Bait Tank 101

[FRESHBAIT]

4wks on just the filter media,  For me the top piece of fine filter material is pretty well clogged up.  All I do is change out that piece and usually just leave the bottom piece alone.  The cores layer get a quick rinse with cold water that's it.   Usually dont have to pour off any poo from the bottom of the filter for about 4 months running. That's with my large 40gallon filter. With the white 5gal buckets a flashlight shining on the side will give you a quick idea as to how much poo has accumulated in the bottom.  Last year I built a bait tank out of a ge washing machine took the drum out, and used a inline pond pump and a canister filter all concealed inside the shell of the washer.  Everything was on switches using the original panel.  Without lifting the lid you'd think it was a working washing machine. Gave it back to my buddy and told him I didn't scrap the mahine that I fixed it and it works better than new.  He loves it, his wife didn't think it was to funny when it was d installed back with shiners swimming in it. 

[needtobefishin]

  He loves it, his wife didn't think it was to funny when it was d installed back with shiners swimming in it.

 

[matt12]

Lol good read!! You got ideas starting in my head now oh boy lol

[DRock]

As far as maintenance goes what should be expected?

How much and how often should you change out the water? When should you put in new "initial" filtering media? By initial I mean the first filtering media that comes into contact with the water brought in from the tank...this is probably going to have waste and food covering it.

I am going to make this a fun weekend project, thanks for all the great info!

[bait trap]

Dr rock,   it's Freshbait.... Name change is a long story.   Ok water changes... Approx 50-75% should be changed weekly during the 6-8wk cycling process.  After your tank cycles then about 50% every two weeks.   Initial coarse filter media I never change it, just when it looks really caked up I take it out and rinse it our/off with the nozzle from garden hose.  Once the coarse layer is out you can see your fine material,  if it looks really dirty or slimy I change it.  I leave the bio media alone, I  only mess with it if I burp the sludge goo off the bottom of the filter into the tank. Basically it sucks into the overflow.  It that happens then it's time to clean the bottom of the filter.  Take all the stuff out, put bio media in a bucket keep it wet.  Rinse sludge out of bottom with garden hose, give bio media a quick rinse to knock any excess sludge off, reassembled filter.  NEVER EVER EVER clean the filter with any thing other than water.  No bleach, chlorine.  It will kill nor only your beneficial bacteria, but your bait as well.


FRESHBAIT

[robkersmarki]

Hello there Freshbait

I am making a bait tank out of my broken deep freezer that the motor went out of am at a bit of a stand still. Here is where I am at so far. I bought a 530 gph pool pump with a filter (Intex model 603 cartridge filter pump). The pool pump will suck the water out of the bait tank and filter it sending it to the bio and chemical filter, like the one you made out of a carpenters tote, but i don't know how to build one and was wondering if you could tell me how you built that one. I really like the bio ball idea. After it filters through there I would follow what you have done and have it drip into the tank to create more oxygen.

Also I was wondering after my filtration is set up if i needed an aireator too of if the filtration system and water dripping into the tank would be enough.

Thanks agian
Rob

[bait trap]

I'll see if I can dig up the pictures of it.  I think they're on my laptop.  I basically just amped up the diy gravity filter.  Check out the diy gravity filter thread I did.  The spray bar is 1" PVC with an end cap, holes drilled in it,  a female and male coupler for the bulkhead fitting sealed with silicone at for a gasket on the tote, a 90 deg elbow and a barb fitting to attach my 1100gph pump,   overflow is a shower drain installed in the side a couple inches above the bottom some 3" PVC, a 90 elbow and a t fitting. Get 5 post and I can pm you


FRESHBAIT

[robkersmarki]

OK I will get five more posts 

[robkersmarki]

Done