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Live Bait tank size


Terry

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I understand that within reason the bigger the live bait tank the better, but if faced with the choice of a 28lt or 39lt tank is there any real drawback with the smaller tank?

I am thinking that the filled weight of a 30lt tank in the rear casting platform is probably better than 40lt, the smaller tank would be easier to fit.

This is for bait only, poddy, nippers etc. I have no intention of using it as a live well.

What is the collective wisdom out there?? Cheers, Terry

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I understand that within reason the bigger the live bait tank the better, but if faced with the choice of a 28lt or 39lt tank is there any real drawback with the smaller tank?

I am thinking that the filled weight of a 30lt tank in the rear casting platform is probably better than 40lt, the smaller tank would be easier to fit.

This is for bait only, poddy, nippers etc. I have no intention of using it as a live well.

What is the collective wisdom out there?? Cheers, Terry

Hi Terry, if its only for poddies/nippers then the smaller 28L tank would be fine but if you wanted to keep squid or small yakkas then i would somehow manage to try and fit the larger tank...

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The tank size is an aspect & 28lt would be fine. The main consideration is the volume of water being pumped in.

For what you are looking for the Rule 360 would do the job but if you want a bit more volume then the Rule 500.

I use a 360 on my tank & find it OK.

Which ever pump is chosen ensure the outlet is the correct size & located in the correct position.

Keep in mind , the water enters the tank under pressure but leaves by gravity.

Geoff

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I'd go for the 28L.

I've used a 28L tank in my boat for 3 or 4 years now and it has been great for Poddys, Yabbies, White Bait, Herring & Many others..

But it was just abit to small for Yakkas & Squid and i found them dying to quick.

I now have a 60L tank and it's awesome for everything, but the only problem is you can tell the weights there when it's full, the 4 stroke struggles to plane when one person is at the back of the boat.

Edited by cut_loose
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whatever you go with just keep this in mind. i think the most important thing in a livie tank is the outlet. i have put ones twice the size of the reccomended (on the packet) and they have not been nearly enough. nothing more annoying than a small outlet, always overflowing, cant get enough water in to replenish, cant slow the water coming in enough.

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Thanks fellas, all great & pertinent advice and I have taken that on board (boat pun!).

What about if I put the bigger tank in but had 2 stand pipes, one for a fuller tank and the other shorter to lower the tank volume? Wouldn't that give me the best of both worlds?

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whatever you go with just keep this in mind. i think the most important thing in a livie tank is the outlet. i have put ones twice the size of the reccomended (on the packet) and they have not been nearly enough. nothing more annoying than a small outlet, always overflowing, cant get enough water in to replenish, cant slow the water coming in enough.

Why couldnt you rig a tap somewhere along the feeder line. That way you can control the exact flow... Just a thought.

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Thanks fellas, all great & pertinent advice and I have taken that on board (boat pun!).

What about if I put the bigger tank in but had 2 stand pipes, one for a fuller tank and the other shorter to lower the tank volume? Wouldn't that give me the best of both worlds?

You would only need the one inlet at or near the top. Two outlets are possible but the bottom one would need to have a tap to close off the flow when you want a full tank.

A drain hole will also be required as per this photo,

post-731-053052400 1308376439_thumb.jpg

Instead of having two outlets use condute , one short , the other long. They just press fit into the drain hole.

To go one step further , have the short condute with a piece of clear plastic tube , available from any hardware store.

This slides over the condute & can be set at any height required on the day.

post-731-021708800 1308376852_thumb.jpg

Geoff

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Geoff thanks, you have managed to show and explain better what I meant. I didn't mean two outlets, rather one with interchangeable push/in or screw/in pipes of two different lengths to vary the water level and therefore overall volume.

Geoff can I please ask what size tank you have there? That looks very similar to the Tempress liner and hatch's that are available.

Instead of having two outlets use condute , one short , the other long. They just press fit into the drain hole.

To go one step further , have the short condute with a piece of clear plastic tube , available from any hardware store.

This slides over the condute & can be set at any height required on the day.

post-731-021708800 1308376852_thumb.jpg

Geoff

Edited by Terry
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just a small tip on the pump pickup make shore it's above the bottom off the hull so if you hit something it wont rip it off the transom put a small section off air hose with a 45 degree cut angle extention on the pickup make it so its just under the hull if you hit a stick it just bends back and the 45 degree angle will self pump when under way without the pump running

a ball valve after the pump is a must have so you can shut the whole line off i use my livey tank to counter balance the weight if im going solo but i'm a fat bastard :biggrin2:

if you add a tee section between the motor and ball valve you can run a deck wash line as well there very handy for cleaning the bait board and the like you will need a ball valve at the end off the wash line or a gun is even better so you can regulate the water coming out from spray to jet this may sound a bit over board but its great to have all the above i would also go a big pump there the same price and you can regulate the water coming in with the ball valve

if you have any questions just send me a pm or ring cheere gary

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Geoff can I please ask what size tank you have there? That looks very similar to the Tempress liner and hatch's that are available.

The tank was a standard fitting on the boat , ie , it was fabricated & fitted into the rear deck during the boat manufacture. I'm not sure on the volume , I guess between 20 - 30 lt.

post-731-083161900 1308437119_thumb.jpg

There is a lot more to installing a LBT than meets the eye along with some options that Gary has mentioned.

Below are photos that may be of interest.

