bait tank ?

[treeguymark]

how do i keep my bait tank from freezing ?got the 55 gallon drum in my unheated shed forgot to check on them yesterday and today, just remembered about it just now ,and my water line to my filter was froze up along with a half inch skim on top of the water . lost about a dozen small shiners . i just put a fish tank heater in the barrel will this be enough to stop it from freezing ? 

[haightdaddy]

I just use something that makes the water have a constant current or surface movement and dont run into problems

[treeguymark]

ive got 2 aerators going and spray bar. thinking i might need more pump flow and bigger holes in spray bar ??

[CHEPIGUY]

heater will take care of your problems

[Dispy]

ive got 2 aerators going and spray bar. thinking i might need more pump flow and bigger holes in spray bar ??

This is what happens when one does not adhere to the rule of thumb, no light will aid in keeping the pump from freezing. The rule of thumb is; the pump must circulate at a minimum of 3 times the gallon capacity of your tank......500 gal must use pump that moves 1500 gals per hour. 

[treeguymark]

55 gal blue drum 3/4 full 200 gph pump ! took your advice when i bought it dispy !think im gonna have to go 500 and bigger spray bar ?

[treeguymark]

it was easier in the summer when all i had them in was 64 qt cooler and an aerator and 90 degrees out never lost a single one then !!

[Dispy]

55 gal blue drum 3/4 full 200 gph pump ! took your advice when i bought it dispy !think im gonna have to go 500 and bigger spray bar ?

What size is your intake and output?

[Sinnian]

Free chest freezer in Tilton   

http://nh.craigslist.org/app/4162614893.html

[treeguymark]

1/2 inch . to small ?

[treeguymark]

freezer just might happen if this keeps up !lol 

[Dispy]

1/2 inch . to small ?

Yes, way too small that is an aquarium set up, you need industrial with min of 1 1/2" intake.

[treeguymark]

thanks thats what i thought !! gonna go for a rebuild this week after i get transmission in my truck done !!good thing hes a plumber !

[Dispy]

thanks thats what i thought !! gonna go for a rebuild this week after i get transmission in my truck done !!good thing hes a plumber !

A sump pump or pool pump moves water in force, ensuring no freezes ups in pump and tank. Problem with sumps are they are not made for continuous flow, whereas a pool pump is. They can be bought cheap at Wally World....

[treeguymark]

can ya still get them this time of the year there ? that was my original plan , thought i had 1 but think i tossed it when i moved to windham !

[Swampdonkey]

I ran a big canister filter from petco for 3 years with no issues. Had a chest freezer for a tank.

[PoolGuy]

can ya still get them this time of the year there ? that was my original plan , thought i had 1 but think i tossed it when i moved to windham !

Tree guy try here for a pool pump.    www.intheswim.com

[Coffin Dodger]

Pet Solutions has mag drive water pumps on sale.
Both the model 3 & 5 ($55.00) should be enough to keep your tank from freezing.
If you order it in the a.m., you'll have it 2 days later.
You can run them either in or outside your tank. I run mine inside, because they create a little heat. Also the shorter the pump has to lift, the more pressure you get. The Model 3 will make 7 + turns an hour in your tank. The 5 will do more. They have 1/2" inlets & outlets, but I don't think that's your issue. I think the size of your spray bar is dependent on the size of your intake? If you have a 6" dia. bar e.g. with minimal flow, it's going to freeze up. I have a 50 gal freezer with the model 3 & a 1/2" dia. spray bar about 30" long. It has maybe (9) 3/16"
holes in it. The spray teams out of it! I've had skim ice above the waterline on the sides, but the top has never caught.
 BTW, I checked WW (in my area) 6 weeks ago, for pool pumps, on Dispy's advice and they had nothing.
Just my 2 cents.

