@@PhilCrockett It didn't work out at all. all my bait died a few days after putting them in. I am thinking I didn't get the right bacteria culture to start out.
Thank you! All of the videos making these filters are great at explaining how they work and conveying the general idea, but nearly all assume some level of plumbing knowledge exists. A complete supplies list and step by step tutorial is what I've so desperately needed!
You're going to LOVE having convenient access to live bait. I'm getting mine out of storage next month. It takes about 1-2 months to cycle the tank where you build up enough bacteria in the filter media. Be sure to dechlorinate your water and only put two or three fish in it at first until you get that good bacteria colonization. You might want to research cycling a fish tank or cycling a bait tank.
I'm going to make one of these this weekend for my bait tank I'm making from a deep freezer. I bought a controller for it too. I have a 125 gallon fish tank I have been running canisters in over a year. I'll use that bacteria to help me boost it. Love the video
Thank you for your video. I have watched others - similar and one suggestion some have made is to put the pump on a pot or something to raise it up. That way if there is a problem and the filter clogs & overflows - the water level can't completely empty the pond - saving the fish!
@@PhilCrockett I am just fixing to create my tank like this? What would you recommend to keep PH levels where they need to be? Tester and chemical wise?
Phil, I had to scrap the lava rocks. Even after washing them before use, I still found grit in the minnow tank. The minnows had a red hue on their gills and subsequently died. I have added an extra layer of pot scrubbing pads that you glued and I am in the process of testing again. Will let you know how this works out. David
interesting about the lava rock. I did wash mine first. You really don't need it. The sponges will work just find. Ya.. let me know how it goes. I just set my tank up for the season yesterday. I have a couple of perch in it right now in order to cycle the tank. Probably be ready in a few weeks for more fish.
Amazing diy, explained very well. But my question is if I wanted to add a check valve where and how would I place it? For whenever I do maintenance or for whatever reason the pump turns off.
@@PhilCrockett Our Problem Now Is We don't have but one Local Place to Buy Live Minnows , The other one closed when hunting season opened as most around here switch From Fishin to hunting , But in both cases it's not a close drive to get live bait and I only live 5 to 7 miles away from the river and location where I do 85% of my fishing , if I had a tank I could Make A Trip down pick up some extras to stock up a bit could probably Rig a Divider or some sort of finer mesh and keep two sizes in one tank , Crappie Minnows Are A lot lot Smaller than what I use for catfish , The Main issue Though Is I Have To Go an hour round trip the Opposite Direction Of Where I Fish To Get Live Bait ,When I could Be Sitting with a hook in the water in 20 Minutes of Leaving home,, Even Night Crawlers And Wigglers Are Now A Issue To Get My Hands On easily , I had two locations for worms one was a little drive away but I would usually get 300 when I went and the did ok in the containers I kept them in , That Place closed and the owner now works out of town construction ,the one that was running the bait Bussiness had a second job that became permanent position so that was that and the other place sold Completely Out Of The Worm Bussiness , Beds And All , I'm seriously considering Building worm beds again too just for our own Use , I catch some monster shell cracker in a few spots and they like worms , There's times I use nightcrawlers for catfish too , Certain Situations I can do Well using them , live bait has become a bit of an issue to say the least , Thanks for the info
learn to throw a cast net. You can catch your own bait whenever you want. I usually throw mine after work on a Thursday, and load my tank. Then I get off work on Friday and I can go straight to the river with my fresh bait without wasting time. This is my routine.
@@PhilCrockett yeah we usually do the same ,or I'll trap some Minnows if I have time to get down There , ya have to be careful Leaving ya traps too, I've had them disappear to many times , if I left them like you should be able to do , The tank is the key to this Issue that's the best solution for this, I can catch up some and keep it alive , question ,,Hi king do ya Usually have them in the tank ? And do you try and feed them if they're caught up and in the tank a few days ? Do they Survive Ok for say maybe a week or so without some sort of feeding ?
