# Chillers for Bait Tanks



## kingjohn (Apr 23, 2004)

Can anybody help me out on a chiller for a 100 gallon bait tank. I was tired of traveling for good bait so when I saw the Bait shop was selling off thiers I snatched it up. It has everything but a chiller ,, and I was wondering if anybody knew how to make one, or if anybody knew where one may be for sale?
The owner said for flathead minnows, chubs ,, and seined minnows I would not need one but I'm not too sure about that!!

Any thoughts would be good
Ps its for private use,, not too go into the bait bussiness

John


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## shuvlhed1 (Apr 13, 2004)

google "bait chiller"

I have never used one and not had too many problems keeping bait alive except for the dead heat of summer. Filtration is more important than chiller. I don't use one of those either. Just change water every other day or so. But my tanks aren't anywhere near 100 gallon.


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## Mr. Catfish (Apr 10, 2004)

I keep my bait in an chest freezer. I don't have it plugged in and I don't have any type of pump. It stays outside and is in direct sunlight for about 12 hours. I keep the lid shut and the water stays 10 degrees cooler than our pond water.I don't have a problem keeping bait alive but then again I need to restock every 2 to 3 days because I fish that much. But I have kept minnows in it for weeks. I do take some rocks out of the pond and put in there ,the bacteria from the pond help break down nitrates and other bad stuff.


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## kingjohn (Apr 23, 2004)

I was thinking,, if I dropped 20 gallons or so, and re-filled it , that would keep it cooler, every other day 
as for google I did a search for chillers and theere pricey $3-400 bucks.
As for the 100 gallon I jumped on it cuz the price,


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## ChardonRob (Apr 7, 2005)

This may seem totally bizarre but it works like a charm. We needed a system to keep large creek chubs alive in the heat of the summer. We cannibalized an old water cooler like you'd find in an office. Through much trial and error we found that leaving the entire cooler unit on the ground then running a pump out of the bait tank into the cooler got us started in the right direction. Then we opened the spout of the cooler and attached a rubber hose to the spout. We attached a pump to the rubber hose then ran another section of hose back to the bait tank. The pump going out of the tank and the pump going back into the tank have to be identical to match the flow in each direction. These were very cheap aquarium pumps. To improve our system for chubs we added a small water jet pump inside the tank to create current. The end result is 49 degree water in August in a hot garage and happy chubs that survive trips from Cleveland to the Ohio River. You can call a water serivce for a cooler. They get tons of returns where the stand is damaged of something else minor is wrong with it and they will sell them for next to nothing or give one to you outright if you tell them what its for.


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## PAYARA (Apr 7, 2004)

A chiller for a bait tank is IMO nutz!I wouldn't dare spend
that type of money on one of those things unless I was keeping
a reef aquarium or a sturgeon,ect.Good estabished biological
filteration coupled with excelent mechanical filteration IS a
must for a bait tank IMO!I hardly see how a 100g tank would
reach any really serious life threating temps without a heater
or being in direct sunlight for hrs?If your water would happen
to get really unussually warm.Just get a few 2 liter bottles
filled with water,freeze them and then float them in the tank!
Also NO bait tank could be considered complete without a
large airstone to supply alot of extra oxygen


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## kingjohn (Apr 23, 2004)

Just got off the phone with the manufacturer Min-o Cool said the unit I got retailis for $4,028 the tank alone is $1490 .. the only thing it does not have is a chiller!!!!!!!!!!! Ive been doing back flips scince I got off the phone with FrigidUnits!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 
Yeeeeeeeeeeeeee HAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
She Said " son you got a STEAL"
To a blind hog an acorn falls every now and then!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

John


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## kingjohn (Apr 23, 2004)

I was wrong its 140 gallons,,,, guys I cant hold back 


I got it for $100 everything 

once again YEEEEEEEHHHAAAAAA


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## kingjohn (Apr 23, 2004)

Thanks for all the replys Payara the stone you speak of is that the kind you hook up to and Air pump????

John


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## dinkbuster1 (Oct 28, 2005)

i have a huge plastic truck box that i keep bait in. i would guess it holds 55 gallons of water. i use an undergravel filter system and burried it up to the lid in a shaded area beside the garage. the ground keeps it plenty cool enough. i keep chubs in it too along with suckers, shiners, gills, and whatever else. one thing you have to be concerned about is when you have cooler water in the summer fish will get that "ick" disease on them and you have to treat the water. the undergravel system keeps the water so clean that i only change the water about 3 times a year, if that much.