[Bluefin1]

I just use something that makes the water have a constant current or surface movement and dont run into problems

x2

[basst_]

i got an unfinished basement! it stays warm all year! a comfy 60s! i only got a 10 gallon with a dozen or so shiners! mainly med/small!   but i got another filter for the 20 or 25 gallon tank! filters are only 15-25 bucks at petco! so they are cheap!    im setting up a tank for my mediums and large shiners and the small tank for small shiners!!!   also im gona use one for chubs i  catch in the marsh in my back yard

[basst_]

oh yea  use the shed for a fishing work space! turn it into a man cave!! put space heater! run some cable lines and power!!!! bam!!!!! man cave!!!! keep you safe from the wife and keeps your bait warm

[treeguymark]

got a pool pump dispy ! as of now my set up is going strong with the heater in the tank , will see how it does with these cold nights and days coming up . either way ill be redoing tank and filter set up with pool pump !would love to go fishing this weekend, but dont think ill have a chance to with kids things this weekend and lack of ice around here to hold my fat self up on the dry side !lol!thanks for the link poolguy .ing a ,and basst  i have 2 sheds one 12 x16 and one 10x10  both with juice 1 full of the wifes junk and the others full of landlords junk that was supposed be emptied a year ago !!if the small one every gets emptied its becomeing a mancave !!plus i got my hardside called the sin shack !! that the wife and kid s arent allowed in !!

[basst_]

Nice bud!!!!!

[kl3377]

If you are not having an issue with the bait surviving with the flow from the current pump and freezing is your only issue.  It would be much less expensive to run a heater 24/7 that a pool pump 24/7.  Coming from someone that is beloved by the electric company.  I run a 1400gph aquarium pump 24/7 for the last 7 years and a inground pool filter pump 5 months out of the year.  My .02

[jethro]

I run a 2000gph magnetic pond pump I bought on sale at Lowes for $14 for my 100gal stock tank. It pumps through hose and schedule 40 pvc no less than 1-1/2". My filter is an 11 gallon trash barrel made into a gravity filter. It stays in my unheated shed all winter but there is plenty of flow to keep it from freezing up. I keep a 100 watt halogen light shined right into the top of the filter which seems to keep ice buildup out of the filter (might not even have needed it, never turned the light off unless it was over 32f). The only place I had ice building up was on the underside of my bait tank cover and it never got that bad unless it was stupid cold. Just remember to put something in the tank your fish can hide behind. With so much current you can see them all swimming hard just to stay alive. I put some big bricks in mine and they all hid behind it.

[PoolGuy]

Not sure if this matters or not,,,, many of the new motors and pumps that are being produced now, come with a variable speed function on them, and some have pre set RPMs on them ...or you can purchase a control device to connect to the motor and lower the RPMs if you have a standard motor...( Run a higher RPM at night when it's colder and lower during the day when the demand for electricity is higher, IF you are worried about an electric bill).... not sure if it would be good for keeping bait alive with lower RPMs ..I'm not sure what bait needs as far as water movement, or if it's just to keep water filtered.

Just my .02

[haightdaddy]

Doesn't the change in temp of your bait water to the cold pond water shock/kill your fish when you go out? Or do you cool them down beforehand?

[jethro]

On the subject of electricity, the 2000gph magnetic pond pump I use didn't change my power bill enough to notice. And I have a small power bill, 600sq ft cabin and probably $70 a month in the winter... I would notice if it went up at all. 

[treeguymark]

I wouldnt notice the change either no bodyin my house knows how to shut anything off anyways !! Lol and the water my tank i yru to keep jusy above freezing and by the i get where im fishinmy bait bucket has probably coolef tlo the outside temps anyways ?!!

[merk42]

Doesn't the change in temp of your bait water to the cold pond water shock/kill your fish when you go out? Or do you cool them down beforehand?

I pull bait from my pond, thru the ice and sometime my indoor 55 gal tank, which is at 70. I put the inside fish in a bag with their tank water then put the bag in the bait bucket with the pond water and the change is gradual, otherwise...YES it stuns them, most die. 35+ degree difference is tough. Takes a bout 10-15 minutes for the temp equalization then remove the bag and all is well.