Cooler to livewell question

[Nu2Fresh]

I have an Igloo 100qt cooler that hasn't been used for some time now. Can you turn something like this into a livewell? Is it too involved and should I just start looking for a complete livewell?

[Slabo]

sure there are plenty of after market bilge pump style air pumps avaliable that will work great.

[Ranger690]

Easy Peazy Lemon Squeezy! A 500 gph livewell pump will fit perfectly into the drain hole. Just unscrew the drain plug assembly. Insert the treaded end of the livewell pump. A piece of hose, an elbow and a short threaded (on both ends) nipple. Drill hole up near top of cooler lid. Hose from pump outlet, up to elbow, nipple thru cooler wall. A little silicone around both pieces that go thru the cooler sides. Attach plug to cord and you are ready.

Dayton

[Nu2Fresh]

Thanks Ranger, that does sound easy enough. Do you suggest metal (brass) nipples or nylon?

[Darryl Morris]

Check this thread out -- http://www.crappie.com/gr8vb3/showth...ight=bait+tank -- I know it's about a minnow tank but you can work it for a livewell too. The pictures and description I put in are on the second page of the thread.

[minnowdrownder]

Just a suggestion............Use an air pump with air stones, I have a Power Bubles air pump (from Bass Pro) 12v - it has 2 small air lines. I drilled the air lines into the the back of the cooler near the top. Then I mounted the unit on the side near where the lines were drilled using small stainless screws (make sure the screws wont go all the way thru) then I rigged the wires with a cigarett lighter plug, hooked up the air lines and....walla......had a nice larg livewell I can transfer from boat to truck or anywhere 12v. Also rigged one of those extension cords with battery clips for boats without a cig lighter receptical.

I like the air pump cause it dosn't use as much power as the bilge pump setups, plus it don't heat up the water in the cooler either......Dont know if thats a factor in MD, but in Fl if you let a bilge pump circulate a cooler full of water for a few hrs, it will heat it up to about 90 deg. ..........poached fish!!!!!

I've kept 30 + crappie alive all day without any problems. And 6 doz. shiners for over 40 hrs........Guess I'm just sayin ....It works good for me.

Hope this helps

[Ferdi]

I like that I D . Ferdi aka Fred

[Crappie Xtreme]

I gave a buddy of mine one of them large white coolers from Wal Mart that I didnt use. This thing was huge maybe it was a 100 quart. He put it in his smaller boat for his live well and it works great.
Just order you a Power Bubbles or two from Grizzly Jig that runs off the battery in the boat. Hook the Power Bubbles up and start putin the fish in. You cant beat the power bubbles they work great and they use very low amps and you cant hear them running. The battery will last a long time.
He hooked his up with two Power Bubbles and he dont have any problems with keeping fish alive in the cooler. And it wont drain the battery at all.
I put the Power Bubbles in my boat in my live wells and I dont even have to use the pump in the boat that fills the live well for fresh water. If it is warm out and the water is warm I may change it once or twice daily while fishin only to keep fresh water in the live well. But the Power Bubbles runs all day off the cranking battery and it will not drain the battery.
I also have a Y coming off the front air hose to my live well to run my minnow bucket if I have minnows and it also work well.
Power Bubbles can also be ordered from Bass Pro. But I prefer to order mine from Grizzly Jig.

CX.

[stinkies daddy]

Easy Peazy Lemon Squeezy! A 500 gph livewell pump will fit perfectly into the drain hole. Just unscrew the drain plug assembly. Insert the treaded end of the livewell pump. A piece of hose, an elbow and a short threaded (on both ends) nipple. Drill hole up near top of cooler lid. Hose from pump outlet, up to elbow, nipple thru cooler wall. A little silicone around both pieces that go thru the cooler sides. Attach plug to cord and you are ready.

Dayton

Same exact thing i did on my old crestliner, but i adder a floating areatior from wally for about 15 dollars

[jaxsprat]

Ranger 690 has the best idea, I believe, BECAUSE by using a tank pump style areator not only do U add oxygen to water but U also cool the water by pumping it around & spraying it out. That is important during hot summer months. That is the reason those red minnow-mizer areators are so popular. Actually if you have a way to put the water in all U would have to do is spend the 15 or 19$ on a minnow=mizer & then use the drain for a drain.