Author Topic: shiners freezing in a cooler outside (Read 1264 times)

Papa Sly · « **on:** Jan 21, 2016, 07:39 PM »

Hi Guys, I need a little help. I am trying to keep leftover shiners outside in a 60 quart cooler that says it keeps ice cold for 5 days. I don't have a garage and the basement is heated so no choice. The water is still freezing inside the cooler even with an aerator in it. I went to 2 fish stores thinking I would get a small aquarium heater as suggested on the site on a different thread however 68 degrees is the lowest setting which is way to warm. Any ideas?

Dschofield91 · « **Reply #1 on:** Jan 21, 2016, 07:41 PM »

Bring in and out every few hours?

BASSQUATCH · « **Reply #2 on:** Jan 21, 2016, 07:44 PM »

Can you build a box to put the cooler in with a hatch and line the box with some thick foam insulation, maybe double up the 2" foam that home depot sells? Just a thought.

Yachtzy · « **Reply #3 on:** Jan 21, 2016, 07:49 PM »

A timer, run it in short cycles?

JJPSEFfish · « **Reply #4 on:** Jan 21, 2016, 07:54 PM »

Quote from: MillBillyMan on Jan 21, 2016, 07:44 PM

Can you build a box to put the cooler in with a hatch and line the box with some thick foam insulation, maybe double up the 2" foam that home depot sells? Just a thought.

Foam insulation is the way to go, before I bought my house I kept my bait at a friends house outside used the 2 inch insulation in a box small aerator kept about 55 gallon cooler from freezing would only skim on the coldest nights.

Josh

Spoondangler · « **Reply #5 on:** Jan 21, 2016, 07:56 PM »

Why not keep them in the heated basement? The water will come up gradually in temp, and they will acclimate.

Papa Sly · « **Reply #6 on:** Jan 21, 2016, 07:58 PM »

its like 65 degrees in the basement, to warm to keep shiners and would die for sure when they went into the lake.

Papa Sly · « **Reply #7 on:** Jan 21, 2016, 08:00 PM »

Hey Chrisfishd....any idea where I could buy multi set timer

FishingNewEngland · « **Reply #8 on:** Jan 21, 2016, 08:04 PM »

Get rid of the aeration!! You're pumping COLD air into the water...

Yachtzy · « **Reply #9 on:** Jan 21, 2016, 08:05 PM »

Quote from: Papa Sly on Jan 21, 2016, 08:00 PM

Hey Chrisfishd....any idea where I could buy multi set timer

Home Depot, just like a Christmas light timer or such.

flaggs · « **Reply #10 on:** Jan 21, 2016, 08:06 PM »

Quote from: FishingNewEngland on Jan 21, 2016, 08:04 PM

Get rid of the aeration!! You're pumping COLD air into the water...

FNE! W-T-F?

Hope all is well Pal!

Flaggs!

Beer Me! · « **Reply #11 on:** Jan 21, 2016, 08:08 PM »

Put emm in ya Car !

FishingNewEngland · « **Reply #12 on:** Jan 21, 2016, 08:09 PM »

Quote from: flaggs on Jan 21, 2016, 08:06 PM

FNE! W-T-F?

Hope all is well Pal!

Flaggs!

Howdy! Need a mate on the boat next year? 😁

Seriously though. The cold air pumped into the cooler is why it's freezing. Turn it on in the daylight and off before dark.

F.R.E.D. · « **Reply #13 on:** Jan 21, 2016, 08:09 PM »

I keep mine in a 5 gallon bucket in the kitchen. LOL Wife loves it.

JJPSEFfish · « **Reply #14 on:** Jan 21, 2016, 08:14 PM »

Quote from: F.R.E.D. on Jan 21, 2016, 08:09 PM

I keep mine in a 5 gallon bucket in the kitchen. LOL Wife loves it.

Lol

flaggs · « **Reply #15 on:** Jan 21, 2016, 08:22 PM »

Quote from: FishingNewEngland on Jan 21, 2016, 08:09 PM

Howdy! Need a mate on the boat next year? 😁

Seriously though. The cold air pumped into the cooler is why it's freezing. Turn it on in the daylight and off before dark.

