My bait tank

[gruntngrin]

Im down to about 50 from 100. I have been changing the water about every 3rd day and that helps a lot. Once there was a few belly up and I changed it and they came out of it.This is going to suck having to change the water all the time. Will I always have to do this or will it get better.

[Mainehazmt]

is it well water?  if it is city water there is clorine or cloramine in it   that will kill the bait too  whats the water temp?   check your ph add a handfull of salt! 

[beeverfishing]

I would say that you have an ammonia problem.  Once the "good bacteria" gets a good hold, it will help.  Til then, you will continue loosing your bait.  I'd suggest doing some reading on aquarium maintainace.  There are test strips that you can get to check most everything... easy to use.

Do you have activated charcoal in your system??   I beleive the charcoal absorbs odors, ammonia, some metals etc.

[Mainehazmt]

wally world sells test strips for ponds     usually this time of year 9 bucks   tells you alot!   

[FishingNewEngland]

OK, this might be a little long winded but bear with me.

I've kept aquariums for about 20 years now and the most important thing to learn about is the nitrogen cycle. This is the process where beneficial bacteria build up that consume fish waste. There are 3 major steps to this....

1) You add fish and the ammonia levels go way up. Ammonia is toxic to the fish.
2) The bacteria that consume ammonia create nitrite. Nitrite is toxic to the fish.
3) The bacteria that consume nitrite create nitrate. Nitrate is the end product and NOT toxic to the fish.

I would first invest in a cheap test kit to check where your levels are. Water changes with de-chlorinated water are a must! I'd be changing at least 1/3 every other day until the ammonia levels drop to zero. I'd also look into a better filter system. Try a canister filter. While the one you have set up is fine for an established tank, I don't think it'll work for a system that's still "cycling". Run aquarium carbon in a filter sock or nylon bag, that will help remove the waste. Be sure and rinse it well first as it creates a lot of dust. Another product that might help is ammonia removing resin, also available at a pet store. The aquarium salt suggested by Mainehazmt is also a good idea. It stimulates the slime coat growth on fish and will help fight infections.

Another issue is that you may be adding the fish too fast. If there are enough bacteria to support 50 fish, and you toss in another 50 at once, there will be a spike in your system again. I'd suggest adding them in smaller numbers, maybe a dozen at a time every couple of days.

Anyone who's having issues keeping bait that reads this, feel free to PM me if you need help. I own and operate an aquarium maintenance business and my advice is always free.

[BASSandICE65]

If you are worried about the freezing buy a submersible thermometer available at most pet shops

Keith

[snakemansteve]

Take a sample of your tank water to the local pet store. Most of them will test your water for free. They can suggest any changes that may be needed. When you set up a new aquarium it can take a couple of weeks till  its ready for fish.

[ALASKANSS]

I made the ph of the water in my bait tank the same as the pond i trap them out of,the ph kit can be purchased at your local pet store for under 20 bucks!

[InTheRiver]

OK, this might be a little long winded but bear with me.

I've kept aquariums for about 20 years now and the most important thing to learn about is the nitrogen cycle. This is the process where beneficial bacteria build up that consume fish waste. There are 3 major steps to this....

1) You add fish and the ammonia levels go way up. Ammonia is toxic to the fish.
2) The bacteria that consume ammonia create nitrite. Nitrite is toxic to the fish.
3) The bacteria that consume nitrite create nitrate. Nitrate is the end product and NOT toxic to the fish.

I would first invest in a cheap test kit to check where your levels are. Water changes with de-chlorinated water are a must! I'd be changing at least 1/3 every other day until the ammonia levels drop to zero. I'd also look into a better filter system. Try a canister filter. While the one you have set up is fine for an established tank, I don't think it'll work for a system that's still "cycling". Run aquarium carbon in a filter sock or nylon bag, that will help remove the waste. Be sure and rinse it well first as it creates a lot of dust. Another product that might help is ammonia removing resin, also available at a pet store. The aquarium salt suggested by Mainehazmt is also a good idea. It stimulates the slime coat growth on fish and will help fight infections.

Another issue is that you may be adding the fish too fast. If there are enough bacteria to support 50 fish, and you toss in another 50 at once, there will be a spike in your system again. I'd suggest adding them in smaller numbers, maybe a dozen at a time every couple of days.

Anyone who's having issues keeping bait that reads this, feel free to PM me if you need help. I own and operate an aquarium maintenance business and my advice is always free.

^^ good info.

[Bellybuster]

be very wary of taking a sample to the pet shop (not all) but some will try to sell you everything you'll believe. Sad but true.
  FNE gives good advice especially the recommendation for a quality filter. I would tend to believe this to be the major problem.
  You'can build a reall good filer from a 5 gallon bucket
   Here's some great reading to get you started
http://www.mikebentley.com/ponds/homemadefilters.htm

[1MOFISH]

i bought beneficial bacteria to add to my tank also got a new tank its an old water softener tank cant believe how functional it is.about 40 gallons. screen on bottom tube to surface to be filled with filter media separates waste from bait wish i could post picture having trouble with photo share anybody see what I'm describing hope it helps you   mo

[gruntngrin]

I have been changing the water about every other day and they seem to be doing well. I tested the ammonia and it was high. How long will I need to keep changing the water so much?