This is the CORRECT position for the pump. Note the position of the pick up pipe.

post-731-070554700 1308437396_thumb.jpg

This is the INCORRECT position of the bracket.The pipe is too low & , as Gary has said , can be easily damaged.

post-731-073860800 1308437509_thumb.jpg

Plumbing set up for the deck wash / bait board wash

post-731-007763000 1308437769_thumb.jpg

Deck wash connected to the bait board.

post-731-086383600 1308437835_thumb.jpg

post-731-098216600 1308554468_thumb.jpg

Geoff

Edited by Geoff
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because when you are stationary the water is only coming in at the pumps speed but when you are underway it gets pressure blasted in. it is annoying having to open/close the tap every time you stop/takeoff to prevent overflow.

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I have to echo a couple of other comments. The outflow is important. I have no trouble with too little or too much flow in to the tank under pump or boat movement (my setup is as per geoff's correct picture).

My problem is out flow, I can't get water out as quick as it comes in. The tank fills in about 5 minutes which seems adequate but I have to continually open and close the imtake valve to stop it turning the whole boat into a live tank.

And now of course since I drilled the correct size hole for the standard outlet I'm not sure how to enlarge it without wrecking the hull. Any tips would be appreciated.

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because when you are stationary the water is only coming in at the pumps speed but when you are underway it gets pressure blasted in. it is annoying having to open/close the tap every time you stop/takeoff to prevent overflow.

Try putting one of these in your line before the pump

My link

Edited by Terry
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I have to echo a couple of other comments. The outflow is important. I have no trouble with too little or too much flow in to the tank under pump or boat movement (my setup is as per geoff's correct picture).

My problem is out flow, I can't get water out as quick as it comes in. The tank fills in about 5 minutes which seems adequate but I have to continually open and close the imtake valve to stop it turning the whole boat into a live tank.

And now of course since I drilled the correct size hole for the standard outlet I'm not sure how to enlarge it without wrecking the hull. Any tips would be appreciated.

I am going to be using the Flow-Rite gear to plumb up my tank using a recirc valve in the line.

This site is worth checking out: My link

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I have to echo a couple of other comments. The outflow is important. I have no trouble with too little or too much flow in to the tank under pump or boat movement (my setup is as per geoff's correct picture).

My problem is out flow, I can't get water out as quick as it comes in. The tank fills in about 5 minutes which seems adequate but I have to continually open and close the imtake valve to stop it turning the whole boat into a live tank.

And now of course since I drilled the correct size hole for the standard outlet I'm not sure how to enlarge it without wrecking the hull. Any tips would be appreciated.

I instaled a LBT into Jewgaffer's boat as per the manufacturers instructions & using the fittings supplied with the tank.

First outing the tank overflowed when underway.

Looking at the options we decided to install a second outlet

This photo shows the origional setup

post-731-028587700 1308871400_thumb.jpg

The second outlet was installed about 2" below the origional outlet. Having it lower allowed the water to begin draining earlier & there was sufficient space between the drain & the top of the tank for any "excess".

If the water does get close to the top it runs out the top drain.

This may not be the most ideal set up but it works.

I'm not suggesting that all tanks should have two drains only to point out that having the drain too close to the top can incur overflow problems so having it a few inches lower can provide freespace for the excess water when traveling.

Geoff

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Guest Aussie007

heres my live bait tank nothing attaches to my boat so i can remove it for cleaning at home ive had about 8 poddy mullet sit in there from lunch time to 9pm

post-3154-052040500 1308971341_thumb.jpg

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in regards to the outlet it needs to be at least twice the diameter of the inlet

the bigger the better,and if there is a long run in the plumbing hose for the out let it needs to be even bigger

my out let is 45mm hole,that copes with a 800 gallon pump but not an 1100gallon pump

for the bait you want to use the smaller tank would be good,you would need to look at something to cover the outlet so your baits dont get prematurely released via the outlet,i use a dome shaped plastic plug with a grille on it that fits in the outlet,which allows water to flow through but not the baits

but in saying all that poodies are pretty hardy and live for a while with a bucket an aerator

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heres my live bait tank nothing attaches to my boat so i can remove it for cleaning at home ive had about 8 poddy mullet sit in there from lunch time to 9pm

How does your pump attach to the hull?

Do you keep the pump running when underway?

cheers

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Guest Aussie007

How does your pump attach to the hull?

Do you keep the pump running when underway?

cheers

i just hang the pump over the back of the transom while getting bait than i lift the pump back into the boat untill we get to where we are fishing than put the pump back in the water or i drive around for half a day downrigging and poddy mullet stay alive without the pump running

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Try putting one of these in your line before the pump

My link

Think I might get myself one of these vortex flow limiters as have an issue with overfilling the livewell when underway. Have learnt from previous encounters that continual forcing the water flow from a pick up can over presurise the pump leading to water passing through the seal to the motor. (ie: where you have a water pickup close coupled to the pump inlet)

Cheers Blood Knot

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Guest Aussie007

Hey Gazza,

Love your creation :thumbup:

thanks mate :)

also my creation has a bonus no drilling holes in fibreglass transoms leading to transom rot and when u sell your boat there are no holes in the transom :thumbup: also it can be used on a wharf using a tiny motorcycle battery to power the pump

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thanks mate :)

also my creation has a bonus no drilling holes in fibreglass transoms leading to transom rot and when u sell your boat there are no holes in the transom :thumbup: also it can be used on a wharf using a tiny motorcycle battery to power the pump

Thanks gazza,

I will have a running copy soon. Great to hear that a simple setup works.

Edited by myocard
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