Makes sense to me Pal.

I haven't even set up my tank yet!!! but I will this weekend.. get my first holes punched for the season this Sunday.. I hope!

Flaggs!

BogMan · « **Reply #16 on:** Jan 21, 2016, 08:52 PM »

As others have said about a insulated box around the cooler. Keep the cold air away from the tank. 65 degrees is great. A bait shop water is cool and you bring the shiners onto the ice in freezing weather and they survive. A 55 gallon drum would also work wonders too.

MoreTroutPls · « **Reply #17 on:** Jan 21, 2016, 08:59 PM »

Another option is to keep them in the cellar until the night before you plan to use them. Then put them in the car overnight. The water temperature will drop overnight and the bait will not be shocked when the hit the cold pond water in the morning.

Spoondangler · « **Reply #18 on:** Jan 21, 2016, 09:05 PM »

Even if your house is 70 at night, the basement , by a foundation wall could be significantly cooler. I also like the wife's car idea that was mentioned.

MrE1979 · « **Reply #19 on:** Jan 21, 2016, 09:11 PM »

Try a filter that circulates the water. Flowing water doesn't freeze. Have it pump twice the amount of water per hour. So if you have 20 gallons get a filter that does 40 gallons per hour

Slabosorous · « **Reply #20 on:** Jan 21, 2016, 10:01 PM »

Just get a $5 foam cooler from the grocery store. Will insulate just fine.

derek_buck · « **Reply #21 on:** Jan 21, 2016, 10:11 PM »

Get a big cooler, fill with ice, and then place a smaller foam insulated bucket full of water and shiners into the ice in the big cooler. You could then keep that inside, they won't freeze but will still keep well below inside room temperature. If that doesn't keep it cool enough, add salt to the ice. That should lower the temp in the cooler, just like you add salt to the ice while making homemade ice cream.

Roncarr · « **Reply #22 on:** Jan 22, 2016, 08:03 AM »

put the cooler in the basement and add ice to it and the day of the trip throw some snow in the bait bucket before you leave.

chilly-willy · « **Reply #23 on:** Jan 22, 2016, 08:20 AM »

Could try a cattle feed tank heater there sold at tractor supply etc Google it ... put it on a timer switch for thaw and cool cycles ...

tilted · « **Reply #24 on:** Jan 22, 2016, 03:04 PM »

I have a bait tank in my heated basement put the bait in my foam insulated bait bucket and set them outside an hour or so before I head out... They always make it...just an idea

Jwise · « **Reply #25 on:** Jan 22, 2016, 03:27 PM »

A cap full of Automotive drygas is the trick.

A7X · « **Reply #26 on:** Jan 22, 2016, 05:31 PM »

Livestock trough heater. .. they make drop in's that'll work for like $20... probably at tractor supply.... there's also outlets that turn on at 35 degrees and shut off at 40 they sell em on vet supply as well as the heaters. .. Not sure if they have those at tractor supply but I've seen em in the vet supply catalog... Grew up with horses and my parents still have 3... that's where I got my heater. ..

Something to look into anyway

ICEHOLE · « **Reply #27 on:** Jan 22, 2016, 05:56 PM »

When its teens or below I put the heater on but it doesn't mean it will actually get to 68 degrees. It actually stays just above freezing. If its above 29 degrees the heaters off. I run a 10 glass aquarium tho, and run a filter as opposed to areation. I have noticed areators cause ice build up

BaitBucket · « **Reply #28 on:** Jan 22, 2016, 06:49 PM »

Stick it in the basement in a corner up against the concrete. Should be fine.

Heres my setup for about 500ish shiners, no issues:

Jschumacher · « **Reply #29 on:** Jan 22, 2016, 07:04 PM »

Small heater on a timer. Kept my tank in the shed last year that worked great with the cold we had. Moved it to the porch this year. Porch is enclosed haven't needed the heater yet.

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Author Topic: shiners freezing in a cooler outside (Read 1264 times)