# Ideas for a live bait tank



## rhorm (Mar 25, 2005)

I go fishing almost everyday. Sometimes the bite just isn't on and I'm left with extra bait (mostly shrimp). I would like to be able to have something at home to keep my leftovers alive. I was thinking about rigging a old cooler with aerators. Any ideas would be helpful.


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## barty b (Dec 31, 2004)

Heres what I do, Get you a rubbermaid 75gal tote box and a 750gph external mount pump from wally world. Drill a hole in the side of the tank to fit the intake line. Make sure the hole is at the bottom of the tank. use the fittting supplied to attatch the pump. Run hose from the outflow port into the top of the tank. the pump will run on a gel type marine battery. Now I'm no electrician but I think there is a way to convert it to 110V so you can plug it in.


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## ReelinRod (May 29, 2003)

Presently I have a homemade tank I fashioned from a 55 gal plastic drum with a bilge pump aerator from Keep-Alive systems. It rides in my rear trailer hitch in a custom mount. Round or oval tanks are best for fish, in a square-cornered container Herring and bunker especially tend to nose in and will eventually die. In a rounded tank they just swim . . . With shrimp that may not be such an important design criteria.

I have trouble with water temp in the late summer, (increased metabolism, increased oxygen demand, higher stress, quicker fishie mortality), so an insulated unit is my next move. 

I want to modify an Igloo keg cooler, it is a drum shaped cooler that holds a half-keg. It has a 25in diameter, put a hinged Corian lid on it and it will be the chit! Keep everything alive for a long while.













The Patio Barrel is a real barrel of fun! This round barrel shaped ice chest is great for special events and group gatherings. The Igloo Patio Barrel comes with large locking casters that make it easy to move. Ideal for kegs! Large enough to hold a keg or up to 163 12-oz. cans.

Thick Ultratherm insulation keeps drinks cold for hours.
Heavy-duty locking casters make moving easy.
Threaded drain plug for draining.
Friction-fit lid holds in the cold.
Round shape makes it ideal for parties, picnics and special events.
Dimensions: 25" Diameter x 31" Tall
Shipping Dimensions: 25"L x 25"W x 29"H
Weight: 28lbs.
$109.95


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## jettypark28 (Jun 23, 2006)

*Livebait*

is mostly what i do. And if its just shrimp that you are bringing home. A five gallon bucket with a fish pump from wally world will keep them alive for a while. What kills most bait is heat, so if you are going fishing the next day. Just throw in a couple of small baggie fill with ice,also a good thing to bring another bucket of saltwater to add and that will cool the water down. If you are talking about baitfish, that change's everything. I got a 30gal livewell and it was a overkill really, but i got caught up in doing it myself. And that fine if that what you like, but in time and effort that you put into finding and making one. Finding the hose's and tubes and then how to move it (they get heavy) and then what type of Aerator to put in it....In the long run it better to pay the $70 for the "Super bait saver tank (10gal)" that come with a lid and Aerator. Big and small enough to handle and carry anything you might need....opcorn:


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## barty b (Dec 31, 2004)

Those blue ice packs work well for keeping the water cool. Also don't overload the tank when holding bait fish. My 75g will keep about 50 finger mullet or 25 "turbo's" or over 100 shrimp alive for days if ran constantly and kept cool. 

I remembered how I was told to rig it for the house. You run it off a battery while the battery is hooked up to a tending charger. This keeps the battery on a trickle charge while running the pump.


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## Bigbook (Dec 19, 2004)

*live bait tank*

My take on a live bait tank is a 33 gal barrel cut in half and a rule pump in the bottom ,12 volt . fits in my surf cart works great. the blue ice trick works good. 

tackle ho in training
President , Florida SurfCaster INC.
general fishing nut:fishing: :beer:


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## derekxec (Apr 26, 2006)

how long are you planning on keeping shrimp alive? if only till the next day then get a newspaper wet it and sprinkle lots of salt on it put your shrimp on it and fold it over put it in the fridge and about an hour before you start fishing dump them into your bucket of water....when they warm up they will be very alive


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## rgking03 (Mar 20, 2005)

The one thing that most people forget is that if you are using the tank for holding fish for over several days you might want to look into a bio filter system to kill the large amount of waste that the fish produce. I.E.. body waste. This will kill your bait quicker then anyhting else. 

One method I have done is running the return hose through a keg cooler that is powered by CO2. Keeps the water nice and cool. And you want to change the water out once a week or two.

Most bait shop near the water just cycle the bay water through the tanks.

if you wanna keep minnies alive get a small igloo and put a couple ice packs under a board with holes drilled through it and place the minnows un the board with out water. They will stay alive for about two days as long as you change the packs with frozen ones. ( Make sure the minnows cant slip through the holes.)

Main thing is keeping freshwater out and removing bio from the water, if you can do this your bait will last a long time....


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## Bigbook (Dec 19, 2004)

*oxygen bottle*



Bigbook said:


> My take on a live bait tank is a 33 gal barrel cut in half and a rule pump in the bottom ,12 volt . fits in my surf cart works great. the blue ice trick works good.
> tackle ho in training
> President , Florida SurfCaster INC.
> general fishing nut:fishing: :beer:


//forgot one thing, I do have an oxygen bottle that I will use once in a while during a long time period of fishing. it does wonders for the bait //:fishing: :fishing:


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## okimavich (Nov 13, 2006)

Water temp, chemistry and oxygen levels are what you are looking to control. Are you trying to use this just at home or make it portable? Just about any clean container which will hold water will work. Just make sure you have plenty of water volume so as to not crowd the fish.

Water temp: If you keep the container inside, you should be alright. If you take it fishing, then you will probably need bags of ice or the blue ice packs to keep the temps down in the Florida sun.

Water Chemistry: Try to match the water type the bait fish are coming from (salt or fresh). I would try to do a water change at least once a day. Otherwise, as long as you're not feeding them, you don't have to worry about ammonia or cycling the tank.

Oxygen levels: Contrary to popular believe, air bubbles do not "inject" oxygen into the water. There really isn't enough time for the oxygen to absorb into the water as the bubble rises to the top. What you are really looking for is a current. The rising bubbles create a current and bring the water up from the bottom. It is at the surface of the water where the gas exchange happens. Oxygen is absorbed and CO2 released. A small air pump is a cheap way to get the water circulating.


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## BubbaBlue (May 11, 2004)

Bigbook said:


> //forgot one thing, I do have an oxygen bottle that I will use once in a while during a long time period of fishing. it does wonders for the bait //:fishing: :fishing:


 Man, I thought I was hard core... I've never needed oxygen while fishing.








 
.


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## can't fish today (Oct 8, 2003)

Here's a trick I use. I put a wire basket like this in my 5 gal bucket and then put the bait in it. When I've done fishing for the day, I take another basket and put it upside down on top. I connect baskets with plastic wire ties. Then I tie a rope to the baskets and hide them in shallow water till I return the next day. 

Obviously, there are limitations


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## jettypark28 (Jun 23, 2006)

*Try that*

before and came back to nothing. But since i am fishing on shore, it hard to tie off and come back without somebody checking it out...People have to touch everythingopcorn: then take it it really doesnt matter what you left, someone would walk away with. :--|


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## sinker man (Jun 16, 2006)

Sarge, you do come up with the nifty toys. I didn't even know igloo made a keg cooler. As for the Keep Alive systems top notch equipment from a top notch family in New Port Ritchie, FL that according to my expierences with them will take them time out to answer any questions you have and give you any advice you ask for when it comes to rigging bait tanks. Just like a custom rod you will be happier with a system that was designed for your application.


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