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## PAYARA (Apr 7, 2004)

KingJohn,Yes the stone will hook right up to the common 
aquarium air tubing.You can purchase long bubble wands
or just large square or circle stones.


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## PAYARA (Apr 7, 2004)

Sorry, I miss read something!


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## snake69 (Sep 26, 2005)

Hmmm...I pd $25 for a used fridge, keep a 7 gal bucket in it with air pumped in and only have to change the water every 5-7 days. Also keep my extra pop/beer, maggots and worms in it. Handy, cheap and out of the way. The ol lady don't complain 'bout the worms and maggots in "her" fridge no more and the kids don't get in and open them anymore either. No more heart attacks because maggots are squirmin' around the fridge. Good all the way around!! Of course...you still got a deal and that's good!


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## ashtonmj (May 3, 2004)

Along the used fridge line, that is one of the most common methods used in the aquarium hobby to use as a chiller. With a 2 - 3+ cubic ft fridge you can place a canister filter inside of it and drill holes in the sides to allow for your plumbing to return in and out.


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## RiverRat (Apr 5, 2004)

I had a large 175 gal. tank in my garage for a few years to keep lots of bait in it.
In winter i kept shinners, creek chubs and other natural bait species, in summer i kept all types of suckers and such for catfishing.
I had a magnum 150 canister filter from one of my big indoor fish tanks, gravel on the bottom and a "bubble" stone/air pump set up. I ended up also adding another smaller filter to to keep things ultra clean.
Only problem was in the heat of the summer, my garage got very hot inside if closed up and this was VERY bad because my tank was a 2'x2'x6' galvanized watering tank for cattle and such. Well galvanized metal sucks up heat and holds it in...did'nt know this until stopped using the tank all together...but my water temps on a week of 90+ degrees would be hard to keep under 85+ degrees...too much work to drain and fill every day, it sucked!
I finally gave the tank away this past summer....if i was to do it over again i would try this method.
Find a used LARGE lay down chest freezer that still works....make sure its like most ive seen and has a solid inner plastic liner so it will hold water without any leaks or problems. You can turn the temp. to whatever your bait prefers and keep it that temp. all year round. I know someone that has this set up and i must say it works out so very well. You can even remove the lid and make a screen covered lid instead.
I think he only uses the temp. settings during the warm times of the year...plus its insulated and is the most perfect keep cool bait tank ive seen to date.
All you have to do is add a filter system of your choice or bubble pump.

Scott


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## kingjohn (Apr 23, 2004)

thanks for the replys guys youve givin me lots of ideas and saved me some money!!!!!!!!
The tanks willl be in the basment Garage/appt and it stays cool in the summer if kept closed so I think I'll be COOL on the temp issue, 

Thanks for the help ALL
John


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## johnboy111711 (Apr 7, 2004)

def. get a good filtration system...I am sure payara could name a few good ones. I had a great on i bought from a pet store for arounf 50 i think.


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## PAYARA (Apr 7, 2004)

Would depend of the tank size.If its an aqurium or stock tank,
ect.For an aquarium (depending on size)I personally would just 
go with a large power filter or two such as the Emperor 400.And
leave the tank bare.It makes cleaning much easier and since its
just for bait it dosent need to be appealing to the eye.The Emp.
400 is an excelent power filter(I own several of them)Has a flow
rate of 400 gallons an hour and has large filter media compacity.

For large stock tanks(galvanized,plastic,fiberglass,poly,ect)I would
suggest useing a large canister filter such as the Eheim 2260!Its
an EXCELENT filter rated for tanks up to 400g but I would use at
least two on a 400 gallon tank,a tank of 200 would be comfortable
with just one IMO.Not saying a canister filter is the best or cheapest
option but its the most adaptable filtration system for these types
of tanks IMO.However I have been keeping fish for over 5 yrs in
a 150g rubbermaid stock tank with a modified undergravel filter!
You could even build a number of cheap but effective filters 
though to!


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## kingjohn (Apr 23, 2004)

Where does one get the Eheim 2260? Pet stores?
Also its 140gal min-o-cool plastic tank MT700 is the # on it.
And can crawfish/leeches be kept in the tank?
Thanks for all the help guys you all saved me time/money!!!

John


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## PAYARA (Apr 7, 2004)

John-you may have a bit of trouble locating it at most
Pet Shops,as its really a beast of a filter for more than
the average tank.You could either order it off line(theres
a number of places) or see if a shop might order you one?
Their not that cheap,they go for around $250-$260.But
definally the best choice for this application IMO.


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## kingjohn (Apr 23, 2004)

Many thanks
John


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