I have a pretty quick turn-over. I fish my bait about every weekend during the summer. I do have dead fish quite often, but the raccoons and possums need to eat too. Some fish are hardier than others. I like common carp the best. They last a long time. I generally don't feed the bait unless I go over a couple weeks.
Yo, Phil and I bet I can guess what you've been doing besides reducing your carbon footieprint! FREEZER FILLERS! NICE filter! We have 2 stand up backwash filters because of all the iron in the water but a black Berkey takes care of everything those filters don't get. No more kidney stones! Hope yall are doing just peachy! All goofy here on the swamp with rain and thunderations today so yall have a Jesus weekend and THANKS and GBWYall!
Lewie, I knew you would like this one. I couldn't wait to post it. One of my favorite things to do is to cast net for the bait. I've had a few big carp jump out of the tank and stink up my shop. I come home from work and there it is on the floor, all smelly. I'm going to have to put a screen over the top of this for sure. I like the larger carp for cut-bait, but those things sure can jump! Glad you liked this one! Send my love to everyone in the swamp! GBWU2!
@@PhilCrockett I've got a picture of my son holding a carp that has to be close to 2 feet long. He's in Bozeman now and no telling what he's dragging out. Glad you're back on and in the water. About all the water I see is what pours out and ion me in all this humidity. I know you're fighting there to even get the door open. So have a Jesus weekend, Phil and GBWYall! Us swamp dwellers are happy 4 U!
Great Video. I have been reading every video I can and yours has been the most helpful. I'm trying to keep Gizzards since trip to lake is over a an hour trip and no bait store around. Have you kept Gizzards and if so how long. Again thanks for info and God Bless
Awesome design. I will be making one for my bait tank. It's going to be made from an IBC tote. Would a 264 GPH pump be sufficient for this system? I'm concerned about the lift capability of the 264 GPH pump
I personally wouldn't use a 264. The only reason I say that is due to my own research on this subject. Go to the big box hardware store like Lowes, and read the backs of some of these pumps. There are tables on flow vs rise on a lot of these packages. Also, you definitely want a high turnover of water through this filter. Another thing... I recommend getting one with a valve, or put a valve in the line to control flow. That way, if you think it's too fast, then you can turn it down. Hope this helps. Here's a good one that I put in my Amazon store: www.amazon.com/dp/B00TIJYVOU/?ref=exp_philcrockett_dp_vv_d
No prob, Robert. Any other question, let me know. If this is your first time keeping fish, just know that you are going to need to condition / cycle the tank. You will have a high rate of death for about 6 weeks until your filter media gets colonized with bacteria. The bacteria takes care of the high ammonia amounts in the water, and eventually the water won't poison your fish. Also...... I didn't do this in the video, but if you are planning to put carp in it, you WILL need a lid. They love to jump out.
I know im a little late to the party on this one, but i've been thinking about making a bait tank for awhile. I live in Upstate NY so winter is something i'll have to deal with. Would this filter setup be ok for freezing temps, or would i have to insulate it in some way? Any thought or opinions would be helpful, loved the video and thanks a million
Phil, got the bucket filter pretty much ready to go (still need to officially put in the media, but that'll take 5 minutes). I did get a 264gph pond pump instead of a larger one because Harbor Freight had it a great deal on it, and I knew I'd' likely not go to 100 gallons like yours. I got a deal on a 55 gallon drum, so I'm going that route. Probably only fill it to 40-50 gallons. That said, do you think the smaller pump will suffice or not? I will also be adding a couple smaller aquarium aerators to the water. Thanks for any input.
Just saw 264gph comment from a year ago, so disregard. I'll see how my setup goes when we get some fish in. Doing 40g or so if f water in 55g drum, so there's some height to clear to get to the bucket filter.
