The Ultimate Cooler Livewell DIY 

"Why I failed History" fell out of my chair laughing. Keep up the good work.

Ok, let me help out here. I often transport small fish from Florida to Kentucky (12+ hours) for my aquariums 1) Main thing, despite what 90%+ people think, bubble boxes or air pumps do not put oxygen in the water, the bubbles are way too big. Water absorbs oxygen from the air at the surface. This is why aquarium fish shipped to pet stores are in plastic bags filled with 100% oxygen. What the bubblers do is circulate the water so it picks up oxygen. What you want is a maximum circulation. You will get better results with a smaller air stone with the pumps yo are using. They simply do not have the power fr the big air stones to work properly 2) If you have 12 volt, just use a 12 volt bilge pump (small one) just like the boat's live well 3) If you have an inverter so you have 110 volt, I mount an underwater filter to the side using silicon. This not circulates the water but filters toxic waste from the fish as well. 4) If you plan on having a lot of fish or fish for extended periods, pick up a nitrate remover, also called ammonia block (many different names) from the pet section. This removes the deadly ammonia produced by the fish. I also add another substance that helps the fish keep their slime layer. 5) Adding a small frozen blue ice or a frozen water bottle helps as well, cool water has more oxygen. 6) The gorilla tape is okay, do not use the gorilla glue. Personally, I use silicon (pet area and paint, hardware, craft have tubes), it is safe and can be peeled off if needed.

instead of cutting slits in your cooler, you can screw metal picture frame hangers into it with small screws. they make perfect holders for the clips on the back of the aerator.

Lovin some fishin n stuff!!

You got the best DIYs around! Thanks for the link to the solar bubbler, I hadn't seen one of those before. It's already on my wish list.

You make it look so easy. I could watch you do stuff all day 24/7! Great video!

Nice Livewell , I’ll be building mine for my kayak. One thing I’ll be adding is a small aquarium pump so I can be pumping lake water in to keep the fish alive. I’ll also have to rig an overflow . I’ll post photos when I’m finished.

I use to sell the refurbished koolatron coolers with air pumps in them 35 years ago. Still have my large sample model , and it stills runs awesome. The small koolatrons were great for ice fishing , now I want to go and get a bunch of horned chub and go pike / cat fishing...👍 👍 🇨🇦

I bout cried when you was cutting and drilling on a $75 cooler. It looks good and I'm going to try it out. On a 20 dollar cooler.

I wanted to thank you a bunch!!!! I built one of these after your video. We spent 6 days in Northern Wisc, purchased 4 dozen Walleye minnows, only lost 4 minnows in 6 days!!! Obviously we added fresh water, but have never had such an amazing cooler!!! Thanks Brother

Thanks!

cheers mate

I take small plastic drink bottles fill with water and freeze them. Then I fill cooler with cold well water. The cold slows down their metabolism and they use less air in addition to the bubbler. Gonna put 2 in.

I'm BLESSED TO HAVE FOUND YOUR CHANNEL GREAT IDEAS, CLEAN HUMOR, VERY COOL. WISH YOU WELL!!!

That was Awesome. Happy Father's Day brother & thanks for sharing.

Your videos always exciting and can't wait to ear your ideas... stay posting..!!!

BTW! You can use GEL super glue to glue the air stone down. It won’t kill fish or coral! Just make double dog sure that you purchase the gel super glue.

I was literally about to build the old baitwell cooler from years ago you posted and then boom now there’s an ultimate version , Thank You your awesome !!!!!!!👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼👌🏼👌🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼💥💥

Bud that's a darn great idea. Glad you shared it.

You know what’s pretty dang cool? … you are Fishin N Stuff!

Thanks brother fisherman.

Super video. My friend is in the process of building a live well like this. I'm about to share this one with him. Thanks

Nice I like the dual battery and 110 bubbler that is AWESOME!!!!!!!!!

This guy is awesome

I made a big one out of a cooler too just to keep bait from the creek in. Big money saver!!

Should be sleeping right now for work, but here I am watching fishin n stuff! Love your content brother!!

I sure hope Walmart is sponsoring you as much shopping you do at their place and use their name on here. great ideas you come up with, I like um. Tight Line

Awesome brother

That’s cool. I’ve lost count on how many coolers I have here. Gotta make me one.

