Anyone own a good bait tank? I just about built one. I was wondering how the good ones worked. Do they aerorate AND filter or just one or the other??

I'm looking for the BEST design that I can build.

Thanks for any help. BTW - This will be used to hold a bunch of bait is why it needs to be very good.

Also I heard guides use a certain pill or tablet. Do those really work good? If so what are they,how much do they cost, and where can I buy them?

Thanks

Etra strength Excedrin... Works dreat

Some good info here:

http://www.baittanksbysunshine.com/index_right.html

Good 'un, JD!

Bigcat2, there is so much to say about keeping shad alive that this thread could go 10 pages if we tried to say it all. The info on Sunshine's web site is all good and will give you the basics.

I had to learn it all from scratch when I started tourny fishing with the TSA 2 years ago, and I still screw up sometimes (like during the tournament Saturday). Keeping shad alive in the summer is harder than when the water (and air) temps are cooler.

The important points are to add salt, change/clean your filter regularly, keep your water temp below 75 degrees, and don't overcrowd your tank.

Why not come down to the fun sandbass/hybrid tournament at RC on June 24? You can see the various tank/filter designs (mostly Sunshines and Graylines) on the boats of the TSA regulars, and we'll try to answer all your questions about keeping shad alive. I see from your handle you are a catfish kind of guy, and the Big Fish pot will be for a catfish.

Check this out :
http://www.arkansasstripers.com/keeping_shad_alive.htm
It might have some useful info for you.

I know most of the basics...
My one big question is how do they filter the water and then still aerorate the water with a single pump?


And the other is, What exactly is a "Keep Alive Oxygen Enhancer system." Is that a Sunshine product? Is it a bubble maker?

bigcat, my tank is almost finished - I copied the Grayline design - put a "T" fitting on the discharge line & used one outlet for aeration & current, and the other goes to the filter.

Another design I read about had a submergible pump inside 4" PVC with the filter above it, and inlet holes above the filter. The pump sucks water down through the filter and uses the discharge for aeration. Takes up a lot of space, plus which I thought the pump would raise the water temp.

That oxygen system injects pure oxygen - pretty pricy - my shad will have to make do with plain old air.

Feel free to give me a call and I will let you know everything about my Superbait2 tank. It aerates as well as filters. Have had great luck with it summer and winter.
Justin
817-691-1913

Check this one out:

http://www.texasfishingforum.com/.ubb/ultimatebb.php?ubb=get_topic;f=33;t=019993

mark
www.texomasportfishing.com

I use a 50 Gal. "Bait-Well" tank. It has a partition separating the bait holding portion and the filter side. Water is taken from the bait portion into the filter portion through a hole in the bottom of the tank. This water is then sent up through a 1" inch PVC tube up and into the filter "box". The water is put through a screened box to filter out the scales and larger articles. The water is then filtered down through the lower portion of the filter box which is filled with a filter material called "Poly-Fil". The water is pumped back to the bait holding tank by a 350 GPM bilge pump. The water is put back into the bait holding portion via a tube with holes in it. The tube is fastened around the to of the tank and has several holes in it to aerate the water.

This tank works very well for me but, as JD stated earlier, in the summer you must keep the water cool. You need to add salt, and a chemical to keep the ammonia down.