Home Made Live Well

[Rick99]

I have been searching the boards and found topics on how to make a home made live well. I purchased a 100qt Cooler and a Super Fish Saver aerator kit as well as Please release me to add to the water. I am going to enter some local tourneys this year that are on Tuesday nights from 6pm to 10pm from June thru August.

Question I have is this will the pump in the water generate to much heat for the fish for a 4 hour trip?

Does anyone use these homemade livewells and if so do you run the pump the whole time the fish are in the livewell?

Thanks for your help!

[WRB]

The aeration system should keep the livewell with enough DO (dissolved oxygen) high water temperatures are another issue.

100 qts = 25 gallons of water when the cooler is full, you will only keep the water lever about 4" below full, about 15 gallons. 1/2 cup of 3% hydrogen peroxide ( over the counter, general use) mixed with 15 gal will keep your bass alive if the aeration pump has any issues, good insurance.

The big problem at is warm water and low DO, the aeration takes care of the DO, ice takes care of hot water.

Freeze pint plastic drinking bottoms, remove the label first and de chlorinate the water with a drop of tropical de chlorinate. Get a swimming pool thermometer that floats and watch the water temps; 70-75 degrees is good. Add a frozen plastic water bottom as needed to keep the temps in range, 1 every 2 hours should be all that needed.

Fill the cooler with water, add Catch & Release and the h2o2, check the water temps, add ice (frozen water bottle) turn on the aeration system, (do not recirculate lake water) when you add bass.

Good luck.

Tom

[Rick99]

The aeration system should keep the livewell with enough DO (dissolved oxygen) high water temperatures are another issue.

100 qts = 25 gallons of water when the cooler is full, you will only keep the water lever about 4" below full, about 15 gallons. 1/2 cup of 3% hydrogen peroxide ( over the counter, general use) mixed with 15 gal will keep your bass alive if the aeration pump has any issues, good insurance.

The big problem at is warm water and low DO, the aeration takes care of the DO, ice takes care of hot water.

Freeze pint plastic drinking bottoms, remove the label first and de chlorinate the water with a drop of tropical de chlorinate. Get a swimming pool thermometer that floats and watch the water temps; 70-75 degrees is good. Add a frozen plastic water bottom as needed to keep the temps in range, 1 every 2 hours should be all that needed.

Fill the cooler with water, add Catch & Release and the h2o2, check the water temps, add ice (frozen water bottle) turn on the aeration system, (do not recirculate lake water) when you add bass.

Good luck.

Tom

Thanks Tom great info here. So it is ok, following your directions above, to leave the pump continuously on?

[WRB]

Yes, when you put bass in it. Do not circulate lake water.

Tom

[Rick99]

Yes, when you put bass in it. Do not circulate lake water.

Tom

ok here I am lost. I thought I fill it with lake water, add the please release me and than turn it on and leave it on when I add a fish. This is wrong?

[gallowaypt]

No, that is correct. Freeze water bottles so that you can keep the water from getting too hot. If your cooler has decent insulation, the pump alone will keep the water pretty cool.

[Rick99]

Thank you!