Just saw your video , excellent job. BTW did you get some of the other items on Amazon, the blue filter? I was using a 55 gallon plastic barrel on its side with a cut out on top for access and drain on the bottom end. I had two cheap fish tank pumps running , had to change water and clean filters once a week, pain in the ass. Been using it like this for 2 yrs to keep trapped minnows for ice fishing and yesterday the barrel had a leak somewhere, wtf with 200 minnows in it. Saw your video and was able to run to tractor supply to get the 100 gallon tub. Waiting to order from Amazon now. Fish tank filters will keep em alive until I’m done . Your way is going to be so much better.
It really depends on the species and the size of the bait. Shad will die if you look at them cross-eyed so I don't usually keep shad. However, juvenile carp will keep for months if you feed them. Goldfish will also keep as long as you feed them. I usually go out on a Thursday night and throw my castnet for bait. Depending on how much I get, I usually have to replenish in a couple weeks.
Looks great! Do you know if there is a safe way to paint the inside of the stock tank? Would be nice if it were a light color to better see the fish, but not sure if the paint would come off over time or be toxic to the fish. Also, do you ever add ice or otherwise cool the water? Thanks
I put Vigoro pond pebbles at the bottom of mine just because I had them on hand but quickly realized it lightens it up and helps me to see the fish quite a bit! I do still want to add lights though.
Enjoyed your presentation but why did you keep the check valve on top of the pump? If it was shut off with the pump running, there would surely be back pressure on the pump which is not desireable? To my mind, the check valve in that position could be omitted.
@@PhilCrockett thanks for the explanation. Do you think a T in the supply line might be better so that flow to the filter could be reduced via a return to the main tank? (A bleed off line) That would avoid creating pressure on the pump. Still a nice project Phil.
The valve on the motor does that, but I do like your idea of having one higher.... that way, I don't get my arm wet when I regulate the flow. I've also though about having a "Y" connector and valve, so I can pump the water out easily when emptying.
Yes! I always appreciate people's input. I learn a lot from everyone. Thanks for watching and commenting, Kevin! Hope you like my other videos as well.
@@PhilCrockett the thread sealant you put on that looks like a roll of tape. It goes on with the thread pitch so if your looking at the threads it should go on clock wise. I spelt it wrong in the first comment sorry. I'm a pipefitter and training is apart of my job I guess I just look for that kind of stuff now a days. Great video tho
Ya... I tend to do that once in a while. However, I've never had any issues either way. It's really just a technicality. The funny thing is, you really don't even need any in this situation. I just have a habit of treating all my threads over the years. Thanks for critiquing my video. Glad you still liked it.
I think I'll give this a go soon for same...bluegills for sure and carp if I can get any. Looked over comments and your comments to those. Anything stick out at all now that you'd do differently? Hopefully I got a lot of parts around 'due to availability'...sitting around in garage for years.
@@PhilCrockett Thanks. I literally just wrapped up a quick run through with plain water. No basket in bottom yet and didn't put in lava rocks. The top media wasn't secure enough so it all floated up and outlet assembly twisted installing outside elbow so silicone leaked barely. Both easy fixes and should be done this weekend.
You are going to love having a bait tank! It has really been a game changer for me. I usually Cast net on a Thursday night and I have my fresh bait ready for the river when I get off work Friday night.
Im in the process of building one of these and i bought the exact same fittings you used,atleast i thought i did and drilled the holes in the basket the way the video showed but the basket will not sit right on top of the T,does that really matter?
I made one similar to this after watching the video, however I didn’t put any filter media on top of the lava rocks, and now the water has change color but I also had rust on the metal barrel that my pond was in, so I wonder if the water changed color from the lava rocks or from the rust.
Great video! You should really stay away from marine adhesive for applications like this. It is not considered aquarium safe, you are better off using straight silicone adhesive that is listed as aquarium safe.
