut off from water movement. This allowed food to settle and mandarin to come peck as they please. They literally eat all day, one slow nibble at a time.

Dabcrusher · Jul 9, 2022

are you trying to feed nauplii, juveniles and adults or what. if so i 350 is good for most species if you want them to be able to get out

Derrick0580 · Jul 9, 2022

I am wanting to start with Paul’s original design where I add freshly hatched brine so they are getting the yolk sac. Then I will eventully begin adding thawed brine to the top of the mesh and hopefully I can then remove the mesh all together and feed straight frozen as they have learned to eat it.

Paul B · Jul 10, 2022

I used a stocking. Go to a drugstore, they are like 3 bucks and you can make 20 feeders. Don't stretch it. It will take the fish a week or two to get used to it and don't clean it to much.

Derrick0580 · Jul 10, 2022

I currently have the one I built cooking in the sump. Have you found your mandarins prefer any particular type of nylons over another? Like do they want grandma style full panty hose or do I need to splurge and get seamed thigh highs and dangle the matching garter belt above the tank? Lol. I have been hitting up all of my reefing friends trying to find an old ro membrane as I do have urchins and have read where they tend to tear through the hosiery.

Paul B · Jul 10, 2022

The fish don't seem to care but you need to clean the stocking or the shrimp won't get through, but don't clean the rest of the thing to much.

Derrick0580 · Jul 19, 2022

Are all ro membranes basically the same? Like if I just buy the cheapest one I can find to cut up to get the plastic mesh out will it have the small mesh you suggest? Or is it only the higher end stuff we use for our aquariums that have the smaller mesh?