Creating a 3D-printed automatic fish feeder

Helios Labs has designed an automatic fish feeder using Arduino and a 3D printer. 

Aquaponics is a food production system that combines conventional aquaculture (such as raising aquatic animals) with hydroponics (cultivating plants in water) in a symbiotic environment. Fish are the power house of any good aquaponics system, as they provide the nutrients for the plants. In an effort to ensure that the creatures are properly fed, the crew over at Helios Labs has come up with a DIY solution. The Makers recently created a 3D-printed fish feeder that hangs from a planter over a tank in an aquaponics system.

The project was programmed with a rather simple code that works by feeding the fish twice a day — once when first plugged in and then again several hours later using a “delay” function. After the fish are fed for the second time, the delay function is called upon again in order to wait until the original starting time, which in their case was 7am.

The unit itself is comprised of a hopper that holds the…