Bait Tank Setup for 17' Sea Chaser

[Arimadrifter]

I've searched the threads for bait tank ideas and am still a little un-clear on the best way to go. I'm thinking 20-25 Gal tank mounted in the center near the transom with a transom mounted supply pump with the overflow drain dumping in the splashwell. Does anyone have any other suggestions? Pictures of what you have would be great too.
Thanks for the help!

[croaker stroker]

I would send your 1-1/4" outflow over the transom. The hole in the splash well is too small.

[AJFishin]

Arimadrifter:
For my SC16 I made a trash can bait tank (20gallon) works good, 30 gallon would probably be better. It works good with a half scoop, but I do get some dead sardines, still working the bugs out, but almost there.
I have a transom mount pump works great, just get a ball valve on it so you can adjust the flow. The trash can tanks are cheap and easy to make, but go with a pre-made if you want a simple drop in set up. There are some inexpensive Moeller Marine livewells on Amazon, but I've never seen or used them.


CS:
I took your advice on mine with the 1-1/4" outflow; tired of sardines and scales clogging up my outflow pump. Going to try out the set up Friday.

[croaker stroker]

Fiberglass tanks are the most popular. My tank is 20 gal polyethylene. Either way all of the plumbing needs to be on the outside of the tank. Smooth inside with radiused corners. Nothing for the little guys to bang into while swimming around.

http://mmmwebstore.com/index.php?s=products&category=Bait%20Tanks%20-%20Polyethylene

[Arimadrifter]

AJFishin,
Did you use a 20gal Brute? If so, how far below the top of the can did you put the overflow drain? I'm assuming a 20 gallon trash can (Brute) holds 20 gallons to the top of the can? I was thinking of using a 30 or 32 gallon can and putting the top/lid down around 6 inches.

[Arimadrifter]

The overflow drain over the transom makes sense Croaker, thank you.

[croaker stroker]

This is a really good article. I have talked with Mark Wisch a few times. His shop is nearby.

http://www.sportfishingmag.com/keeping-live-bait-lively

[AJFishin]

Mine is a 20gal Brute. My new overflow (not pictured) is about 2" below the top.

And yes, a 30 gallon Brute can is a better choice for DIY bait tank.

Here's a picture of mine. At the bottom is my outflow pump, but I now added a 1-1/4" overflow to it, not pictured.

[Threeweight]

I just built one this week out of a white 32 gallon Brute can (Cash and Carry carries the white ones).  My overflow is down about 6 inches from the lid, to reduce sloshing/spillage, so my actual volume is about 25 gallons.  Mine is likely going to live on my outboard bracket, so drainage is no issue for me.

Mine is a simple design. Drain is just a thru-hull fitting that takes a 1" diameter plug, overflow at the top is a 1 1/8" thru hull fitting with some soft mesh covering I cut out of an onion bag.  Built a "water sprayer" about 20" long out of 3/4" PVC pipe, with 4 1/4" holes in it to pump water out along the edge of the barrel so it flows in a circle.  Found some semi-rigid plastic drawer liner at Lowes and used it to build a "shield" for this tube so the anchovies don't beat themselves against it.  I attached a hose pipe adapter to the water inlet on the outside of the tank. 

My Hewes has a livewell in the rear fishbox, I removed the sprayer for it and replaced it with a threaded fitting + hosepipe adapter.  Going to try running my tank off that.  If it doesn't work well, I will add a separate pump on one of my annode tabs on the bracket, underwater, and wire it off a Scotty downrigger plug.

[croaker stroker]

I always thought the water should flow in a circle. But the guys in the bait tank business say no.

http://www.sportfishingmag.com/keeping-live-bait-lively

[Arimadrifter]

I always thought the water was best going in a circle too. Every small bait tank I've ever seen does have the water go in a circle. That's the first time I've seen an "expert" say that.

[Arimadrifter]

Croaker, do you have any issues with too much weight in the boat when the bait tank is in? Do you take water thru the splash well drain? Any issues with weight? Do you have a kicker too?
I put a new 90 Yamaha on mine and am just finishing rigging it. Haven't had it in the water yet but planning to in the next week or so. Is your bait tank all the way aft?

