Minnow Tanks

[lhumphre]

Does anyone have any pics available to post of how they store their minnows say in a 55 gallon drum or anything like it?? Also the aeration system used..I can get plenty of minnows and was just wondering..thanks

[WiCrappie]

No pics to share....

But I can suggest against the 55 gallon drum. You want something with more surface area on top. (more on that in a minute) Plastic would be my choice. Because metal would be more susceptible to temp variants than the plastic, I'd think.

Years ago a baitshop I frequented switched out the old metal tanks for large plastic trash-bins minus the lids. They then hung the aerators over the top and hooked up the water supply with PVC fittings.

Your biggest issue (possibly bigger than aeration) is a supply of fresh water as well as an exchange system for the old water... Just filling up a tank with the garden hose won't cut it unless you are willing to siphon off a portion of it and then top it back off every few days...

So why more surface area....? Nitrogen. Nitrogen is a byproduct of minnow metabolism. The only way to get rid of it is by disturbing the waters surface to break the tension so the gas can escape. Sure you're adding Oxygen too, but more importantly getting rid of the Nitrogen. By having a wider/larger opening for the tank, you are increasing the surface area to disturb with your aeration. That way you can get away with not having the water churn so much.

[RIVERRATT]

if the drum has the top in it just cut it in half long ways and you can get a cheap aeroator at any bait store

[sticksteer]

I know someone who uses an old chest type freezer to hold his minners. Its insulated against heat and cold and has a top on it. He keeps the top open by chocking it open with a piece of wood. The areator is one used in a bass boat.

[robbor]

I have 2 55 gal drums with fish. I have had them for about a month now.
One drum had 16 2-4" blue gill and the other drum has about 100 skeeter fish.
It aint pretty. I just have a dual output aquarium air pump and that is it.
I have one nozzle from our drip system that puts fresh water in every 3 days and we use about a gallon a day out of the barrels for watering. So no filter of any kind. I did just ordered a rule 500 bilge to do a solar powered pump but it is not needed. My barrels are shaded as it has been very hot here.

[g31448]

We used to fish an old gentlemans lake and we caught our own minnows in creeks. He had a galvanized watering tub a little bigger than a bath tub. We put minnows in there for him all the time so he would have some minnows to fish with. I never saw any dead minnows in it. He had it under roof drip to catch rain water. You can find these at your local feed, seed stores.

[hotmod]

Try this site would make a good one for few$$$$.

Tractor Supply Company - American Farmland Tank 2 ft x 2 ft x 4 ft Round

[luvjign]

Plastic 55 gal. soap drum with top 1/3 cut off. Fill to 35 gallons with a pinch of Better Bait. Got a 110 Bubbles dual-hose aerator that's 4 years old, and still churning. A 20-40 gallon Aqua-Tech aquarium filtration from Walmart. Just slide the filter out every other day and pressure hose the filter (takes 1-2 minutes). Replace filter about every month......cheap. No problem keeping 200 minners (probably more) during cool months.......fall/winter/spring.

[lhumphre]

Plastic 55 gal. soap drum with top 1/3 cut off. Fill to 35 gallons with a pinch of Better Bait. Got a 110 Bubbles dual-hose aerator that's 4 years old, and still churning. A 20-40 gallon Aqua-Tech aquarium filtration from Walmart. Just slide the filter out every other day and pressure hose the filter (takes 1-2 minutes). Replace filter about every month......cheap. No problem keeping 200 minners (probably more) during cool months.......fall/winter/spring.

do you ever cahnge water out? how often do you run the aerator? all day long?

[gabowman]

I've been using the 55 gal barrels for a few winters now. In one I have a submersible pond pump and in the other just an air stone from an aquarium pump. Both do a fine job until the weather starts getting hot during late spring.