Live bait tank options

[TB91]

Hi Ausfishers
I am looking at installing a live bait tank in transom of my 4.6m topender.The only one I can find I with the space I have available measures 400mm x 240mm x 290mm deep approx 27 litres.
I know that there are variables with inflow/outflow (installed with a 500gph pump) but is it reasonable for it to support 15 or so good size slimies/yakkas or am I asking to much from this setup. Appreciate the help
Thanks
Bassman

[murf]

or get a baitmate bait board with the live bait tank in it, put one on a mates 4.75 Quinny and he loves it

cheers Murf

[shanejohnson]

i have 30l carboy drum (people in plasics in bris) $30. Rule 360 pump and rule mount intake pickup(scoops water up while boat underway). Most importantlty in a tall drum you need to aerate water in bottom of tank. A powerstream aerator from flowrite. This is a pipe that feeds inlet at bottom of tank and adds small airbubbles and circulation. This setup easily support that bait. Power stream comes with own skin fitting, just need one for outlet; add hose and done.

[Seahorse]

I put 25lit esky, 500 pump, overflow. All works a treat

[TB91]

Thanks Murf
I had a look at their website The baitmates look really good but I may have snooked myself as I justed installed a bait board myself.
The bait tank I was looking at installing is the same one that quintrex boats are now coming out with.Just wanted to know if they are big enough for my use.
Appreciate the input Murf
Mark
69249

[TB91]

Thanks Shane johnson & Seahorse
All good ideas but I`m a bit tight for room hence the install of bait tank in the transom I thought would be the go.
Cheers
Mark

[Midnight]

If you are low on capacity, just go for extra flow. Slimies need to swim constantly, so give them some current by having the inlet at the bottom on one side to get a whirlpool goin and overflow up high. Yakkas will live in a bucket with fark all flow for a day.

Best small capacity one I have seen is Jeffo's 20 or 25L barrel from bcf and a 800 or 1000gph pump, can't remember which. But it works very well for him. I made a bigger version out of a 60L home brew barrel. Deck hose into the inlet at the bottom and 2 1" skin fittings about 4" from the top for outlets. Works like a champion. Plenty of flow and current for em to swim in.

Cheers,
Myles

[Spaniard_King]

The Key factor is as Myles has stated "FLOW" even if you keep with the smaller pump.. the good water must enter the bottom and the old water leaves via the top.

water in the top and out the top = dead livies :)

[TB91]

Thanks Myles & Garry
If the inlet is at the bottom. How do you set it up between the pick up/pump & tank so the water doesn`t drain out when there is no flow?
Cheers
Mark

[wayno60]

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No need for all 4 seats so made one into a bait tank!!!!

[the baker]

Thanks Myles & Garry
If the inlet is at the bottom. How do you set it up between the pick up/pump & tank so the water doesn`t drain out when there is no flow?
Cheers
Mark

I put in a non-return valve in worked a treat it didnt slow the flow of water down at all I will post some pics of mine tonight

hope this helps

Dave

[Midnight]

Bassman,
Basically from the time you fill the tank to put livies in it, the pump keeps running until you no longer want the livies, then when you stop the pump, the water will siphon out. If you want to keep the tank full, simply put a poly or stainless ball valve inline from the pump to the tank. Turn off the pump and close the valve and the tank stays full.

Cheers,
Myles

[Eug]

how are you guys picking up the water? bilge on a bracket? i'm currently looking to convert an old esky but looking for a removable setup for those days where i don't need it. would be great to see some pictures, some of these ideas sound pretty good - just hard to visualise them.

cheers
eug

[four_button_arnie]

mmm interesting thread. Im planning to do the same in the Yalta before the Meet and Greet

Has anyone used/considered the scoop strainer option? Its a scoop which goes on the bottom of the hull and forces water up into the pump/bilge. Works as a normal water pickup does, but IMO looks a whole lot neater as it can all be hidden in the bilge. Jumped into some Cruise Crafts the other day and they all have them. Looks the goods.

Josh

[Horse]

I have to disagree with all of those who are so pedantic about inflow and outflow point. Trust me in the fact that oxygenated water will diffuse completly throughout a 27 L tank. Try adding a few drops of food colouring and see what happens. As long as input and outlet are not facing each other there is no issue. The most important thing is to try and set up a current flow and this is all about directing the force of the inflow in the right direction. Get a flow going and you will keep your Slimies all day

[Spaniard_King]

Seen plenty of systems with inlet and outlet at the top.. they all complain about keeping slimies alive....never had an issue with the inlet feed at the bottom... we use an inline valve

yes I use a scoup on my big boat.

