Filter for Bait Tanks

[BaitWrangler]

I built this over the summer and the same process can be applied for nearly any tank/pump style.

The concept is the same as a pool's sand filter.  Inside is about 4" of fist size rocks and crushed stone, followed by 4" of pea gravel followed by 4" of crushed oyster shell chicken grit (as opposed to sand.... crushed oyster shell acts as a ph buffer).  If you don't have an outdoor tank and thus your fish produce more waste - this provides good biological fitration as well as polishs the water perfectly.   The pipe comming up the middle you see connects to a home made manifold which you blow air through (a shop vac, old jacuzzi blower) to backwash the system without ever getting your hands dirty.

Let me know if you are interested in building one and I can help you out! You can use a 55 gallon barrel, a 30 gallon barrel, a trash barrel - I think you could use anything but a wheel.... barrow. (LOL)

Ed the BR

[DasRottweiler]

Me thinks you bait tank expenditures just went North of $100. I use fiberglass insulation and a spongetype koipond pump filter for filters in my tanks. Cost = 0. I remove the filters when the watertemp drops to 40 degrees, because the bait stops eating at roughly the same temp. No eat=no crap=no ammonia=no need for a filter.
Bear in mind I do not use live bait during the softwater season as I consider it cheating, so filters are only used for about a month or two during trapping season(sept-oct). Looks like a great system ifya plan on softwater bait, but you will need a cooler (expensive) or a converted water cooler from the office to keep temps down.

[BaitWrangler]

Thanks for the reply!

My expenditures already exceed that - haha. (Just my tank does.)  As you mentioned in the winter fish don't produce as much noticable waste. However if your tank is indoors as mentioned then the luxury of that natural occurace is gone.

I don't use live bait during the summer months as well as I don't bass fish. Holding bait over though is
good for breeding for me and growing bigger bait.  But regardless of the season you need some sort of filtration and to never touch a filter pad again is key. Additionally you can incorporate a bottom drain and or a settling tank and control your waste.

I don't have the name for nothing!

[BaitWrangler]

Sorry Rott, I was replying by phone earlier. But it seems my return home isn't very helpful as I can't find the pictures I wanted.

Anyways, many on here have seen my tank and how it gets packed with way more than it should. (2500+ non pike shiners at a time plus the "big" ones)  This system is definently geared twoards bigger setups... 300 gallon plus and multi tank systems.  Good tanks though are what costs you the most, not filtration. Considering the barrel was free, the two m/f connectors to get in and out are only $1.50 each and a 2" drain costs $6. Other than that you have to be creative in how you build a manifold and if your resourceful getting rocks - a little chicken grit and/or sand and your good to go!

The pump doesn't count as I have multiple pumps, submersible - canister and this one here external.  However I am saving money as an external pump is the most energy efficent.

To buy something like this in a pre-manufacturered form would honestly cost $500 or more, I'm just sharing a simple solution that folks can work off of. As I said you can do this with a little trash barrel and have a better bait tank than your local store and never touch (or buy) a filter pad again. Leave those for the novice aquarium hobbiest!

Personally I don't just have better fish than my local bait store... the fish hateries around here could learn a thing from me.... they pump out 3x more phosphurus into local watersheds than federally allowed because they treat their facilities like giant fish tanks and not biological niches. (And people eat those their fish!)

No deads in my tank!


As mentioned if anyone attempts to make a s/g filter and needs advice let me know!

Ed

[DasRottweiler]

Lotsa questions BW. How many gph is your external pump? How many pumps are you running? I had a sort of prefilter at one time that was about the size of a 11lb bottle of propane that had a screwoff top. Used fiberglass insul and charcoal bags in that, but it constricted my waterflow too much. I grab alot of larger chubs, 6-10" for bait and they seem to thrive off of abit of current. Check out this thread to see my bait tanks-I have moved and improved them some , but they are basically the same------>>http://www.iceshanty.com/ice_fishing/index.php?topic=118411.0 Also do you separate the monster bait from regulars?
I have to keep the chubs in one (top) and the golden shiners in the other (bottom). Chubs eat the shiners. Your filter is the size of my top tank !LOL  I keep about 50-60 chubs and 20 dozen or so shiners every hardwater season. I may upgrade to a 300 gallon pallet tank like 1MOFISH~es and build a pump like yours-like the backwash idea- in the future, but so far my tanks have gotten me thru the hardwater season. I`m sure ya noticed , I like talkin tanks ! or trappin! offseason hobbies

[BaitWrangler]

Hey Rott,

That pump is large, 3500 gph, as it services a few things and takes into account things like it's head loss from being in a decentralized location. It can also be pinched back slightly with the ball valve before it.  I'd say for normal kin, you can buy a 1500gph pump that is the exact same model as I have.  Also, a submersible pond pump can be used as well, just the setup would be a little different - but I am game to help folks!

Also, you can use a canister type pump like those mini pool ones. Rather than using a filter insert, make a little skimmer basket for the inside instead! I'd perfer to concoct a method to hard plumb everything as I've learned that using flex pipe is no fun in the winter. Plus thats a bit more restrictive... but not by much. PVC is cheaper too.

S/G (sand and gravel) filters are extremely versatile and forgiving in construction... they are really neat and perform to an amazing standard. Survivalist even learn to make them to purify drinking water.

As for seperating my bait.  I don't... I have, but I can't any longer as I make too much of a process of it with the "small" ones.  Pike sized ones I just throw in too as I wouldn't have enough room really if I tried to seperate everything.  Sort distributing all of your space more evenly.  Like if you think about a small living room, you could have one humongous couch for a family and not be able to get into the room. (Theoretically) Or you could each have a chair and put them in a circle/arrange them as need.

Basically you just dip and take what you want... it's all there.

Ed

Modified canister pump and other s/g ideas.

[beeverfishing]

Looks like a great system ifya plan on softwater bait, but you will need a cooler (expensive) or a converted water cooler from the office to keep temps down.

Not if you use a working (18cf) chest freezer   LOL

[BaitWrangler]

Not if you use a working (18cf) chest freezer   LOL

That and a 30 gallon s/g filter and I can just see an amazing nearly self sufficent tank!

All you would need to do is drill through the chest twice and assuming it's thin enough use male and female electrical adapters (they are straight cut - unlike plumbing fittings, and screw together tighter) seal it up. Then connect to a ball valve then a pump and send it up through the s/g like you see on mine... have it sitting on a couple cinder blocks and let it gravity flow back. For a tank like that, maybe just need two blocks side by side to raise it up and support it enough. Would be really neat and be super clean.  Plus as I mentioned, you have a ph buffer, no more buying or touching nasty pads, etc. Plus your making a a filter similar to how nature intends!