# New Look For This Years Bait Tank



## H2O Mellon

This is the second year that I'm using this style of system for my outside bait tank. Last year everything worked almost perfectly. I was on year two of my Aqua Clear 110 filter system but the 1st year for the undergravel filter and power heads. After fixing several crack on the Aqua Clear, I decided to retire it, as it was time to replace it. Last fall I picked up a Beckett Pond Filter and Pump. It's pretty powerfull for the size of my tank (rated for up to a 12 x 12 pond. It seem to work real well though. The spray nozzle shoots up to like a 15 foot stream. I had to silicone 2/3's of the nozzel and install a spray bar on the adapter in order to get the flow right, but I think it's set now. It may not be pretty but it should keep Bullheads, Bluegills, Goldfish, Chubs, Suckers, Rockbass and whatever else I use for bait alive. The white thigns are the side are there to help make sure the fish dont jump out and fall through the openeings. 

*This years set up will have:*
-The 500 gallon Beckett Pond Filter/Pump
-3 Power Heads
-100 gallon undergravel filter

*Additional items used throughout the year:* 
-Morton water softener tablets
-Aqua Safe when I add water.
-Stress Coat when I add several new fish.
-"Rejuvenade" by "Bass Medics" (This is what turns the water a green color.) I used this stuff last year and it really seemed to help keep fish healthy. I use this in the outside tank, my portable tanks plus my boat livewells while tourney fishing for cats. (Keeps both the bait and cats healthy.)


Here's last years set up











Here's this years set up


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## H2O Mellon

FYI: Those are actual "bubbles" and not "foam". (Hope that makes sense.)The bubbles disappear as fast as they appear. As folks know that foam you get in portable tanks is NOT good! I was worried at 1st that I might have to use "Foam Away" but that's not the case.

Also, let's hope some of the bait that will be kept here will help produce some nice flatheads! I've got the 1st flathead of the year out of the way, and expect many more to come my way.


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## pendog66

looks good bryan, hopefully we can get out this week and get bait and with chubs in that thing its going to be hard to keep them without a top. they are known for jumping out, nothing like coming out in the morning and seeing half your chubs dead on the porch


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## H2O Mellon

last year I had some chubs, goldfish and even bluegills jump out but it wasn't enough to really worry about. I won't put chubs in there unless are 5 or 6 inches, just I don't really use anything smaller than that.


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## dinkbuster1

sweet! how much did the pond pump cost ya?


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## H2O Mellon

dinkbuster1 said:


> sweet! how much did the pond pump cost ya?


It was something like $150, but I got it at the Handy Man Ace garage sell for either $10 or $20, I can't remember which.


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## flathunter

Thats a nice set-up, but your biggest fish is gonna come on cut-shad!


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## hunted

lol flat.

that is a very nice bait tank.


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## lucky1

flathunter said:


> Thats a nice set-up, but your biggest fish is gonna come on cut-shad!


Frozen cut shad to boot.

Thing of beauty though!


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## Flathead King 06

well not to jack the thread, but here is my question... I have recently acquired a large tank... something like 200-300 gal. and I bought a 500 or a 750 gal. bilge pump and a 1250 gal. aerator pump... and I have all the plumbing cords/tubes needed... will this be enough pump to circulate the water well enough to keep bait alive... if not any suggestions


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## BuckeyeFishinNut

I have been looking for a simple 55 gallon plastic drum over here in eastern Ohio and havent been able to find squat. I really dont wanna go back to my galvanized trough setup. I plan to cut the drum down a bit and get the 30 gallon bait tamer to keep them in inside the drum.

Thats a nice setup H20. I visited a fish farm once an a guy made his holding tanks for the fry in his barn. He used cinder blocks to make it a certain depth then used heavy duty plastic wrap to make it waterproof. he used one last layer of cinder blocks to hold everything in place. He used a pool pump for aeration. It was a crude setup but worked very well. 

Hope the bait tank works out for ya. I am still trying to figure out what to do for mine if I cant find a drum. Good luck this year.

Jake


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## H2O Mellon

Flathead King 06 said:


> well not to jack the thread, but here is my question... I have recently acquired a large tank... something like 200-300 gal. and I bought a 500 or a 750 gal. bilge pump and a 1250 gal. aerator pump... and I have all the plumbing cords/tubes needed... will this be enough pump to circulate the water well enough to keep bait alive... if not any suggestions


I've had so many trial and errors in regards to bait tanks over the years that it's not even funny!  Please make sure that you have pumps that can continusely be ran. I'm not an electrician but if it's a 12 volt DC pump I dont think it can be ran continusely. The pump would have to be AC and run off 110 in order to be ran all the time.


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## H2O Mellon

BuckeyeFishinNut said:


> I have been looking for a simple 55 gallon plastic drum over here in eastern Ohio and havent been able to find squat. I really dont wanna go back to my galvanized trough setup. I plan to cut the drum down a bit and get the 30 gallon bait tamer to keep them in inside the drum.



Jake,

Those big blue 55 gallons barrells should be all over the place (you'd think), but I know when I was looking for one for a deer feeder I couldnt find one. I finally ran into a place in Dayton that sold them new. I think a 35 gallon barrell cost me $12 or something like that.


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## fisherman5567

Jake/Mellon- Theres a guy on Dayton craiglist selling them w lids for like $4.


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## Salmonid

I have 2 at the house right now, typically the going price is 8-10 bucks for the plastic drums, I had a bunch but the guy (bords horses at my place) asked if he could have them back after he gave me a bunch of them and I told him he could have all but two, I bet it is he who is selling them, Ryan, can you forward me the link for that on CL. Ill be mad if its him selling them after I gave them back to him after he gave them all to me. does that make sense??

