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Temperature SettingsUpdated 2 months ago
The aF4 features a built-in cooling system that keeps your frozen fish food fresh between feeds. This guide explains what each temperature setting does and how to choose the right one for your setup.
How the temperature settings work
The row of 5 LEDs above the temperature buttons shows your current setting. The leftmost position is the coldest, marked with a snowflake symbol (❆). The rightmost position is the warmest.
| LEDs lit | Setting | Temperature range |
|---|---|---|
| 1 (❆ snowflake) | Coldest | −1°C to 0°C (30°F to 32°F) |
| 2 | Cold | 0°C to 2°C (32°F to 35°F) |
| 3 | Cool | 2°C to 3°C (35°F to 37°F) |
| 4 | Mild | 3°C to 4°C (37°F to 39°F) |
| 5 (rightmost) | Warmest | 4°C to 5°C (39°F to 41°F) |
Press the temperature buttons to cycle through the settings. The number of LEDs lit indicates your current selection.
Which setting should I use?
We recommend starting on setting 2 for most users. It keeps food well within the safe cold storage range, works reliably across all common food types and dilution ratios, and avoids the freezing issues that can occasionally occur on the snowflake setting.
From there, adjust based on your preferences and how long you need the food to stay fresh.
Setting 2 — recommended for most setups: A reliable starting point for the majority of users. Keeps food cold and fresh without the risk of the slurry freezing solid. Well suited to mysis shrimp, brine shrimp, and most cube-based foods.
Setting 1 (snowflake) — maximum freshness: The coldest setting and the best for long-duration loads. Ideal when you need the food to stay fresh for the maximum possible time. However, it requires a little more care:
- Always allow frozen food cubes to thaw into slurry form before loading at this setting — loading frozen cubes directly can cause the food to freeze solid inside the reservoir
- Use high salinity saltwater for dilution — low salinity raises the freezing point of the slurry and can cause it to freeze at this temperature
- If you experience frozen food on the snowflake setting, try setting 2 — it maintains excellent freshness and in most setups performs just as effectively
Settings 3/4/5 — warmer storage: These settings keep food cold but above freezing. Suitable for users who are refilling frequently and don't require long-duration freshness, or for certain food types that don't perform well at lower temperatures.
Freshwater users
If you are running a freshwater setup and diluting with freshwater instead of saltwater, we recommend using setting 2 or higher. Freshwater has a higher freezing point than saltwater, which means the slurry is more likely to freeze at the colder settings.
For more guidance on freshwater-specific settings see our Freshwater Use Guide.
How long does food stay fresh?
Under ideal conditions the aF4 can keep food fresh for up to 21 days. Achieving maximum duration requires the coldest settings, high salinity dilution, and food that has never been allowed to warm above 3°C (37°F).
For most users a realistic and practical duration is 10–15 days depending on the setting used and the food type. See our Food Freshness Guide for full details on maximising freshness duration.
Related articles
- Food Freshness Guide — maximizing how long food stays fresh
- Food Not Dispensing Guide — if food is freezing solid in the reservoir
- Freshwater Use Guide — temperature recommendations for freshwater setups
- Slurry Dilution Guide — how dilution affects temperature performance
Questions about temperature settings? Submit a support ticket and our team will help.