The floating system may be working as the water level in the lake or pond fluctuates. However, it is not addressing a very fundamental problem, the swans are actually causing the water to get into the feeder as they swim towards the feeder and a small wake is produced. You can leave the floating system intact if your water fluctuates that much. Whether the fluctuation is a problem or not, we would suggest that you raise the feeder off of the water approximately 1 foot. The swans can still reach the food due to their long necks, but will prevent the water from floating into feeder as the swans swim toward it.

Usually, the feeders only need to be cleaned approximately 2-3 weeks. You should only have to scoop out the food near the trap door every 2-3 days. By raising the feeder, this should help minimize the cleaning. Yes, the food will get somewhat moist from the wet beaks, but a scoop out every 2-3 days should be sufficient. Just run your hands through the food until you reach dry food and bring it forward toward the door. We hope this helps. The Regal Swan