Another couple questions. Is the 1.5" elbow necessary on the inside of the bucket for the outflow or could you just raise the level of the outflow hole by a couple inches and just have it pipe straight out the horizontal pipe? If using for holding bait, do you need some kind of UV light in the 100 gallon tub to prevent algae from forming? Is the 1/2" insert female adapter attaching to the pump too loose a fit for the 3/4" tubing -- I know you have a 3/4" adapter on the other end. Thanks
1) look up the definition of "channeling" when it comes to filters. My drain pulls from the whole circumference, where a straight pipe pulls from one spot. 2) I've never had any issues with algae. I keep my tank in the barn, out of sunlight. I did put a light in it this year, in order to see what I'm trying to net.m. Just make sure you are de-chlorinating the tap water when filling. 3) nothing has to be too loose or too tight if you have a 'throttle'. the pump I have has the valve that allows regulation of flow. I turn it until I have the perfect flow. 4). Hope this helps you out, my friend! Let me know if you have more questions
@@PhilCrockett #2 - I'm using well water, so no chlorine, but I do have a water softener and also have a bit of iron in the water, so hopefully that won't cause issues. #3 - I'm having trouble finding the right adapters at home depot, so am contemplating connecting everything with pvc pipe and skip the tubing.- Finally, I appreciate that you take the time to respond to everyone's questions, even a year later! Most content creators don't do this, so thanks.
@@PhilCrockett The PVC worked well. I like how it keeps the pump in place pretty well. One thing I noticed with my setup is that when I turn the pump off, the water from the bucket siphons back into the tank. Does yours do that and do you think that might be an issue? I was thinking about putting in a shut off valve between the pump and the bucket to prevent this, but not sure it's necessary.
mine does the same thing, however, it hasnt been a problem. It just takes extra time to fill back up. I do like the valve idea that you have. I'm thinking about putting an inlet valve and an outlet valve on a "Y" so I can pump the tank out instead of using the leaky drain plug at the end of the season.
I've seen people use koi ponds / tanks for turtles. They work very well. You don't want anything too deep, and you want structure (like islands) for the turtles to come out on.
All depends on how long you want them to be in the tank, and how big they are. I always have 2 or 3 big ones for a couple days of cut bait. My routine is: I cast net for bait during the week and throw in the tank. Then I fish the bait all weekend. so..... I only store enough bait for 3 days of fishing. Always fresh bait.
@@PhilCrockett I forgot to ask,I'm putting shiners in the 100 gallon tank.how many do you think would be the highest amount I could put in it.they are 2.5"
All depends on how long they are going to be in there. For a long period of time, the rule is 1" per gallon of water, but that's if you plan on keeping and feeding them. I fish enough to have a fast turnover in my tank. I never have fish in there over 2 weeks and I never feed them. I usually go out cast netting during the week, and have just enough bait for the weekend. I try to use my leftover baits first on the the next trip out in order to keep the most recent bait in the tank.
for colonizing bacteria. Look up "cycling a fish tank" and "purpose of fish tank filter media". I learned a lot researching this on-line. You won't be sorry.
Every Fall, I simply rinse my media off until it wrings clear water, and let them dry in the sun. I don't use soap or any other agent that kills bacteria. Only use tap water. Then I pack them away for the winter. In fact, I just did this last weekend. I'm done fishing for the year, and I'm focusing on deer season. No need to replace the media or add any. It doesn't break down, only gets nasty.
Last year I didn't, but this year, I changed it once because i put a giant catfish in it for a couple days and that thing must have unloaded it's guts! I won't do that again. So..... it all depends on how bad the water gets.
I fill it up to that top line that you see below the rim. I'm not sure how much volume, I just 'eyeball it'. I'll go out and measure the headspace (water to rim), and let you know.
the headspace in my tank is 7". BTW: not sure what kind of bait you're thinking about putting in there, but if you are planning to put goldfish, carp, bluegill.....etc with any size to them, you WILL need a lid. The bigger bait fish love to jump out! I framed a piece of Lexan with treated 2x4's and hinged it for a lid. works great. I also bought submersible lights.
Yeah, but it's the only way you can watch RU-vid for free. It works just like radio. I suppose you could pay for RU-vid red and get no ads, but that's too rich for my blood. Thanks for watching and commenting.