DIY plumbed bait tank

[abbot_86]

hey fellas well im on holidays and have been wanting to install a bait tank in my boat for some time , so today i did just that. after a bit of a look at a mates boat i had it sussed.

firstly i got an old esky, just an average size one that fits into one of my back hatches perfect.

i then got 2 bilge outlets one for intake one for out take. intake up high on one end of the esky and the outlet on the bottom

i then mounted a bilge pump on the back next to my transducer
with bilge pipe running from that pump to the intake hole.

i then used some electrical conduit inside some clear hose for inside the tank for both intake aerator ,and outlet . i used marine grade sikaflex throughout the tank and all up cost me about $80-$100 as i had bilge pumps.

for those of you who dont unerstand the workings of the tank heres how it goes:: fresh water is sucked from outside into the tank via the bilge pump on stern. once water reaches the top of the pipe standing upright in the tank it tracks down the inside of the pipe to undernath my floor. this dirty water is then pumped out useing my regular bilge pump . when you are finished with the tank simply pull out the verticle pipe from the intake and take out you bungs and let it all out. or you can just bilge it out if you are still on the water. hope this is of some help. nick

[abbot_86]

just a couple of the finished product

[ffejsmada]

Geez mate, great looking system, wonder where that idea come from??

Also, it's not too late to knock the corners off that aluminium bracket, that'll slice your leg open if you tangle with it!

Good job bud!

ps.....who's the chick????

[Pistol_P]

Nice Job Nick...

Yeah...who's the good sort giving you a hand...

Pete

[Jeremy]

looks like it will do a good job for you. couple of comments tho...you will get alot of slop and water loss without a lid. You could make one from some of the white cutting board teflon and use make a hinged opening to get baits in and out. Also, a 'pickup' for your mounting bracket ie a small tube bent on an angle to contact the water would allow you to circulate water into your tank on the plane. I don't think you will be able to pump water in with the bilge on the plane. Hope these suggestions are useful. Jeremy

[Spaniard_King]

Abbot,

I have a question.. once the tank is full whats stoping the "fresh" seawater coming in the fill pipe going straight out the overflow?? to me you could have stagnant water build up in the bottom of the tank.

Why ddn't you put the fill pipe in the bottom so that good water enters the bottom and old water flows out the top giving a flow through the tank at all times. if you were worried about the tank draining back through the filler pump you could have put a cheap plastic ball valve in the filler line!

I would just swap the fill and overflow lines over and put the overflow out the top over the side with a hose (no bilge pump required). Also you will need the overflow to be at least 25% bigger than the inlet so as the tank does not overflow!

[abbot_86]

Abbot,

I have a question.. once the tank is full whats stoping the "fresh" seawater coming in the fill pipe going straight out the overflow?? to me you could have stagnant water build up in the bottom of the tank.

Why ddn't you put the fill pipe in the bottom so that good water enters the bottom and old water flows out the top giving a flow through the tank at all times. if you were worried about the tank draining back through the filler pump you could have put a cheap plastic ball valve in the filler line!

I would just swap the fill and overflow lines over and put the overflow out the top over the side with a hose (no bilge pump required). Also you will need the overflow to be at least 25% bigger than the inlet so as the tank does not overflow!

spaniardking, i see what your saying but the bilge doessnt need to run the whole time to keep bait alive. so the out take doesnt need to be bigger

[abbot_86]

looks like it will do a good job for you. couple of comments tho...you will get alot of slop and water loss without a lid. You could make one from some of the white cutting board teflon and use make a hinged opening to get baits in and out. Also, a 'pickup' for your mounting bracket ie a small tube bent on an angle to contact the water would allow you to circulate water into your tank on the plane. I don't think you will be able to pump water in with the bilge on the plane. Hope these suggestions are useful. Jeremy

jeremy, i thought the sme thing, i was thinking of screwing a bit of thick cutting boared to the undeside of the hatch so it sits flush on the to of the esky when the hatch is closed to stop it slopping over. i also did think of the pickup hose brackets but they cost like $50 i settled with the piece of aluminium angle that cost $2 ill just have to wait till im at rest to fill up. if it was on a offshore boat i would have done the pick up hose idea because of the long trips but in the river its only a short time between stops

[coucho]

abbot nice job.
But I agree with spainyard out take should be bigger or you can't just leave the pump running without over flow. what happens when you turn the pump on then hook up to a fish do you want to have to switch your pump off mid fight I rockon I would forget?
Also instead of running your over flow into the bilge I would of just put a hole near the top of the esky/tank and run a hose across and into the outboard well so overflow drains straight over the side no need to pump it out of the bilge.

[MyWay]

good job
i think you should putt tank on another side of boat not where you seating just better balance distribution when you are on move one is fill that tank with water is heavy think
IMO

myway

[Didley]

Nice one Abbot, Have U got any close ups of the Chick?

Cheers Dids

[frankgrimes]

Nice one Abbot, Have U got any close ups of the Chick?

Cheers Dids

Gold!


Mick

[Donny Boy]

Now, now fellas.............This is about a bait tank !

[abbot_86]

Nice one Abbot, Have U got any close ups of the Chick?

Cheers Dids

sorry dids maybe ask jeff (ffejsmada) its his daughter!!

[Didley]

Ffej, U been holding back on us, I can't understand that.