[Mainehazmt]

till it drops!   it takes about a month to get the benificial bacteria up   I always used to start mine up in july august with a few doz sacrificial minnows till it got good  then didnt have problems  my new system  aka nature   has made my life easy   no more water changes or chemicals  constant water change at about 5gal hr!

[Bellybuster]

you also need to be careful of over filtering too

[timschrots]

If it's ok with the land owner (if it's not you) try bringing your tank right to the waters edge where you get the fish.  Get a long extension cord to power the pump or convert everything to 12v and use a deep cycle battery with a solar charger to circulate fresh water from the river then over flowing from a hose back to the river/brook.  no need for a filter, just a screen.  Insulate the tank with just a wood box that covers the whole thing.  It will also keep animals/ birds out too.

Save yourself the aggravation of ph levels, ammonia and all that stuff and circulate fresh livable water in there.  If it's only a half acre it's not that far to walk and get bait before a day of kick a$$ fishing!

Your problem is the habitat your fish are in now (the tank) is overpopulated and can't sustain or recover, thus causing you to fight it every step of the way.

one other thing.  if you can mount the tank low enough you can get a siphon effect going and not even need a pump.

If you get enough water pressure and flow there won't be any freezing.  A trickle doesn't stir up water molecules enough to keep 'em from freezing.

I just came up with this whole thing as I started typing... 
I'm gonna do it myself!!  

good luck let us know what you do and how it goes.

[timschrots]

Hey gruntngrin - that looks pretty simple and "sweet".  If your days (outside) are mostly above 0 deg. F. I don't think you'll have many freeze-up problems.  How far away is the creek? Is it "uphill"?  If you could get to the creek at an elevation above your tank you could always run a piece of plastic pipe 1/2 or 3/4", start a siphon and circulate the water from the creek like that.  No freeze-ups then.

see!  siphon.
Bring the tank to the water if you can.

[Mainehazmt]

Kinda like my set up now   an old hand dug cistern that flows about 5+ gal an hr   I enclosed it and insulated it   now I just pump air to em (ground water is low in O2 and feed em:)   very low cost!

[timschrots]

Kinda like my set up now   an old hand dug cistern that flows about 5+ gal an hr   I enclosed it and insulated it   now I just pump air to em (ground water is low in O2 and feed em:)   very low cost!

AND.  It's simple.  Nothing over complicated.  I bet you don't have to do much to maintain it either.

[Mainehazmt]

nope  water automatically changes out  water temp 42 degrees    insulated enough that it was 29 this am and 42 in the bait house   Just wish I had gotten it painted  and still need roofing material on it yet  lol   Im such a procrastinator!  I do have a floodlight and bubbler on 24 / 7 and thats my only expense!

[hammerhead]

You might watch what you use for a filter medium. I used some quilt batting my wife had one time and had a big die off. Now I use stuff from the pet store. I keep having die offs. I put fish in and about a month or two later they all gradually die. Right now I have a real mixed bag of species, and my carp are dying a few every day.

I kind of think it may be the food. I am using Tetra min, and have some Koi food that I try occasionally. My neighbor says don't feed them at all, but he keeps his at just above freezing, while mine are probably about 45 all winter and I doubt they can go without. 

I'm surprised it is the carp that are dying. I figured they were too tough to kill. I have a few bluegills that have survived quite awhile, and a pet goldfish that has been in there from the beginning.

[Melbs7]

If you are worried about the freezing buy a submersible thermometer available at most pet shops

Keith

When the thermometer is frozen in there.... it's too cold!! :-)

Dave

[hammerhead]

I think melbs is talking about an aquarium heater. Nice thing about them is they have a thermostat so in theory it will shut off when things warm up. Problem is I doubt that the thermostat will operate at the temps we keep minnys at. They probably don't shut off till about 60 degrees.

[westt5]

hammerhead what size tank is it and how many fish do you have it in?

[hammerhead]

My tank is built into the floor of my sunroom. Dug a hole and lined it with cement then fiberglassed it. Doubles as a little watergarden. A 1gal/min pump circulates through a filter that includes charcoal. The water then trikles down over some rocks, so I'm sure it is well oxygenated. I calculate it to be about 30 gallons. I have had as many as 60 shiners in it, but now there are only 2 or 3 doz and my carps are giving up the ghost.

[bigpapamike]

Bigpapamike here a newbie of course but heres my tip. I took a 35 gal freezer that didnt work fill it with river water.I live in argentine mich on the shiawasee river. put a aquarium pump with air stone in it with a 25 watt light bulb in the lid to keep the water from freezing out in my shed. the minnows last for weeks at a time with water changed weekly. it will hold around 15 dz or so pike or walleye minnows.

[caveman1]

This is my minnow tank set up

 http://skunked.ca/viewtopic.php?t=1849&highlight=

 

[Bellybuster]

hate sites that force you to register just to view. I have no reason to join a great lakes forum.

[caveman1]

hate sites that force you to register just to view. I have no reason to join a great lakes forum.

 It covers alot more than the great lakes but is mostly southern ontario and its free takes like 2minutes to join

[Lone Fisher]

It covers alot more than the great lakes but is mostly southern ontario and its free takes like 2minutes to join

Its still annoying.. 

[red_eyes]

we got a 100 gal tank. We just fill it and add baitsaver, and just run 2 aerators to it. Works awesome, we never loose bait and can keep roughly 200-300 bait in it.