Bait Tank Aeration

Hey guys, first time poster, but been lurking for awhile, I really appreciate all the info you guys share.

My boat came with a built in 25-gal baitwell, it as no aeration so it's essentially your standard livewell. Anyway, what would you guys suggest using for aeration. I've tried those cheaper frabill etc., but if I cant figure something out I'm gonna have to break down and buy a Grayline Bait tank. I know there has to be a way to use the existing for less of an investment. I fish Texoma, and am getting tired of dead baits.

Thanks in advance for your help,

H

I built my own bait tank a while back. I bought a bilge pump and attached a piece of PVC tubing to it. I capped the hose on the end and punched some holes around it and attached it above water line so it would spay down into the water. I thought it worked fine until I got a greyline tank. There is no comparison. I spent plenty of money messing with my tank trying to get it right. If you have the money I'd say get the greyline and be done with it. You won't have to worry about it anymore. Good luck!

Give me a call. I have a Skeeter CC with a built in bait tank and it's been working for me when others told me it would not. There are a few things that really make a huge difference.

Go to YouTube and type in "Homeaid filtered bait tank" the first and second video are very good filters "three stage filter" and "how to make a filter"

Creekbanksystems spa has some manufactured top and bottom filtration post market solutions. The you tube info is also a help.

Also try corefishingtackle.com.

I've tried em all from home made to Greylines design with the pump drawing the O2 via a copper tube to the O 2 bottle and stones that I used for years. Academy and Bass Pro sell the Power Bubbles system that puts 92% diffused ozygen in the water. Powered by 12volts and draws less than 5 amps. Keeps em jamming in the hottest weather. Best 40.00 bucks I spent. Next thing you'll need is a filtration system.

guys on the coast are pumping medical oxygen into the baittank

Thanks guys, I'm getting ready to build a similar version filter as Seaworthy, and I'm gonna throw the Power Bubbles in there.

Thanks again for all the help.

We have had no trouble keeping them alive with a simple system. We have one of the floating air heads in an old 35 gallon circular drink cooler. It provides plenty of aeration, but we first struggled with the the shad shedding their scales. Two things have helped.

1) Initially put the shad in a holding container. They do a little scale shedding panic attack right away. Let them swim around for a minute or so before moving them to your main tank.

2) We put one cup of non-iodized salt in the tank. THat also seems to keep the scale shedding down.

I am sure that it isn't as good as those fancy tanks, but we have been keeping our shad alive for our trips. Our trips usually go for about 4 hours. Our last trip was pretty slow and we didn't go through a lot of bait, but they were still plenty frisky at the boat dock and we watched them swim away.

also use tap water. Its 70 degrees, not 89 like lake water. Put a little cholrine remover in it. You can buy a bottle from grayline bait tanks

Well, got everything installed, Seaworthy's filter system and the power bubbles. Heading to Texoma this afternoon, to try it all out over the weekend. Also installed 2 LED light strips down either side. If we don't catch and keep bait alive this weekend, the pops is gonna quit going with me. I appreciate all y'alls help.

Make sure there are no corners also.

I just recently gave my new 17 gallon grayling bait-tank a good test
at our local lake (Cedar Bluff) here in Kansas where we catch a lot of
wipers. I caught way too many shad in my net (about 100) but after throwing
for 2 hours without catching one bait I had been frustrated and just put
them all in the tank. I treated the cool outdoor faucet water with shad
keeper, LCR, and about a cup of uniodide salt. We fished with these baits
from 10am until 6pm with only about 3 baits dying the entire day! I really
couldn't believe it! This tank is as good as they come! I have never kept
that many baits alive more than an hour or two. After draining the tank at
the end of our trip, I threw back approximately 25 baits that were still
swimming good. So far, very impressed!!

Bill Keeley
LaCrosse, KS

I built one a few weeks ago like the one Seaworthy built only smaller, used a shower drain instead of a big floor drain for the base.
I also put a air line in the discharge pipe that sucks air while it runs and it works great. With threadfin the filter will last all day without cleaning but with gizzards it has to be rinsed out once or twice a day.