Salmonid


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## fisherman5567

If i come across it, ill post the link. these were blue with air tight lids and clean.

Found it. I was refering to the bottom link but found a couple of others too!


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## H2O Mellon

*Year #3 With The Same Tank.... This is a record for me. *

I got the bait tank set up yesterday. I'll run it a week or two before putting bait in it, as I had to bleach it out real well last fall due to a major fish kill (around 50 Bullheads... ticked me off real bad, it was due to the major wind storms of last fall, when the power was knocked out.) 

Anyway, I played around with this wire cage that I had. I'm thinking about putting the larger bullheads inside that area. They wont fight/eat the other bait fish (Goldfish, Carp, Bluegills, Rockbass, Chubs, small Shad, etc..). I also thought that it would make netting the other fish much easier due to blcok off the middle of the tank. 

This is only 1/2 filled. I usually keep a few dozen pieces of the above mentioned bait on hand. I have a lid that sits about 4 feet overtop, as it helps with the sun not blaring right into the tank.

This year I'm using a pond aerator and filter that I bought at Walmart. It was normally around $100 but I think I got it for 75% off.  The other pumps are for the undergravel filters. Aeration/Oxygen won't be a problem. When the real hot days of summer come, I throw in frozen bottles of ice. Even when the temps reach 90+ I don't loose fish, so that's cool. 
I know there are lots of other home made tanks out there, lets see them!


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## Doctor

I don't see any bait in there for the tournament this Saturday, I was gonna raid your place on Friday night for some live stuff........Doc


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## fishdealer04

I got rid of my old bait tank, I am looking at possibly making something new. I had a 50 gallon trashcan that I hooked up a swimming pool pump. It was meant for a 15-20 ft pool so it pumped a lot of water. I had plenty of o2 flowing and the pool pump filtered the water, it only cost $50 for it. The problem I had was I kept it in the garage and it got too hot in the summer so I would loose fish. I have been thinking of putting something in my basement, but I have not designed something yet. I like your setup Bryan, I might have to look into that. It has to have a lid on it though, I lost a quite a few chubs last year and some bass, and the chubs are very hard for me to come by ecspecially big ones.


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## H2O Mellon

Doctor said:


> I don't see any bait in there for the tournament this Saturday, I was gonna raid your place on Friday night for some live stuff........Doc


You know your more than welcome to anything I have. Just walk in and grab some, when ot gets filled that is. 




fishdealer04 said:


> It has to have a lid on it though, I lost a quite a few chubs last year and some bass, and the chubs are very hard for me to come by ecspecially big ones.


Man your right those Chubs can jump out. I did loose alot last year to that. The jumpers are turned into garnen fertilizer! I've had some jump out and flop all the way to the garden, which is about 20 yards from the tank.  I thought of using a mesh cover and put over it.

Sometimes the birds will drown in the tank. Last year when I had about 75 Bullheads in there, they devoured a make robin. All that was left was bones and feathers. I was in shock. I never knew how agressive those Bullheads were until then.


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## dinkbuster1

if anyone wants one of those "shipping crates" that Bryan made the tank out of to make one of their own i can point you to where to pick one up for FREE! (in Germantown) i gave Bryan one and a friend one but my friend never made a tank and now wants it out of the garage. BTW, sweet setup!


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## fisherman5567

dinkbuster1 said:


> if anyone wants one of those "shipping crates" that Bryan made the tank out of to make one of their own i can point you to where to pick one up for FREE! (in Germantown) i gave Bryan one and a friend one but my friend never made a tank and now wants it out of the garage. BTW, sweet setup!


Hey Dink i might take you up on that.....what are the dimensions of the shipping crate? 

Bryan...wats your best estimate as to cost of setting up something like that from scratch?


I might just have to start filling that thing for you....let me know what kind of fish you want.


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## fishdealer04

Dink if Ryan does not take it, let me know and I might snag it.


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## H2O Mellon

Ryan, 

I'd say $100 or so would buy the pond linning plus pumps. YOu can get buy w/ just undergravel filters you dont need the actual pond pump.

I'll take Blugills, Rockbass, Suckers, Big Chubs, Goldfish, etc... If I'm not home throw them in there!


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## fishdealer04

I have access to large amounts of bullheads if you want them....8-12 inch in size.


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## fisherman5567

fishdealer04 said:


> Dink if Ryan does not take it, let me know and I might snag it.


Dink, ill call you here soon to get that crate. I need something to keep all my warmouths in!


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## H2O Mellon

fishdealer04 said:


> I have access to large amounts of bullheads if you want them....8-12 inch in size.


Yeap I'd love to have them.


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## feetdown

I just use a chest syle freezer with a small pond pump from wally world. i ran the plumbing up the side and then added a section of PVC with multiple "T"s on it to disacharge the water in differnt sections of the tank....I use a basket of poly-filll to help filter the water...I hooked the freezer up to a 24 hr. timer. I have the freezer on the lightest setting and run the freezer for 15 min. every 2 hours....In 90* heat in the garage I can keep my water at about 60* all summer long......

I just need to figure out an easier way to filter the water. I have to do a partial change at least 1 time a week....
Any Suggestions?????


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## fishfrye

thats a nice set up!!!


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## Jackfish

Mellon,

Nice tank - I'm thinking about putting together something along the same lines as this. Hopefully you can answer a few questions and help me in the design of mine.

How deep is your tank? How many gallons is it? Do you keep lid on during summer - does the tank get much sunlight? Other than the loss of power, have you had other fish kills occur in it? Do you run an undergravel, or underwater, or both, filter? Do you leave fish in over the winter?

Thanks in advance for your input!

- Jackfish


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