Should I install one in my bass boat? Or is the just another waste of $$ for us bass fisherman?
I'm looking at the oxygenator pro - any thoughts or other suggestions?

good morning,

hydrogen peroxide...88 cents a bottle at wally world....few capfuls...plenty of o2....been doing it 30 yrs....(doug hannon tip).......

good luck,
PURA VIDA,
bluebonnet2

[quote=bluebonnet2]good morning,

hydrogen peroxide...88 cents a bottle at wally world....few capfuls...plenty of o2....been doing it 30 yrs....(doug hannon tip).......

+1

This is how I found out the truth about oxygenators. Tournament @ Fork, five fish in the well, August and extremely hot. Ice, aerator, stay alive (which is a MAJOR mistake with an oxygenator), one minute alive and the next ALL dead. Pissed off didn,t come close to how I felt.That,s when I did some research on what happened.First of all, stay alive puts salt in your water, and come to find out the oxygenators produces chlorine instead of oxygen when mixed with salt( thanks for the warning)
second, the oxygenator does produce 100% oxygen but nothing close enough to make any difference in your live well. Hydrogen Peroxide does more than anything but only lasts 10-15 minutes, which in my opinion is the way to go. Google Oxygenator Livewell System YES or NO, its on a site www.wmi, very good article.

Before you spend money on oxygenators just get the oxygen injection set up. I have oxygenators in both livewells and I can't say they do anything. TPWD did a study and the injection system works better than anything for about the same price.

+1. Followed the directions as stated on the TPWD link on Falcon Lake Tackles' site and it is an awesome system. Just have to remember to turn the bottle off after tourney. Easy to forget.

I have had them in my last two boats and I believe in them. Much livelier fish at weigh-in. I only use U2 in mine as it tells you per the instruction with them.

The real culprit in keeping fish alive in a livewell is high water temperature. Oxygen solubility in water goes down as water temperature increases. At 60 deg F oxygen solubility is about 10 parts per million, plenty high enough to keep fish lively. At 90 deg F oxygen solubility is down to only about 7 ppm, which may be insufficient to keep a livewell full of fish healthy. At 90 degrees livewell water temperature it won't matter whether you're running your aerator, electrolytic oxygen generator, oxygen injection system or all of them at the same time, the livewell water dissolved oxygen level will never go above 7 ppm.

The better way to keep the DO level up is to keep the water cool with ice, refrigeration, or a solid-state cooler. Now we're talking some $$$!

I agree that water temperature plays a huge part in waters ability to hold oxygen.. Warm or hot water simply will not hold a lot of oxygen. 10 PPM is considered super saturated.. Normal water on a sunny day with a little breeze to stir the surface will be around 7 PPM or so.. But even if water is 60 degrees, if you have a big fish load in ten to twelve gallons of water most boats will not keep oxygen levels above 4PPM or so with their aereators running.. It is important to run fresh water in the wells.. A lot of it.. If you keep your fish in 3PPM water for long they will not make it..

We tested all of the aforementioned equipment and products. And while some of them help a little or temporarily, nothing works like oxygen injection.

And regardless of water temps, if you install an oxygen injection system in your boat, your problems will be over..

I have one of the Oxygenator Pro's if you want it. 75 dollars and its new in the box.

I have the smaller unit installed in my livewell. It needs cleaning to keep the screen free and the larger round flush mount one (Pro) model does not. I decided not to put it in since the smaller unit works just fine.

For those that say they don't work, have you used one? I have had one in for several years and 15 pounds of fish for hours in the summer seem to like it just fine.


For the additional cost of a oxygen injection system using a small bottle of oxygen with a diffuser I would go that route before cutting a hole in the livewell for the Oxygenator Pro. They run around 250 dollars but they provide a large amount of oxygen, enough so that you don't even need to run your pumps.

good morning,

charger boats have live well system the circulates the water around the ice chest keep the water cool....great option and it works...patented...pro-air live well....plus a great ride...

good luck,
PURA VIDA,
bluebonnet2

i wouldnt waste your money on one... and that U2 is as much of a gimmick as well.

Link's not working for me. Oh also. I found out about using the oxygenator with any added salt the hard way myself. Don't a lot of bait houses use salt in their tanks, or additives that have salt in them?

I wish more companies did this. I know you can install systems similar to theirs. We use the Blue Ice plastic containers to keep the water in the 70's as an added bonus.

Here is a link to an article concerning livewell oxygen systems and fish care from TPWD.

http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/newsmedia/releases/?req=20110615b


Dan Ashe
TPWD, Inland Fisheries Division
Brookeland, Texas
409-698-9114 ext. 230