Quick Start Guide (Video)Updated a month ago

Welcome to the aF4 — the world's first and only automated frozen fish food feeder. This guide will walk you through everything you need to do to get from unboxing to your first automated feed. Follow the steps in order and you'll be up and running in no time.

Before you begin

Make sure you have the following ready:

• A sink or bucket for the pre-use rinse
• A power outlet within range of your aquarium

Step 1 — Unbox and inspect

Carefully remove the aF4 and the smaller box on the left side of the packaging. The left box contains your tubing, which is coiled and attached to the unit.

Open the top of the tubing box and pull the coiled tubing free, then slide the box off.

Check that the following are present:

• aF4 main unit with tubing attached
• Power supply
• Tank mount

If anything is missing or appears damaged, submit a support ticket before proceeding.

For a full parts checklist see our What's in the Box Guide.

Step 2 — Pre-use rinse

This step is mandatory. Always rinse your aF4 before using it for the first time.

1. Take the aF4 and power supply to a sink
2. Fill the reservoir at least halfway with warm water
3. Submerge the long black intake tube in a water source of at least 12oz — a glass or bowl of water works well
4. Position the gray output tube so water will drain into the sink or a bucket
5. Connect the power supply and power on the unit with a firm 3-second press of the power button
6. Press Feed Now to run a flush cycle — repeat 2–3 times
7. Power off the unit and empty any remaining water from the reservoir

If water does not dispense during the rinse: This can happen on brand new units or units that have been stored for an extended period. Run one Auto-Clean cycle, then attempt Feed Now again. If water still does not dispense after a second Auto-Clean cycle, submit a support ticket before proceeding.

For a full walkthrough see our Pre-Use Rinse Guide.

Step 3 — Mount and position the unit

Place or mount the aF4 within reach of a power outlet and within 6 feet of where you want food to be dispensed into your aquarium.

Important placement considerations:

• Always use a drip loop on the power cable to prevent water from tracking down to the outlet
• Ensure at least 6 inches of clearance around all vents and intakes — do not install in an enclosed cabinet without active airflow
• The included tank mount is compatible with euro-bracing and rimless tanks. Rimmed tanks will require the rimmed adapter

For detailed placement guidance see our Placement & Orientation Guide.

Step 4 — Power on and configure settings

With the unit mounted and the output tube in position, connect the power supply and power on the aF4 with a firm 3-second press of the power button. The status LED will flash green briefly then turn solid green.

Set your feed time offsetThe aF4 will automatically feed once every 24 hours at the time you first powered it on. Use the feed time offset buttons to shift that time earlier or later in 2-hour increments if needed.

Set your feed quantitySelect how much food the aF4 will dispense per feed cycle using the feed quantity buttons.

Set your temperatureWe recommend starting on setting 2 — it maintains excellent food freshness and works reliably across all food types and dilution ratios. You can adjust from there based on your preferences over time.

For detailed guidance on each setting see our Programming Your aF4 guides.

Step 5 — Run a test feed

Before loading food, run a test feed using tank water to confirm everything is working correctly.

1. Set your feed quantity to 30 mL or 50 mL for the test — this gives you a large enough volume to confirm the unit is working correctly
2. Fill the reservoir with tank water
3. Submerge the long black intake tube in the aquarium or sump, the long gray output tube should be jsut above the water-line for the test.
4. Press Feed Now
5. Observe the long gray output tube for water dispensing, and watch the reservoir for the water level going down — both confirm the unit is pumping correctly

If the test feed completes successfully, your aF4 is ready to use. Empty the reservoir, and see our Food Preparation Guides for instructions on how to prepare and load your first reservoir of food.

You're all set

Your aF4 is now configured and ready to feed your aquarium automatically every day. A few things worth bookmarking for later:

• Food Preparation Guides — how to load and prepare food correctly
• Understanding Your aF4's Lights & Sounds — what every LED means
• Maintenance Guide — how to keep your aF4 running at peak performance
• Troubleshooting — if something doesn't look right

Questions during setup? Submit a support ticket and our team will help you get started.