First bait tank build (Pics Added 12/21/12)

[bait trap]

Any updates? Drgee

[jethro]

Any updates? Drgee

Yes, things are doing quite well, I've got all sorts of bait in there and they seem to be keeping quite well. I have smelt, pins, emeralds and had a sucker before last weekend. Probably 10 dozen in there right now.

[jedhead]

From the pics it looks like you might be" makin shine" in a northern style! I try to change my water with fresh stream water every 4 days. I am only holding in a 12 gal tank now, keeping it fresh with a small 120V bubbler, but have the same Rubbermaid tub as well and use the same 120V bubbler when I get enough bait to fill the tub. Stream water if you can get it seems to much better than well or town water.

[jethro]

Man, it's been a challenge with this cold weather in my uninsulated shed with this thing. Circuit breaker tripped for some reason and it's a good thing I noticed, it wasn't more than a half hour and I had 1/4" of ice on the top! It sure doesn't take much time to make ice when the water is below 30F!

Anyway, the tank is going well and I have lots of bait that are swimming alive and happy!

[bait trap]

Real cold here last week,  I ran a 250watt red brooder heat lamp on the bait tank it stayed ice free all week.

[jethro]

Yep, I put two 100 watt halogen bulbs in clip lights sitting just inches above the water. Just hope it doesn't stress my baits out too much.

[bait trap]

That's why I went with red it helps maintain night vision.  Maybe easier on eyes

[Kevin23]

Fish do have to sleep you know. If they are stressed 24/7 they will get weak.

[bait trap]

I don't believe they truly sleep per say.  A suspended state probably.  If I had no eyelids I'd never sleep,  but fish seem too.  I nap during the day, and when I was deployed on a ship we always had the red lights on 24/7.  Then they switched to a blue light that was annoying.  I'll see if I can dig through my fisheries books from college to see if I can find it on fish sleeping. 

[Kevin23]

Watch your fish tank at night, when the lights go out the fish sleep. Some go to the bottom and rest on the bottom, some rest up on top, and some will lay on logs/plants. They don't move at all when sleeping, just their gill plates move.

[bait trap]

I've seen them during the day as well go through periods of activity and resting.  I've had a few fish that would go crazy as soon as lights are turned out, coming out and gorging on their buddies sleeping.