[croaker stroker]

It is all the way aft. I strap it to the motor well with a stainless steel ratchet strap originally used as a transom trailer hold-down. I am pretty happy with it. It is only 22 gallons. Weight is not an issue. I have not paid much attention to water in the motor well ?? Water sloshes in and out all the time from the wind waves while drifting. I do not have a kicker.

[Arimadrifter]

Perfect. I appreciate the ideas and suggestions. This is an awesome group! Thanks!

[croaker stroker]

Here are a couple of pictures of my tank. I used a piece of swimming pool vacuum hose I had laying around. Amazing that it has held up so long in the sun/UV.

I used this tank for a long time by taking the battery panel off. When I finally decided that I wasn't going to change anything, I cut the panel to accommodate the hose. I cut a slot instead of a hole so I could still take the panel off and put it back on easily without disconnecting the hose.

I also added a hose fitting on the side panel. (Idea I got from Streamfixer)  this allows me to easily remove the tank when needed. A huge unanticipated advantage to this fitting is that by disconnecting the hose and placing the cap on the fitting water cannot be forced into the tank while underway.

To drain the tank, I just take off the cap on the drain fitting, drain the water into the bilge, and pump it out with the Bilge pump.

***Note the white material (Eternabond) on the top of my transom. It is rubber roof repair tape. This stuff works great to seal the molding on the transom.

[Arimadrifter]

Nice install on the overflow drain. Does the input supply run over the top of the splashwell?

[croaker stroker]

My last Arima had a rule pump mounted on the transom and hose over the motorwell.

On this one, I have a through hull pickup and bait pump mounted in the port battery compartment.

I have used the same $10 garage sale tank on both boats. I have grown quite attached to it. 

[Arimadrifter]

Does the thru hull Setup work better than the transom mount?

[croaker stroker]

Does the thru hull Setup work better than the transom mount?

No. They both pump good.

I like the Rule transom mount better because you don't have to drill a big hole in the hull. It is also removable, which is good when you want to remove your bait tank for family outings. It is more expensive. Downside is locating it along with your trim tabs and transducer.

My boat already had the thru-hull installed. Otherwise, I would have gone with the Rule #265 bracket. It is angled just so that the water is forced into the pump while underway.

There is no room on my boat for a ball valve on the thru-hull. (And, no access because of the location under the gas tank) ...I don't like that either. If a hose breaks or comes loose, there is no valve to prevent water from flooding in... No worries with the transom mount.

[Arimadrifter]

Good to know. Thank you.

[AJFishin]

There is no room on my boat for a ball valve on the thru-hull. (And, no access because of the location under the gas tank) ...I don't like that either. If a hose breaks or comes loose, there is no valve to prevent water from flooding in... No worries with the transom mount.

CS, not sure how your set up is with your thru-hull, but you're not able to see your thru-hull through the hatch in the center hold? I was thinking if you can, could you add a threaded elbow to a ball valve or just a 90* ball valve, something kind of like this?

[croaker stroker]

AJ, Thanks for the idea.

If I lay on my back and stick my arm through the deck plate in my fish hold, I can barely touch the through hull fitting. Next time I take out my gas tank, I will study your idea.

[AJFishin]

No problem.
Sometimes Home Depot & Lowes doesn't carry those kind of 90* ball valves. But check out McMaster Carr or Grainger or your good friend Amazon Prime 

[Arimadrifter]

Croaker,
It looks like your intake comes into the tank about the same level as the drain. Is that right? Also, I read the article you posted regarding water flow. Do you point your intake straight down? Is the intake under water or does it come in above the level of the water?
Thank you!

[croaker stroker]

Yes. Straight down...failed experiment.   

This is not the best bait tank. It is a $10 garage sale purchase. I mounted the intake like that so the sardines wouldn't hit it as they swim around the tank....and less turbulence. Frankly, it doesn't work to keep the sardines alive much better than the original elbow mounted in the bottom of the tank. The water movement from that intake seems to scare them and they all huddle in the bottom of the tank.

The best solution would be a professionally made tank. These tanks have baffles and "compartments" where the water enters and exits the tank without creating turbulence, current, or bubbles in the part of the tank where the sardines swim....turbulance stresses the sardines and they die.

My next step is to purchase a 30-35 gallon fiberglass tank like the Arima tanks, Blue Water bait tanks, or  Pacific Edge. After talking to Mark Wisch, I almost pulled the trigger on a Pacific Edge tank. Just couldn't bring myself to spend the $$$$.