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Bait Tank Question
I know there are several threads on this subject, and I've read most of them. However I have a question. I am building myself one to hold left over minnows so I'm not loosing so much money. I'm wanting to use a whole house filter to filter the water. I'm using a big blue barrel I purchased from the local Farmers Hardware Store around the corner from where I live. My question is will a 500 GPH bilge pump push enough pressure to use this filter? anyone else use this. It is capable of using either a string (looks like yarn) wound filter or a organ fold paper element filter. I will probably only be using 40 gallons of water. I will also be adding a venture type system to add air to the water after the filter. Any suggestions, or comments ( constructive criticism) would be helpful. Thank you.
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I use a blue barrel to keep minnows. I just use an RV water filter on the end of a garden hose to fill the tank. Add a little bit of better bait to make sure the contaminants are removed from the water and to condition it. I also installed a drain of course and change out my water every 3 days. I do about a 75% - 85% water change. Bought a dual outlet air pump from Walmart that is good to aerate up to 60 gallons, bought two weighted air stones from Academy Sports. I only use about 40 gallons in the 55 gallon drum. Oh yeah and the barrel is setting on a furniture dolly so I can roll it around easily when it's full of water. I don't have any problems keeping minnows with this system. I will admit only been using it for about a month, but my minnows stay very healthy.
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Thank you for the reply and ideas Snubby, how ever I was looking at a bit more extended time on the water replacement times hence the replaceable filters. I had a chance to re-read a thread, I think minnow tanks 101, and the building of the bio grade filter in a 5 gallon bucket, which sounded interesting as well. Seeing's how I already have most of those supplies, I will probably start with that set up. I will need to go get the chemicals to remove the chlorine and probably the jump start stuff so I can start putting minnows in sooner than 10 weeks. the closest place I know to get minnows after Halloween is 38 miles away. Not far from a place I like to fish, but if I want to spend an afternoon fishing closer to home, it's a bit far to go get minnows...I was thinking of adding in the whole house filter tor the ammonia, scales and other stuff assoc. with having the fish, and still have the bio-grade filter for the good bicteria in the water the fish need. Thoughts?
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I went back and double checked the name of that thread and it is actually "Bait Keeping 101" currently found on page 3 under Live bait here on crappy.com. Sorry for previous miss info but it is corrected now.
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May want to shoot jigflinger a PM, he hangs out on the MS and AR boards. He is knowledgeable about the systems / setup needed for maintaining a proper minnow vat. I'm sure he could answer some of your questions on the filter and whole house water filter setup.
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Thanks, I'll be sure to drop him a Line.
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I have an oval shape live bait tank of as I recall about 30 gal size that id like to use as a minnow tank for maybe a pound of minnows. Id like to use a small say 350gph bilge pump in the tank converted to 110 with an adapter and probably a timer and plumbed to a pvc spray tube. Frabill sells a similar pump setup that I might consider also. Im on public chlorinated water, so would putting the water in 5 gal buckets for a few days solve the chlorine issue? Also along with that maybe use the better bait formula? That way I wouldn't be tossing my left over bait, and also take along as small of a supply as I want, as ive gotten to where I don't like going with out any. Im looking at maybe a couple weeks before resupplying. OPINIONS?
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I found a video on line where an individual made a Filter and pump unit with a venture tube to supply air. I am building it. It uses a Quad drain multipurpose Floor drain made by Sioux Chief, Menards For 5.47 here, a 4 to 5 inch piece of 2-inch PVC pipe with 5 floor vent filters rolled up and put inside, an inside pipe drain (round piece to fit inside 2-inch pipe to 2-inch pipe extension above the rolled up filter), A 2-inch pipe extension (only need one), a bilge pump ( he used a 500 gph RULE brand), then a venture valve he got from Boat Parts supply on line. Then an elbow to adjust air and water direction. In the Drain (which is actually used upside down), used a cut to fit air filter for filtering matter, he used a 12oz lead weight to weigh it down. A 1/4 inch size (I.D. )Hose will be needed for the venture valve and the loose end placed above the water line so it can suck air...Hope I included every thing. I didn't get the venture valve as I couldn't find it for what ever reason so I took a straight piece of 1/2 inch pipe and some air tubing and made me a venture piece. But that's what I'm starting to go with.
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In the video it showed him using a venture valve, ( as he called it), from Discount marine, but I wasn't able to find one, so I drilled a hole in a short length of PVC and inserted an air line like what you would use on an aquarium. Of coarse the hose has to fit in the hole snuggly. I also cut the hose at an angle with the longer side toward where the water would be coming from so it wouldn't shoot water out the hose. Tested it and it worked pretty good. Plenty of air bubbles in the water stream. It will be a bit before I can get to the bait store and get me some minnows so the experiment will continue then. Will post pic's and results then, well I'll probably post pic's of what I have done later today. Eric, AKA "Jamesdean".
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As stated in an earlier post, im only interested in keeping a pound or so for convieniance sake and also to have a place for my left over bait. I talked to the guy where I buy my minnows about it and he recommended using a cooler rather that an uninsulated tank due to water temp being so criticle. He also advised having 2 coolers so as to have a place to move them when cleaning a cooler which he recommends to do weekly. Keep bottles of water frozen and add them as required for temp. Also don't dump the old water back into the tank from the bait container, just the minnows. He uses well water without chlorine, but still adds a small amount of chemical when changing water which he buys from his bait supplier. He will get me some also and recommends not adding minnows for a day after filling the cooler.