Home made Minnow Tanks

[BamaBill]

Lots of interest in this subject. Thought I'd add my tank and see if we can share ideas. Some of you guys are old pro's at this yet I am just starting. Here is what I have....... First I promised the wife automatic waterers for her horses in exchange for one of her half poly drums (hehe).... I then used refrigeration grade sheet insulation (left over from a job) and made a giant "hugger" to insulate it. I used a blue drum because I read that the blue color calms the minnows. I picked up a 110v air pump from academy, added well water, better bait and dropped in my left over minnows.

[BamaBill]

My first results were not great. The air bubbles started the water to churning. It created a current in my tank. The leftover minnows fought 24/7 against the current created by the bubbles. You could see them rolling when they surfaced and then back to the bottomk they went. I lost alot of minnows.

[BamaBill]

My dad told me he had an old submersible gold fish pond pump. Hmmm. I used 5/8 copper tubing with 1/8" holes in it for a spraybar. Only my minnows wanted to get sucked into the pump. I read, learned what I could. Some from here, some from pond sites. I bought charcoal in a container from wally world and made my filter from the very container I bought it in.

[BamaBill]

I drilled holes in the bottom of the container, and used scotchbrite to put in first. Then I put the charcoal in pantyhose and stuffed it in. Two layers of scotchbrite then the lid. The lid was drilled out and a pvc conduit fitting attached. I hose clamped the fitting to the pump suction.

[BamaBill]

I have kept 4- 10 dozen minnows in it for a month with very little die off. My water looks as clean as tap water. I have the tank outside in the carport and it stays shady all day. It is setting next to a refrigerator that I intend to incorporate into water cooling when it is necessary. So far so good without it, and we have had several 95 degree days. Upper 80's is the norm here.

I feed the minnows once a day the cheap walmart goldfish food.

[BamaBill]

[BamaBill]

[BamaBill]

[BamaBill]

As you can see the spraybar makes plenty of bubbles, so I do no use the air pump anymore.

For 10 dozen minnows this setup has worked real well, with no real water changes. Now, the kicker. When I fish,I have had better success keeping alive my minnows than baitshop minnows. Last sunday out of 10 dozen, I had ONE minnow die in my two bait buckets and it was over 90 degrees outside. The "cold" baitshop minnows simply did not hold up as well as my aclimated ones.

[BamaBill]

I have 3 pounds of minnows coming thursday, so I will be giving the tank (and what I have learned) a real test. I am worried about my ammonia and nitrates spiking and killing minnows, but I do have well water here at home for some water changes if needed. Heck, if I lose 3/4 of them I still come out even considering I've had to buy them at $2 a dozen. Anyone have comments, questions or input?