I enjoy watching your helpful videos

I just made one from a 5 gallon bucket, thanks for the info. Axton, VA

Also you can get battery adapter and run it for the voltage regulator and have 12 volts from your ridged 18volt battery that is a rapid charge or DeWalt or Milwaukee

You are freeking AWSOME, KEEP UP THE GREAT WORK

Love this channel!

I will be building one of these with two of my grandsons soon

Gonna build me one of these !!! Awesome 👍. Thank you Keith for sharing…🤴 of DIY’s. Take care brother

Yup this is gonna be AWESOME!

Man, you did it again! Great video. I know that talking/presenting can be a challenge and that you added the correction about oxygen content of air was amazingly humble. Very easy to just edit that out instead of owning it. Alright, down to bidness: Most coolers are rotomolded out of the same material as plastic kayaks, which means that you can heat the area you want to cut or drill to make it smoother/easier. If you ran the placement of the air tubes to the corners then put a small loop after pump, you won’t get drips running back down if you don’t get good seal or just use caulk/sealant. Other advantage is you could put both stones in center like you first showed and have tube run down opposite side of interior, maybe even add some tape to them. Digging solar? Me too! Harbor freight has solar pond pumps that you can connect to a crossbar sprayer to add more movement in the well. Add some filter material and screen and it’ll cut down on the amount of crud floating around. Seems there’s still a debate about aeration performance of bubble vs. surface spray, maybe setup both and test? RCYAGO Portable Dissolved Oxygen and Temperature Meter, DO Range: 0-40.00 mg/L, 0.1 mg//L Resolution, Digital Dissolved Oxygen Meter with Electrode Filling Fluid www.amazon.com/dp/B08NFYY4L8/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glt_fabc_DAZM7D8SMFKWJ3KWGVVP?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1 And when it comes to healthy fish, to other enemy is ammonia. Here’s some reading on that: fishlab.com/ammonia/ While you can use conditioners to minimize impact of ammonia, it’s one more thing to run out of. I’d be interested to see if either aeration helped reduce it. Maybe split a batch of used bait water and run a 3 day aeration with tests? Yep, must be Monday morning, this is way too long😂 Anyway, hope something in here helps.

Another idea would be to add an emergency blanket, one of the reflective type, you know the tinfoil ones, to the top of the live well.Carefully glue it on and smooth it out with a brush, no or only a few wrinkles. If you want to make it tough then just put a thin coat of clear epoxy over it, no glass. Like the man says, these hack videos are AWESOME.

You ARE the MAN!!!! Got to fasten your seat belt when you hit play on this channel!

This is great! I see me doing this. Thanks, Keith!

I added a 12v hardwire pump in my boat. The D battery Hush is ok, but holy Toledo does the 12v pump pump pump so much more air. I also upgraded my stone to a micro air stone, again huge difference. Love the videos, keep em coming!

They were under $ 3.00 till video came out . LOL Pretty cool looking Cooler .

Fantastic. I made one out of a 5 gallon ice cooler for my bait fish.

That was a slick DIY. Thanks.

Grab some suction-cup airline holders to rout those hoses to exactly where you want them to be. They stick and stay :) ...I enjoy your stuff very much...It's AWESOME !

You're one of the most entertaining RU-vid Fisherdudes!

the solar pump is cool never seen one great ideal buddy

your great

Yep, this is my next DIY Kayak Fishing Project for catfishing 👍 and add some leds to it 👍

To help keep the water and fish cool you can make a cover for the cooler with Reflectix Radiant Barrier. Most big box stores sell it. And buy a roll of the foil tape. My cooler cover is like a box, without a bottom, that slips over my cooler. There is a slit in the top for the handle. Keeps my worms happy all day. At the end of the day the blue ice block still feels cool.

I have used many of your hacks on my kayak. I would like to see how you would build a do-it-yourself Live Well to keep the fish you catch in for an Old Town autopilot 120 either to mount on the outside and Float alongside the kayak or to put in the kayak. That would be great. I Enjoy watching your videos. They are very helpful and I have used many of your hacks. Thank you so much for sharing your ideas.

Cool

Awesome video! Definitely be tuning in on Monday night. 🎣🤙🏼

Great DIY! Heading to Wally World to pick up supplies. Thanks.

