Live well STENCH!!!! Help!!!!!

[Bassnajr]

Hey all..

My fishing partner and I were in a tournament on 6-8-2008. We used both live wells during the tournament. I finally got around today to cleaning the boat out and re-organizing everything. I went to make sure that the live wells had emptied out and OH MY GOD!!! the smell almost made me puke!! I looked inside one of the wells and there were two partially digested crayfish (obviously spit up by the bass that were in the well!!) that were rancid!!!

Anyone else every have anything like this happen??

How do I get the smell out??

P.S. I wish I knew that's what the were eating during the tourney!! ;D

Help please!!!!

ajr

[=Matt 5.0=]

Alan, I have been keeping fish for 20 years. The last ten have been spent in salwater/captive reefs. The one thing that I've found to be safe for aquatic life, but works well as a cleaner is white vinegar. Maybe a mild bleach solution followed by a dechlorinator?

[mosouthpaw]

a tip i saw once with tupperware kitchen plastics.  Clean it out and dry it out.  Then use newspaper wadded up inside.   The tip said the soy ink absorbed garlic odors and such from the plastic.  

Another option would be washing soda, let sit then flush clean it out.  Baking soda would probably suffice if you cant find washing soda.

[BadKarma42]

I once read a tip that said to put baking soda in your livewell after you trailer your boat to drive home.  Keep the water in it.

All the bumps, turns, etc. will will have the water sloshing around and should do a decent cleaning job.

As for your current problem, I don't have any suggestions, sorry.

[Bassn Blvd]

Another good tip is to check your livewell before storing your boat.

[Crank Addict]

Alan, I have been keeping fish for 20 years. The last ten have been spent in salwater/captive reefs. The one thing that I've found to be safe for aquatic life, but works well as a cleaner is white vinegar. Maybe a mild bleach solution followed by a dechlorinator?

Vinegar get my vote also.  That stuff works great!  Some of the organic or fruit (apple, wine) may be a bit more fish friendly.  Purely a guess on that.

I also use those moisture absorbing crystals you can find at your local hardware store to help fight mildew and related odors if I'm storing the boat for any lenght of time and it's not totaly dry.

Good luck,  let us know how it turns out.

[senko_77]

I once read a tip that said to put baking soda in your livewell after you trailer your boat to drive home. Keep the water in it.

All the bumps, turns, etc. will will have the water sloshing around and should do a decent cleaning job.

As for your current problem, I don't have any suggestions, sorry.

x2.  After each tourny I dump some baking soda into the well and give it a good scrub down with a sponge.  Good luck removing the nastiness  ;D

[Crowcommander]

Go to Wally World and get Twenty Mule Team Borax.Yeah they still make it and sprinkle a little in the live well.Also put a little on the old Frog Toggs you put up wet.Works wonders IMHO Crowcommander

[Lane]

Here are our recommendations for cleaning and disinfection of livewells:

1. Pour 1 gallon of 100% vinegar into each livewell, slosh then let sit

for 30 minutes. Using 100% vinegar will kill bacteria and ALL STAGES

of invasive species mussels (quagga/zebra). Remove screens and also

let sit in 100% vinegar solution. Rinse.

2.  Wipe down livewells with 3% hydrogen peroxide for further

disinfection. Rinsing is not necessary since H2O2 will quickly degrade.

3. Leave livewell lids open for several hours to throughly dry out.

You livewell will be **** and span!