Will take some piks to upload tomorrow

[the baker]

Hi Mark,

this the tank that I put into my 4.2 Dory it is a 50lt Olive drum & it has a 500gph tsunami bait pump (thru hull) the tank is totally removable from the boat. You do not have to use a tank this big. there is a photo of the non-return valve there as well

[melony]

Hey The Baker

Can i ask where you sourced your Non Return Valve from and do you remember a cost on it as well

Thanks Tony

[MackerelMan]

I agree with Garry, clean water in at the bottom. I am not sure it is an oxygen thing. I think alot of livies die not from lack of oxygen but from poor water quality from the bait themselves. Water in at the bottom in my view flushes nutrient out the top. I also think its useful to keep your well as low in the hull as you can.

[Horse]

I agree with Garry, clean water in at the bottom. I am not sure it is an oxygen thing. I think alot of livies die not from lack of oxygen but from poor water quality from the bait themselves. Water in at the bottom in my view flushes nutrient out the top. I also think its useful to keep your well as low in the hull as you can.
For those of you who think that the water in a small live bait tank stratifies into layers then as I said, do a simple dye test food colouring). It tells the whole story on how fast water mixes.
The two major things that kill live baits are lack of O2 and a build up of metabolic waste products such as Ammonia. In a plummed tank even periodic flushing reduces the waste products to a negligible amount so the big issue is dissolved O2. Oxygen is introduced across the surface membrane and dissolved in the new water being pumped in. Aquarists will tell you that surface movement and agitation have a massive impact on O2 absorbtion and CO2 removal from a body of water so surface movement is very important.
Fish such as Slimies need high O2 levels and do best when the tank is set up so that the water circulates and they basically swim into the current flow. Tuna and Bonito need even more flow and you need to look at Tuna Tubes or such to keep them.
Unless you have a very deep tank with limited input then you are far better off concentrating your inflow so it sets up a current flow which will make the entire tank work better

[the baker]

Hey The Baker

Can i ask where you sourced your Non Return Valve from and do you remember a cost on it as well

Thanks Tony

Hey Tony

I got the valve from Whitworths it was about $20 you just need to trim with a hacksaw when you fit it.

Dave

[deckie]

We use slimies a lot too and agree with the others about inlet at bottom. They can be dicky but u learn fast they seem to need clean water maintained at the base and real good flow. Basically if u set a tank up to keep slimies healthy it'll work for everything. Those whitworth valves work well but put in a spot easy to get at to check.

[murf]

I also installed a Tee and a valve above the non return valve to drain the tank to the outside of boat(all but 10lts, used for washing fillets if needed at home) stuff lifting 60ltrs of water or tipping 100000000 scales and shite on the floor

and I too make sure that the inlet is to one side so it sets up a swirling motion

cheers Murf

[the baker]

I find that having a round tank the slimies get the swirling action going themselves. the bait does not have anything or any corners to get locked up in. which in turn improves the circulation in a big way. but at the end of the day it comes down to having large flow of fresh water all the time.

Dave.

[Midnight]

I agree Dave, I went from a rounded corner rectangular tank to the drum, and the difference is huge. The slimies used to get their noses stuck in the corners and paddle away on the spot and then cark it. In the drum, they just do laps into whirlpool.

Cheers

[the baker]

Midnight,

Yeah it makes a huge difference to the water quality you don't get those pockets of ammonia filled water from fish waste.
I think it is a huge point to be taken into account with any bait tank, we go and catch our bait put them into the tank and the fish spew and crap into the tank, when they are put in there from being caught. So the water flow really needs to flush that tank quickly especially if you collecting a large amount of bait and fast. I also think you get a larger population of bait into a round tank with less problems.


Dave .

[ovakil]

I put a small battery operated air stone at bottom of tank to help oxygenate water.
Cheers

[thelump]

I find that having a round tank the slimies get the swirling action going themselves. the bait does not have anything or any corners to get locked up in. which in turn improves the circulation in a big way. but at the end of the day it comes down to having large flow of fresh water all the time.

Dave.

I agree with this. I have a 25 litre round drum on the duckboard of my yalta555 with an inlet at the top with several 10mm holes drilled around the top also for water to get out. Using a 360gph pump and pickup so water is continuous slimies will live all day. That is until the dopey skipper turns the pump off between spots so just the pickup is doing the work and forgets to turn the bloody thing back on. They dont last long then:(

[the baker]

Garfish are the same, you have to rap them in cotton wool.