Dang Keith!!! Man you hit the jackpot with this video!!! I always wanted to know how a portable live well works. Man I appreciate your knowledge , and skills to the max!! 👍🏾👍🏾👍🏾👍🏾

Another awesome video thanks for sharing buddy thanks god bless

Good Bait = Great Fishing ,, Simple As That ,,, That's A Good DIY PROJECT ,,Purty Dang Awesome Right There Y'all 🦈🎣👀😁 Keep It Reelin Brother

Great updated DYI

Love it.

You can add also Peltier element with the circulation pump and that will keep your water at whatever the temperature you want provided that you installed the controller and temperature sensor.

I love your video, Lots of GOOD information!!!😁

Wow that's awesome diy I can't believe you're finally going to be live on catfish weekly congratulations 🎉🎉🎉 brother

The cheaper coolers have a hollow lid so you can pull that center plug out an fill the lid with water an freeze it so it helps keep your drinks colder longer.

Absolutely awesome Keep it up

Great job

That’s a really good idea.

U can also use spray foam for the cheap cooler lids

You keep forgetting us bank fisherman. I created one with pole rack and it not only carries the poles, but also acts as a holder when you're sinker fishing. I can't add pictures here or I would show you.

Should have put a drain hole in it so you can change the water on occasion? But I like this homemade bait aerator

Freeze a bottle of water , drop it in livewell to keep water cool on hot days

I like the dual aeration systems. And I didn't even know they made a solar powered aerator. That is awesome! I use a suction cup style recirculation pump / aerator. It works great, but does use more power. But it'll run off a 12 volt, sealed lead acid battery or 12v cigarette port (in my boat / truck)

Pretty dang awesome!

Thats awesome! ! Failed History. 😅😄

Hey Fishn n Stuff, how about building a personal air conditioner out of a cooler ? Might make a good video and I think it would be good to have. Frankincooler is a good place to start your research. I'm seriously considering building one, as I get older the heat seems to hurt me worse than before. Another way to beat the heat is what I'm currently doing, get a clamp on 12 volt Walmart fan and mount a mister in the center connected to a 1 gallon pump up spray jug. The mister components can be ordered from Amazon, 1.5 mister head is all you'll want or need.

Very nice!

That was awesome

Awesome idea. I like this one the best of your live wells. Gotta do one myself.thanks for the idea and the video. Take care.

I love watching your videos I learned so much My boat does not have a live well I am going to try this

great video, nice igloo cooler

Another spin is dig a small pond 6 inches of ag lime in bottom pea gravel the banks add 1000 minnows per acre. Send me summ of the left over cash after you start selling baits!

Awesome video 👍🏻

Awesome stuff sir

I’m gonna build one of your live wells

Keith, have you considered making a minnow trap? Love to see what you create. You are one of my favorite RU-vidrs to watch. Good info... and you are entertaining. Well done!

Great Job Love your videos

i have the same solar powered aerator. it works amazing

Hey I mounted a 12 volt aerator to my boat underneath the console and put it on a timer switch that kicks on every 15min. and runs for about 10min and does quite well. Where my hose comes out of the cooler I added a brass hose fitting so I could unplug it from the hose . Get my minnows wheel it back to the boat and with the help of my friend pick it up and reattach it to the to aerator. It works for me. In the summer I may add a frozen 2 litter bottle to keep the water cool. But good video. The reason I put it on a timer switch is I don't like hearing Mr bubbles all night fishing but that's me

Awesome

Awesome 😎

G'day mate another great fun show 🍻

very awesome! ive watched a lot of diy fishing videos and yours "trump" all! great job Kieth!

Hey bud. Me again lol. Shoot, I might just get this solar charging pump. Appreciate the DIYS

letting the air stones soak in water for 10-15 mins before turning on pumps helps with air flow also

Love your channel!

I have got to build me one.

I made the live well today and I said that’s awesome

Dang now I gotta upgrade mine to solar!!! Thanks a lot 😂

Dude .. ya gotta say "CLICK DA BELL" .. it is what gives you some independence from other fishin channels ..sounds so cool

FYI Marine Metal make a LWK-11 Live well Kit with a B-11 bubble Box, mounts, hoses and grommet. I place to mount your knife and pliers.