Recently bought this auto-feeder from PetSolutions.com on sale for $29.99. Setting the feed times is no more difficult than setting a VCR You can set up to 4 different feed times and can reasonably control how much is fed. It also allows you to "manually" feed via a button conveniently located on the unit. Pellets, flakes and perhaps freeze-dried foods work well with the Eheim. My one complaint with the feeder is the miniscule velcro patch sent with the feeder. It didn't hold my feeder on my cross-brace and the feeder fell into my tank not long after I attached it. Lucky for me, a quick RO water dip saved the internal electronics from damage and the unit works perfectly now