Nice looking set up.
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Nice looking set up.
Very nice!
How much did the tank cost you?
I like that idea for watering hte garden, divert roof run off into the tank and pump it into the garden. Could put minnows in it as well. Just add a screen in the drain/pump to keep the minnows out...
I can tell you that after you exceed a specific volume of fish to water you have to keep the water about 55 degrees to keep them alive and frisky.I don't know the specific ratio,but I learned this working for bait shops that keep high volumes of minnows to water volume.They have refrigeration units to hold the water temp.If the water got much above about 55 they would call screaming their minnows are dying. Now understand these are were very high fish to water ratio tanks in places that sold a lot of minnows.
I also have found that myself just keeping some in coolers and my experiences with the livewells in boats. If you have a high volume of water to fish ratio.... or a high volume of water turnover rate...you can keep them at high temperatures.
Once you pass a point were the fish volume is relatively high to the water volume then the water has to stay cool or they will die fast.
So you have to find that balance point for the waters temp. You have enough volume there it will really help. Eventually you probably will want a recirc system pulling out waste and filtering and spraying back on top,and then could do a water flush with the well water on a timer to replace water and control temperature. Well water usually runs from a low of around 55 to a high in summer of about 60 to 65 depending on the aquifer your pulling water from.
You can hold a lot of minnows in that much water. The system I have been using for over two years is virtually identical to the one shown in the thread "Bait keeping 101". Also have four others like it in operation in Mississippi. Minnows aren't hard to keep. Just use common sense.
I paid $75 for the tank. They sell from $50 up to $125 around here. It is doing great so far. I just turn on the water every 2 or 3 days and let it run fairly slow to keep up with the gravity drain. I usually run it for a few hours. Water does not stay clear. It is a little cloudy, but only loosing a few minnows every few days. Not bad with the number I have in there. I put 4 lbs of minnows in there to start. That was a lot of minnows.
Tank is working great. It has gotten colder here. Probably in the low 40s to high 30s in the garage most days and they are doing great. I hardly loose a minnow now. Still have hundreds in the tank. I only feed about once a week sometimes twice and only do about 20 % water change once a week.
Thanks for the follow-up. Glad to hear its working well for you.
I use one but I have mine hooked up to a swimming pool pump it filters the water plus circulates it .I do a 50% water change about once a week and clean the filter .I keep bluegills in mine for catfishing but my small bait I put in a 5 gal bucket with a bunch of holes in it because the gill will eat them up . I don't lose to many if I keep the water clean. Ive been thinking about running a line thru a refridgerater freezer to cool down the water but don't know if it would cool it any
They make what is called a "Chiller" for use in saltwater aquariums I've actually got one that I need to sell but I will have to get it out of storage first and check it out. The are basically an air conditioner compressor with the coils attached to a hose so you can put it down in a tank. You can probably google them up or find a used one on craigslist, like I say I will be selling mine but it may be a few months before I get to it.